Gale George Elder
February 10, 1913 — March 2, 2004
Dr. Gale George Elder of Eureka, Kansas (formerly Winfield, Kansas), died on Tuesday, March 2, 2004, at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital in El Dorado, Kansas at the age of 91.
He was born on February 10, 1913 in Mount Hope, Kansas, the son of Valley and Lenora (Miller) Elder. He was raised in Winfield and attended North Vernon School and Winfield High School. After schooling he continued to work on the family farm until 1937.
Dr. Gale Elder had a lifelong dream of helping people. This dream would never have been fulfilled had it not been for the discovery of oil in 1937 on the family farm. This discovery permitted Gale to attend Southwestern College for 2 years and then complete his education at Kirksville College of Osteopathy and Surgery in 1944.
He completed his internship in May of 1945 at Southwestern Osteopathic Hospital in Wichita. On July 16, 1945 he opened his first office at 314 E. Lincoln. Following the sale of Southwestern Osteopathic Hospital, seven doctors including Gale started the Osteopathic Hospital on August 14, 1947. This hospital was first located at 3557 E. Douglas in a large brick house. Initially the bed capacity could accommodate 10 patients and included a staff of eight physicians. It was equipped for both medical and surgical practice.
On January 14, 1951 Dr. Elder was united in marriage to Mildred Jackson Freeman in Wichita, Kansas. They made their home in Wichita where they raised a family, and Dr. Elder continued to establish his practice.
In 1953, a 20-bed addition was completed along with a nursery and eight bassinets. Gale opened an office in 1957 at a house located at 2223 E. Kellogg. He remained at this location until Kellogg was widened in the early 1970’s.
With forethought to the future, 13 acres of land located at McLean Blvd and Central was purchased in 1959 with the intent to build a new hospital. In April 1966, the 60-bed Osteopathic Hospital of Wichita opened its door. This state of the art hospital was staffed by 24 doctors. The need for the hospital proved to be so essential that in May of 1969, a new wing provided 80 medical and surgical beds as well as an intensive and coronary care unit and pharmacy. In 1974, Dr. Gale Elder along with Drs. Harvey Steffen, Charles and Bill Mitchell opened the doors to the Osteopathic Clinic.
Gale made house calls at all hours of the day and night in his quest to help people. He continued his house call regimen until 1972. During this time period Gale earned the nickname “the best hands in Wichita.” This was due to his ability to realign whatever was out of place. Gale had readily available his portable table he would take with him on house calls or utilize at his own home for friends and relatives who were “out of whack.”
Gale was happiest when he was helping and healing people. He was a very humble man and never wanted any fanfare for his accomplishments. He believed if you were a good
Christian and had found your calling…you did your job to help humanity with your God given ability.
He was a member of the Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine and served as President of the organization. He was also a lifelong member of the American Osteopathic Association.
Gale’s retirement until recent years was spent playing golf, visiting friends, and helping people. He was always seeking to live in a divine order of life and developing his own spiritual sensitiveness to the light of truth. Gale found that with the burden of suffering clearly being on one side, the burden of wrong doing on the other led to being severely hurt and disappointed by persons he helped and healed in life. He accepted his emotional pain; however, his heart was truly broken and heavy as his body began to weaken. He passed away with dignity, respect and was surrounded by love.
He is survived by a wife, two sons, and two grandsons. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, and his beloved first wife Mildred.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, March 7, 2004 at Koup Family Funeral. Visitation is from 9:00 A.M. until service time. Pastor Ted Brown of the Hackney Baptist Church will officiate.
In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established to the Gale G. Elder Memorial Fund, which will be distributed among several different charities. Contributions may be sent c/o Koup Family Funeral Home P.O. Box 595 Eureka, Kansas 67045.
He was born on February 10, 1913 in Mount Hope, Kansas, the son of Valley and Lenora (Miller) Elder. He was raised in Winfield and attended North Vernon School and Winfield High School. After schooling he continued to work on the family farm until 1937.
Dr. Gale Elder had a lifelong dream of helping people. This dream would never have been fulfilled had it not been for the discovery of oil in 1937 on the family farm. This discovery permitted Gale to attend Southwestern College for 2 years and then complete his education at Kirksville College of Osteopathy and Surgery in 1944.
He completed his internship in May of 1945 at Southwestern Osteopathic Hospital in Wichita. On July 16, 1945 he opened his first office at 314 E. Lincoln. Following the sale of Southwestern Osteopathic Hospital, seven doctors including Gale started the Osteopathic Hospital on August 14, 1947. This hospital was first located at 3557 E. Douglas in a large brick house. Initially the bed capacity could accommodate 10 patients and included a staff of eight physicians. It was equipped for both medical and surgical practice.
On January 14, 1951 Dr. Elder was united in marriage to Mildred Jackson Freeman in Wichita, Kansas. They made their home in Wichita where they raised a family, and Dr. Elder continued to establish his practice.
In 1953, a 20-bed addition was completed along with a nursery and eight bassinets. Gale opened an office in 1957 at a house located at 2223 E. Kellogg. He remained at this location until Kellogg was widened in the early 1970’s.
With forethought to the future, 13 acres of land located at McLean Blvd and Central was purchased in 1959 with the intent to build a new hospital. In April 1966, the 60-bed Osteopathic Hospital of Wichita opened its door. This state of the art hospital was staffed by 24 doctors. The need for the hospital proved to be so essential that in May of 1969, a new wing provided 80 medical and surgical beds as well as an intensive and coronary care unit and pharmacy. In 1974, Dr. Gale Elder along with Drs. Harvey Steffen, Charles and Bill Mitchell opened the doors to the Osteopathic Clinic.
Gale made house calls at all hours of the day and night in his quest to help people. He continued his house call regimen until 1972. During this time period Gale earned the nickname “the best hands in Wichita.” This was due to his ability to realign whatever was out of place. Gale had readily available his portable table he would take with him on house calls or utilize at his own home for friends and relatives who were “out of whack.”
Gale was happiest when he was helping and healing people. He was a very humble man and never wanted any fanfare for his accomplishments. He believed if you were a good
Christian and had found your calling…you did your job to help humanity with your God given ability.
He was a member of the Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine and served as President of the organization. He was also a lifelong member of the American Osteopathic Association.
Gale’s retirement until recent years was spent playing golf, visiting friends, and helping people. He was always seeking to live in a divine order of life and developing his own spiritual sensitiveness to the light of truth. Gale found that with the burden of suffering clearly being on one side, the burden of wrong doing on the other led to being severely hurt and disappointed by persons he helped and healed in life. He accepted his emotional pain; however, his heart was truly broken and heavy as his body began to weaken. He passed away with dignity, respect and was surrounded by love.
He is survived by a wife, two sons, and two grandsons. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, and his beloved first wife Mildred.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, March 7, 2004 at Koup Family Funeral. Visitation is from 9:00 A.M. until service time. Pastor Ted Brown of the Hackney Baptist Church will officiate.
In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established to the Gale G. Elder Memorial Fund, which will be distributed among several different charities. Contributions may be sent c/o Koup Family Funeral Home P.O. Box 595 Eureka, Kansas 67045.
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