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William A. Blueher
Volume Number
$1 3
In memoriam 337
W illiam A. Blueher W illiam A. Blueher died on Oct. 12, 1976, a victim of cancer. To all who knew him, he was Bill Blueher, respected, dedicated to the dental profession and to his specialty of orthodontics. He was always a gentleman and continually interested in other people. Bill was one of the few “natives” of his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He completed high school at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, graduating in 1933. He did his predental work at the University of Mexico, and in 1940 he received his dental degree from Baylor University. After a brief time in practice in Albuquerque, he was drafted into the Army in March, 1941, where he was assigned to the 200th Coast Artillery (A.A.) unit of the New Mexico National Guard, stationed at the time at Fort Bliss near El Paso, Texas. His commission in the Dental Corps had not arrived when the Guard unit was ordered to Clark Field in the Phillipines. The commanding officer asked Bill to “come on along,” which he did although it was not necessary for him to do so since he was awaiting his commission. That was a fateful decision for him. Just before his unit left Fort Bliss, his commission as first lieutenant in the Dental Corps arrived. Bill arrived in the Phillipines in August, 1941. After the Japanese invasion he was among those who retreated to the Bataan peninsula. He was captured when Bataan fell. Subsequently, he spent 2 years in the prison camp at Cabanatuan on Luzon. Then he was shipped to Japan, where he spent another 2 years in a camp near Nagasaki. Bill has related that apparently our intelligence knew where the prison camp was located for no bombs fell near the camp, and the day after the war ended food and medical supplies were parachuted to the camp along with orders to stay put until rescue teams arrived. In 1946 Bill enrolled in the graduate orthodontic program at the University of Illinois. When he finished in 1947, he stayed on in Chicago for a year in association with Allan G. Brodie, Sr., and as a part-time instructor in the Orthodontic Department at Illinois. Bill returned to New Mexico in the fall of 1948 to begin his orthodontic practice. He was the first formally trained orthodontist to locate in New Mexico and also was the first in New Mexico to be certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. In 1950, he was joined in practice by Elbert W . King. They practiced together until Bill’s health forced his retirement in October, 1975. Bill was always active in dental society and orthodontic society affairs. He was president of both the local and state dental associations, as well as serving three terms as secretary-treasurer of the state association. In orthodontics he has served as president of the Rocky Mountain Society and as an AA0 delegate and trustee. He was a charter member of the Southwest Component of the Edward H. Angle Society. In late August, 1976, the Rocky Mountain Society met at Tamarron, Colorado.
338
In nzemorianr
Am.
J. Orthod. March 1977
The meeting was dedicated to two of its outstanding members, Bill Blueher and Ernie Klein. Although it was an effort to do so, Bill went to Tamarron for the opening banquet. When he was honored, he said a few words in response, even with a note of humor about his situat,ion. TTc will be missed by family, friends, and dental colleagues.
Sam W . Fennell (1906-1976) Sam W. Fennel1 of Augusta, Georgia, died on March 28, 19’76, after a long illness. Dr. Fennel1 graduated from t,he Atlanta Southern I)cntal College in 1928. He became a member of the American Association of Orthodontists in March, 1949. He practiced orthodontics in Athens, Georgia, until his retirement in 1972. After his retirement he moved to Augusta, Georgia, and served on the faculty of the Medical College of Georgia, School of Dentistry, for 2 years. He served as president and secretary of the 10th district, Dental Society and president of the Eastern District Dental Society. He was an honorary Fellow of the Georgia Dental Association and a member of the Georgia and Southern Societies of Orthodontists and the American Association of Orthodontists. Dr. Fennel1 is survived by his wife; a son, Dr. Stephen Fennel1 of Athens, Georgia; a daughter, Mrs. E. C. Adam of St. Louis, Missouri; and four grandchildren.
Edgar C. W ilson (19314976) Edgar C. Wilson died on Oct. 7, 1976, after a long illness. He had practiced orthodontics in Roanoke, Virginia, since 1969. Dr. Wilson graduated from the IJniversity of Maryland School of Dentistq in 1955. After serving 2 years in the Air Force as a dentist, he practiced general dentistry in Vienna, West Virginia, for 91,’ years. He caompleted the University of Pittsburgh Orthodontic Program on July 31, 1969, and on Aug. 1, 1969, became associated in the exclusive practice of orthodontics with Dr. David I-T. Marshall in Roanoke. He served as president, T-ice-president, secretary, and treasurer of the Blennerhassett Dental Societ,y. He was a member of the Piedmont Dental Society, the Virginia State Dental Society, the Virginia Orthodontic Society, the Southern Society of Orthodontics, and the American Association of Orthodontists. He was a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. He was also a member of the Gideons, the Provost Guard, and the Cave Spring TTnited Methodist Church. Dr. Wilson is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; a son, Edgar .J. Wilson; and a daughter, Mary Robin Wilson.
$1 3
In memoriam 337
W illiam A. Blueher W illiam A. Blueher died on Oct. 12, 1976, a victim of cancer. To all who knew him, he was Bill Blueher, respected, dedicated to the dental profession and to his specialty of orthodontics. He was always a gentleman and continually interested in other people. Bill was one of the few “natives” of his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He completed high school at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, graduating in 1933. He did his predental work at the University of Mexico, and in 1940 he received his dental degree from Baylor University. After a brief time in practice in Albuquerque, he was drafted into the Army in March, 1941, where he was assigned to the 200th Coast Artillery (A.A.) unit of the New Mexico National Guard, stationed at the time at Fort Bliss near El Paso, Texas. His commission in the Dental Corps had not arrived when the Guard unit was ordered to Clark Field in the Phillipines. The commanding officer asked Bill to “come on along,” which he did although it was not necessary for him to do so since he was awaiting his commission. That was a fateful decision for him. Just before his unit left Fort Bliss, his commission as first lieutenant in the Dental Corps arrived. Bill arrived in the Phillipines in August, 1941. After the Japanese invasion he was among those who retreated to the Bataan peninsula. He was captured when Bataan fell. Subsequently, he spent 2 years in the prison camp at Cabanatuan on Luzon. Then he was shipped to Japan, where he spent another 2 years in a camp near Nagasaki. Bill has related that apparently our intelligence knew where the prison camp was located for no bombs fell near the camp, and the day after the war ended food and medical supplies were parachuted to the camp along with orders to stay put until rescue teams arrived. In 1946 Bill enrolled in the graduate orthodontic program at the University of Illinois. When he finished in 1947, he stayed on in Chicago for a year in association with Allan G. Brodie, Sr., and as a part-time instructor in the Orthodontic Department at Illinois. Bill returned to New Mexico in the fall of 1948 to begin his orthodontic practice. He was the first formally trained orthodontist to locate in New Mexico and also was the first in New Mexico to be certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. In 1950, he was joined in practice by Elbert W . King. They practiced together until Bill’s health forced his retirement in October, 1975. Bill was always active in dental society and orthodontic society affairs. He was president of both the local and state dental associations, as well as serving three terms as secretary-treasurer of the state association. In orthodontics he has served as president of the Rocky Mountain Society and as an AA0 delegate and trustee. He was a charter member of the Southwest Component of the Edward H. Angle Society. In late August, 1976, the Rocky Mountain Society met at Tamarron, Colorado.
338
In nzemorianr
Am.
J. Orthod. March 1977
The meeting was dedicated to two of its outstanding members, Bill Blueher and Ernie Klein. Although it was an effort to do so, Bill went to Tamarron for the opening banquet. When he was honored, he said a few words in response, even with a note of humor about his situat,ion. TTc will be missed by family, friends, and dental colleagues.
Sam W . Fennell (1906-1976) Sam W. Fennel1 of Augusta, Georgia, died on March 28, 19’76, after a long illness. Dr. Fennel1 graduated from t,he Atlanta Southern I)cntal College in 1928. He became a member of the American Association of Orthodontists in March, 1949. He practiced orthodontics in Athens, Georgia, until his retirement in 1972. After his retirement he moved to Augusta, Georgia, and served on the faculty of the Medical College of Georgia, School of Dentistry, for 2 years. He served as president and secretary of the 10th district, Dental Society and president of the Eastern District Dental Society. He was an honorary Fellow of the Georgia Dental Association and a member of the Georgia and Southern Societies of Orthodontists and the American Association of Orthodontists. Dr. Fennel1 is survived by his wife; a son, Dr. Stephen Fennel1 of Athens, Georgia; a daughter, Mrs. E. C. Adam of St. Louis, Missouri; and four grandchildren.
Edgar C. W ilson (19314976) Edgar C. Wilson died on Oct. 7, 1976, after a long illness. He had practiced orthodontics in Roanoke, Virginia, since 1969. Dr. Wilson graduated from the IJniversity of Maryland School of Dentistq in 1955. After serving 2 years in the Air Force as a dentist, he practiced general dentistry in Vienna, West Virginia, for 91,’ years. He caompleted the University of Pittsburgh Orthodontic Program on July 31, 1969, and on Aug. 1, 1969, became associated in the exclusive practice of orthodontics with Dr. David I-T. Marshall in Roanoke. He served as president, T-ice-president, secretary, and treasurer of the Blennerhassett Dental Societ,y. He was a member of the Piedmont Dental Society, the Virginia State Dental Society, the Virginia Orthodontic Society, the Southern Society of Orthodontics, and the American Association of Orthodontists. He was a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. He was also a member of the Gideons, the Provost Guard, and the Cave Spring TTnited Methodist Church. Dr. Wilson is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; a son, Edgar .J. Wilson; and a daughter, Mary Robin Wilson.