Dr. Delma Powell Posey

Delma Powell Posey was born February 2, 1937 to Delma Ross and Lois Lorene Posey on a farm outside of Mexia, Texas. Del grew up working on his family's dairy farm in the community of Forest Glade, outside Mexia. Del learned the value of hard work from a very early age. He helped milk the cows early in the morning, then took the milk into town before going to school. He attended Mexia High School, where he served as President of the Student Council, President of the Future Farmers of America (FFA), and appeared in the starring role of the senior play, "Father Knows Best." He was honored by the FFA as the "Lone Star Farmer." Del graduated from Mexia High School in 1955 as the class salutatorian. After high school graduation, he attended Texas A&M in College Station and was the first member of his family to attend and graduate from college. He was able to accomplish this through scholarships and working for his tuition money. Although he originally had the goal of becoming a veterinarian, while he was at Texas A&M, he was encouraged and convinced by his biology professors, Dr. Howard Gravitt and Dr. A.B. Medlin, to attend medical school instead. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M in 1959, he attended and graduated from the Baylor College of Medicine at Houston in 1963. Del married his high school sweetheart, Patsy Ruth Fitts, on August 13, 1960, in Groesbeck Texas. After medical school, he served in the United States Army for eight years, leaving the service at the rank of Major. During this time, he served an internship at William Beaumont General Hospital in El Paso and completed a dermatology residency at Brooke Army Medial Center in San Antonio. Following his residency, he served as Chief of the Dermatology Division at Gorgas Hospital in the Panama Canal Zone from 1968 - 1971. Del joined the Scott & White Clinic in the Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine in 1971 and served as Director of the Division of Dermatology from 1979 to 1998. During his tenure at Scott & White, he served on the utilization review committee, the melanoma skin cancer committee and as advisor to the fourth-year medical students of the Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine. As an associate professor of internal medicine in the College of Medicine, he was board-certified in dermatology and was a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology. He was also a member of the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association, the American Academy of Dermatology, the La Sociedad de Dermatologia de Panama, the Southern Medical Association and the Bell County Medical Society. He practiced at Scott & White for 30 years, retiring from full-time practice in September, 2001. He then practiced part-time at both Scott & White and the Olin E. Teague Veteran's Medical Center in Temple until May, 2013. Additionally, Del volunteered his time and service for many years at the Temple Community Clinic. He and his wife Patsy were faithful members for over 40 years of First Christian Church of Temple, where he served as a board member, trustee, Sunday school teacher and dedicated supporter of the First Church Preschool program. Del was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Mildred McKenzie and Nancy Lee and brother Kenneth Wayne Posey. Del is survived by his wife of 53 years, Patsy Posey of Temple; son Daniel Posey and wife Maria of Temple; son Patrick Posey and wife Susan of Woodway; daughter Julie Posey Hall of Temple; grandchildren Andrew Posey, Molly Cooke, Mason Cooke and Marshall Hall of Temple, Ashley Posey, Emily Posey and Anna Posey of Woodway; brothers, Edward Cayton of Houston, Bennie Posey and wife Jimmie of Mexia, and Donald Posey and wife Laquita of Fairfield. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. The family would like to especially thank Dr. Clay Gowan and the staff at Scott & White Healthcare for their professionalism, treatment and compassion. Pallbearers are Dr. George Brasher, Dr. Lance Crews, Dr. Jon May, Dr. John Starr, Mr. David Vick, and Mr. Dale Wilson. Visitation will be Tuesday, November 12 from 5 - 7pm at First Christian Church, 300 North 5th Street in Temple. Funeral service will be Wednesday, November 13 at 10:00am at First Christian Church, 300 North 5th Street in Temple. Burial and graveside service to follow at 3pm at Fort Parker Memorial Park in Groesbeck. The family requests that memorials be made to First Church Preschool at First Christian Church, 300 North 5th Street, Temple, Texas, 76501; or the McLane Children's Hospital Scott & White, 2401 South 31st Street, Temple, Texas 76508.