Dr. Bill Withers reflects on providing more than 50 years of health care as he retires

by Alyce May

Dr. Bill R. Withers of Waukon has retired from actively practicing medicine, effective April 30. His lifelong profession began when he graduated from the University of Colorado in 1958 with a medical degree in family practice medicine. His decision to become a doctor was due to his enjoyment of biology and a desire to pursue a career helping people.
He remembers there were 75 students in his graduating class, with only five female members. Nowadays, the class average is about half female and half male. His post-graduate training included a one-year internship at Denver General Hospital in Denver, CO. A graduating doctor today has a total of 11 years of school and training before beginning medical practice (compared with only eight years total back in the 1950s).
Dr. Withers worked a few weeks at a hospital in Estes Park, CO before enlisting in the United States Army. At that time there was a shortage of medical personnel in the Army and doctors were being drafted. Rather than wait for the inevitable draft call, Dr. Withers volunteered. He served as a medical officer of the U.S. Army’s 4th Division in Tacoma, WA for two years.
Waukon native, Elizabeth (Libby) Hale, attended nursing school in Colorado, where she and Dr. Withers met. They were married in Waukon and lived in the state of Washington until after he was discharged from the army. The couple had visited Waukon several times and it was during these visits that Dr. Withers became acquainted with Dr. Clark Rominger and Dr. Louis Bray. Interestingly, another former Waukon doctor, Dr. Roy Jeffries, was Libby’s uncle. After Dr. Witherss army discharge, Dr. Rominger offered him a position in the Waukon clinic with he and Dr. Bray.
Just a few days after his military discharge, Dr. Withers began his medical practice in Waukon, September 1, 1961.  The clinic was located in the small brick building between the current Good Samaritan Society-Waukon building and Veterans Memorial Hospital. At that time there were only four physicians in town.
At Waukon’s peak in the horse and buggy days there were about 15 doctors, with eight in town today. In addition to physicians, today’s medical caregivers include nurse practitioners and physician assistants. It was 15 years after Dr. Withers came to Waukon before the clinic acquired a fourth physician.
When Dr. Withers began practicing medicine, the charge for an office call ranged from $2 to $4. Yes, he has made house calls; but with the availability of the local hospital, none of those house calls included home delivery of a new baby. “I have had the privilege of delivering several sets of twins,” Dr. Withers commented. “The first 25 to 30 years I delivered 1,000 babies.” He says the first year he was in Waukon there were 365 babies born, or an average of one per day. It was about this same time that the birth control pill became available and the birth rate fell and today the number of babies born each year in Waukon is far less, about one-third of that number.
The biggest changes in the medical field that Dr. Withers has seen over the past 50-plus years are in the area of technology, improved methods in lab work, CT scans, MRI scans, bone densitometry, mammography, and many, many improvements in equipment, technique and procedures. Today, the local hospital and clinics offer several traveling diagnostic and treatment services.
In 50-years’ time the average life span has also increased by several years. Dr. Withers also observes that, although a large number of patients are seeing their physicians for preventative health care, there are still those who have somewhat of a doctor phobia and only seek medical help in times of dire need.
Dr. Withers offers this advice, “Take good care of yourself, find a medical home, go and see your provider, and take advantage of the preventive health care out there.” Today, even with a lot of emphasis on preventative care, he says tooth decay and obesity are two problems that remain prevalent in society, as was the case over 50 years ago. He said public awareness and attention have lowered the occurrence of some illnesses.
“I have had a job since I was eight years old and now am unemployed,” Dr. Withers laughs.  His father was in the newspaper business and young Bill started working with a newspaper route. While attending medical school, he would deliver newspaper bundles for the carriers on weekends. He was able to live for the week on his $13 weekend pay.
During retirement, the Withers’ plan to spend more time with their four children and 11 grandchildren, do some traveling, and enjoy this new chapter of their lives.