Decorated Army doctor enjoyed racing, outdoors
4/27/2002Dr. Winship H. “Doc” Brown, a decorated member of a World War II Army medical corps and partner in the former McKesson Anesthesiologists Associates of Toledo, died Thursday in the Ridgewood Manor nursing home, Monclova Township. He was 91.
Family members did not know the cause of death.
A Maumee resident, Dr. Brown was born in China, where his parents were medical missionaries. The family moved to the Toledo area a few years after his birth. He graduated from Libbey High School and went on to receive a bachelor's degree from Denison University in 1934. He graduated from the Ohio State University medical school in 1937.
Before joining the Army in 1942, he worked at Flower Hospital, was a physician for the Toledo Public Schools, and directed health services at Bowling Green State University.
Dr. Brown began his military service with an evacuation hospital in North Africa and followed the unit through Sicily, Italy, southern France, and Germany.
The traveling hospital, housed in tents, could accommodate about 40 people.
He received commendations in 1944 for outstanding service at the landing in Anzio, Italy, where he administered medical treatment while under bombing.
“His selfless devotion to duty aided in the saving of lives,” the commendation stated.
Dr. Brown took many photos of the European countryside during his tour of duty. One photo of a mountainside castle won the Picture of the Month award at the Toledo Camera Club.
After returning home, Dr. Brown continued working at BGSU for several years, then studied in Cleveland to specialize in anesthesiology. He joined the McKesson Anesthesiology Associates group in Toledo and eventually became a partner. He retired in 1976.
Dr. Brown belonged to the Toledo Academy of Medicine and the Ohio Medical Association.
During the 1950s and '60s, Dr. Brown raced English sports cars on the weekends with the Small Car Club of America in Michigan. He later enjoyed camping, fishing, gardening, golfing at Heather Downs Country Club and Hickory Hills Golf Club, and woodcarving as a member of Black Swamp Woodcarvers. “He liked to carve wildlife,” his son, David, said.
Surviving are his wife of 65 years, Evelyn; sons, Winship C. and David; daughter, Dorothy Earls; brother, Worth; sister, Dorothy Moore; nine grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the Maison-Dardenne-Walker Funeral Home, Maumee, where the body will be after 2 p.m. tomorrow.