By Barbara Lozier,Times-Union Feature Writer
Dr. and Mrs. DuBois, who reside at 800 East Center street, will
celebrate quietly next Monday their 46 years of married life.
"Those years have been most gratifying," Mrs. DuBois
said. "It's a great satisfaction to be part of a doctor's
life."
Mrs. DuBois has retained her radiant beauty and charm through
the years. Both have remained "young at heart" despite
the edging of time.
A LOCAL BEAUTY
A most hospitable couple, they continue to hold the interests
of their community at heart. Both have given of unestimated time
to public service, social work and civic projects. They are proud
of Warsaw, happy to Warsawans.
Mrs. DuBois is the daughter of the late William and Lillian Reed,
a prominent family of the community 50 years ago. Her father founded
and operated the Hotel Hays here, now owned by Stanford Smith.
It was in the year 1905 that young and handsome Dr. DuBois, fresh
from medical school, came to Warsaw to set up practice. He located
his office in the hotel. Betty, an attractive girl and much sought
after by the town's young male set, soon caught the doctor's eye.
He courted her at every opportunity. Four years later they were
married.
June of this year they attended the 50th anniversary of his graduation
from medical school at the University of Cincinnati.
SERVED IN WAR
World War I came to the United States in 1917. Dr. DuBois
enlisted his services with the medical corps and became a captain
before signing of the armistice. Following the war Dr. DuBois
opened offices in the present Warsaw clinic building on South
Indiana street. Years before his semi-retirement he occupied offices
located at 208 East Center street where Dr. John L. Hillery now
practices.
Mrs. DuBois looks back on their early years together with pleasure.
"We belong to the old days in Warsaw," she said. "My
husband in those first years had no means of transportation. He
walked. He later had a horse and buggy, then a crude automobile.
Many times we pushed the auto over small hills."
HOUSE CALLS 50 CENTS
Speaking of the ignorance of the benefits of medicine in those
early days, Mrs. DuBois said, "The people were afraid to
take diphtheria preventative serum. The ignorance was not the
fault of the people. They didn't have books, magazines, newspapers,
radio or TV to inform them as we do today.
"I was, and still am, very interested in the science of medicine,"
she continued. "I think that if a wife can become interested
in her husband's work or profession, her life will be much more
interesting. I loved to be in the office, to get acquainted with
the doctor's patients. I also enjoyed accompanying him on calls.
"In those early days an office call was 50 cents and a house
call $1. Being the wife of a doctor had given me a better understanding
of people, has enabled me to see life from more than a single
angle."
Mr. and Mrs. DuBois have a son and daughter Clifford Reed DuBois,
who works for National Geographic society, Washington D.C., and
Mrs. Verner Eliason, of Denver, Colo. They have one grandson,
Mark Reed Eliason, who is two-and-a-half-years-old.
Much progress has been made in the field of medicine. DuBois has
witnessed and been a part of this progress. There was no hospital
in Warsaw during the first years of his practice. Surgical patients
were removed to larger nearby metropolitan communities for operations.
The original McDonald hospital, located on South Indiana street,
was constructed in 1911, five years after Dr. DuBois came to Warsaw.
It was built by the late Dr. Angus C. McDonald. The county had
29 practicing physicians at that time. Three still live: Dr. DuBois,
Dr. C. V. Thomas, of Leesburg, who continues to practice at the
age of 81, and Dr. Worvel, of North Manchester. The original McDonald
hospital was later converted into an apartment dwelling following
construction of the present facilities by Dr. John R. Baum on
East Center street (White Hill) in July 1931
GREAT SERVICE
Dr. DuBois has not retired from practice in the true sense of
the word. He cares for county home residents and inmates needing
medical help at the county jail. He also is the acting physician
here when the Fort Wayne blood mobile makes its periodic visits
to our county. Dr. DuBois services as examining doctor have proved
of invaluable aid to our local Red Cross workers.
Dr. DuBois' medical practice was interrupted for a second time
Dec. 12, 1932, when he was appointed mayor by the city council
to fill the vacancy created by the death of Lewis J. Bibler. In
November 1934, he was elected to continue as mayor for another
term which ended Dec. 31, 1938
It was during his tenure as mayor that Dr. DuBois no doubt rendered
one of his greatest services to Warsaw. He assumed office in the
height of the great national depression. It was by his keen guidance
and business ability that Warsaw managed its way through the depression
without shutting down schools and doing away with many necessary
services ordinarily assumed by the city. Doctor DuBois made the
job a full-time one in addition to his demanding duties as a physician.
It could be rightfully described that "he ran the town on
a shoe-string." Few were able to pay their local taxes at
this time.
LOVES TOWN
Mrs. DuBois served as a member of the Warsaw-Wayne township library
board for many years. She is an honorary member of the Warsaw
Reading club, Mothers' study club and active in various women's
organizations of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. DuBois is a charter
member of the local Tri Kappa sorority.
Her main interests, she points out are family, church, friends
and good books. She has spent her entire life in Warsaw. For 67
of her 68 years she has lived on East Center street.
She says of Warsaw, "I don't believe there is a community
in the world where I would rather have spent my life. Warsaw has
a kind of a warmth. It's just the right size, has high standards.
If people are to be happy anywhere, they could be happy in Warsaw."
Dr. and Mrs. Clifford C. Dubois are pictured in familiar setting of their livingroom at 800 East Center Street enjoying a quiet evening of reading their favorite literature. This charming and modest couple has played stellar roles during the past years in civic projects designed to make Warsaw a finer community. |
Warsaw Times-Union Saturday, September 29, 1956
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