May 2019 Dallas Medical Journal 9
IN MEMORIAM
Don R. Read, MD, died on March 21, 2019 after a year-anda
half battle with pancreatic cancer. Dr. Read, a colon and
rectal surgeon at Medical City Hospital, was a past president
of the 47,000-member Texas Medical Association, the largest
medical association in the US. He was also president of
the 6,000-member Dallas County Medical Society. He was a
US Navy surgeon in a M.A.S.H. unit in Vietnam with front-line
Marines where he was decorated with a Bronze Star. After
leaving military service with the rank of lieutenant commander,
he returned to Chicago and, upon completing his residency,
Dr. Read was named the Director of Surgical Education at
Cook County Hospital. He was an assistant professor of surgery
at the University of Illinois. He returned to Dallas and was
a co-founder of Texas Colon and Rectal Specialists in Dallas,
one of the largest group practices in that specialty in the US,
with 18 surgeons in 11 offices.
Dr. Read dynamically served as president or head of 17
hospital and medical society organizations, held nine Medical
Society memberships, was appointed to the staffs of 11 hospitals,
participated in 153 medical conferences and published ten
professional papers. He received the prestigious Charles Max
Cole, MD, Leadership Award. As president of the Dallas County
Medical Society, he launched Project Access, an outreach for
the working poor of Dallas, and was a local pioneer in programs
to treat and rehabilitate medical professionals addicted to
drugs or alcohol. He is survived by his adoring wife of 50 years,
Roberta, daughters Alison, and Sarah Read (Bob) Gehrenbeck
and two grandchildren Henry Read and Theo Don Gehrenbeck.
He is also survived by his brother, Nat (Linda) Read.
Don R. Read, M.D. (1942 – 2019)
DCMS President 2002
TMA President 2015 – 2016
/www.swdcmi.com
link
