Joseph Herman Goldberger

JOSEPH HERMAN GOLDBERGER, M.D., 96, of Austin, died Saturday, March 10, 2007, in Austin, Texas. Dr. Goldberger was born April 24, 1910, in Washington, D.C., to Joseph Goldberger, M.D., and Mary Humphreys Farrar Goldberger. Dr. Goldberger’s father, a renowned epidemiologist, was nominated twice for the Nobel Prize for Medical Research and was credited with discovering the cause and cure for pellagra, an epidemic in the early 1900’s in the South. Dr. Goldberger’s mother, from New Orleans, LA, was a student at Sophie Newcomb College where she was a charter member of Rho Chapter of Chi Omega. Dr. Goldberger was the great-great-grandson of Benjamin Grubbs Humphreys, the 26th Governor of Mississippi, and the great-great-nephew of Jefferson Davis, who was a U.S. Senator and U.S. Secretary of War. Dr. Goldberger graduated from Western High School (now Western Ellington) in Washington, D.C., George Washington University, and Tulane University Medical School. As an undergraduate, he was a surveyor in Maine, set section posts in Utah, and “counted” mosquitoes in Tennessee. Following in his father’s footsteps, Dr. Goldberger went to work for the U.S. Public Health Service (precursor to the National Institute of Health) and was assigned in 1936 to be Chief Medical Officer at the Federal Correctional Institute in El Reno, OK. In 1941, he met and married Rosemary Downing. In 1942, the couple moved to El Paso, TX, where Dr. Goldberger served as a Public Health Officer during World War II. In addition, he set up his first private practice as a general practitioner. Upon being discharged with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, Dr. Goldberger returned to El Reno, OK, in 1946 where he set up a practice specializing in eye, ear, nose, and throat. He subsequently chose ophthalmology as his specialty and practiced until his retirement in 1983. He was a member of the American Medical Association, Oklahoma State Medical Association, American Legion Post 34 of El Reno, and board director of Parkview Hospital of El Reno from 1967–1978. Dr. Goldberger was preceded in death by his parents, wife Rosemary Downing Goldberger, brothers Benjamin Goldberger and Farrar Goldberger, and sister Mary Goldberger Sharp. In 1990, Dr. Goldberger met Floylee Hemphill and moved to Austin, where they married in May of 1991. He was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Travis County Physicians’ Forum, The Austin Club, English Speaking Union, The Dance Club, Mayfair Club, The Assembly, and Austin Lyric Opera Guild, for whom he was also a volunteer. Dr. Goldberger was an avid golfer. In 1986, he won 1st Place in the Club Championship at the El Reno Country Club in Oklahoma. After moving to Austin, he made his first hole-in-one in 1993 and a second hole-in-one in 1995, both at the Lions Municipal Golf Course. Dr. Goldberger’s survivors include his wife Floylee Hunter Hemphill Goldberger; children Mary Elizabeth Goldberger of Oklahoma City, OK, Jane E. Karlin and husband Bob C. Karlin of Hydro, OK, Tres H. Hodges and husband Patrick L. Hodges, M.D., of Dallas, Texas, Candace E. Hunter and husband Troy L. Johnson of Austin, Texas, J. Louise Hemphill Ullom, M.D., and husband Brian B. Ullom, M.D., of Yakima, WA, and William R. Hemphill, Jr., and wife Abigail L. Hemphill; grandchildren John T. Karlin and wife Dawn Karlin, Allen W. Karlin, A. Hunter Hodges and wife Amy Z. Hodges, William P. Hodges, Faith E. Ullom, Daniel H. Ullom, Bennett J. Ullom, Annalee K. Ullom, William R. Hemphill III, Garret D. Hemphill, and Charles C. Hemphill; 10 great-grandchildren; nephews Donald Sharp, M.D., and wife Kathy Sharp, Robert Sharp, and Edgar Farrar Goldberger and wife Mary T. Goldberger; and niece Linda Keiter and husband Bob Keiter. Visitation for Dr. Goldberger will begin Tuesday afternoon, March 13, at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home in Austin, TX. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 14, 2007, at 1:00 P.M. at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd with The Rev. Dr. David F. Beer and The Rev. Ray P. Whitfield officiating. Pallbearers will be Bob C. Karlin, John T. Karlin, Allen W. Karlin, Patrick L. Hodges, M.D., Troy L. Johnson, Brian B. Ullom, M.D., A. Hunter Hodges, William P. Hodges, and John A. Croom. Honorary pallbearers are Raymond Devine, Frank Graydon, Felix Jarratt, Willy Kocurek, Alan Kraut, Reed Stone, Al Vickers, M.D., and Jack Ward. Visitation will be Thursday evening, March 15, at Benson Huber Funeral Home in El Reno, OK. A graveside service will be held on Friday, March 16, at 2:00 P.M. at El Reno Cemetery in El Reno, OK. Dr. Goldberger was a devoted husband, loving father, and loyal friend. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. For those who desire, memorial contributions can be sent to Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans, LA; Birth Choice of El Reno Inc., 400 W. London St., El Reno, OK 73036; The Church of the Good Shepherd, in Austin, Texas; Weatherford Regional Hospital Foundation in Weatherford, OK; or a charity of your choice. Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com