John Richard Venable, M.D.

J. R. Venable, M.D., age 84, died Saturday, August 11, 2007 at 10:30 AM at a local hospital. A memorial service will be held at 9:30 AM Wednesday, August 15, at First United Methodist Church of Temple with Rev. Hubert Austin officiating. Burial will be private. Visitation will be 9:00 – 9:30 AM prior to the service in the Dawson Sunday School classroom. John Richard Venable was born September 29, 1922 in McLennan County to Omer Thornton Venable and Pearl Laseter Venable. He was a graduate of Waco High School, Class of 1938 and attended Baylor University. After serving in the Twentieth Air Force in the Marianas and Phillipines, he graduated from Baylor in 1948, and received his M.D. degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1953. After a rotating internship at King's Daughters Hospital and a year in general practice, he worked for The Dow Chemical Company for 32 years, retiring as Medical Director of Dow Chemical USA. He married Ethel Ruth Pruett in February 1947 in Waco, Texas. She survives him. He is also survived by his brother, Robert Thornton Venable, sister, Mary Venable Cochrum; his children, Richard Robert Venable, Elizabeth Ruth Venable, Roger Cody Venable and John Edward Venable; and his grandchildren, Viva Rose Horowitz, Colin Reid Venable and Trevor Cody Venable. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the First United Methodist Church Build Fund, 102 N. 2nd St., Temple, TX 76501 or one's favorite charity.