Roll Call Tribute

Leatherwood Memorial Chapels obituary

Richard W. "Doc" Winters, DVM
(Died October 3, 2011)

Richard Wall “Doc” Winters, Sr., D.V.M.
On February 19, 1922, Richard Wall Winters was born into a pioneering Central Texas family. In the early 1900’s, Harvey Dick “H.D.” Winters left his family’s farming, ranching and cotton gin business in the Hico area and settled in Brady to marry the love of his life, Fay Wall. H.D. began building his own ranching operation while helping Fay’s father with his. Their son, Richard Wall Winters, was born February 19, 1922 at the Winters Ranch headquarters which is now inundated by Brady Lake. After graduating from Brady High School, Richard continued a family tradition and enrolled in Texas A & M College. He was not able to play football due to a leg injury so he joined the swimming team where he earned his varsity letters and membership into the Letterman’s Hall. Upon completion of his studies, Richard, with a degree in Veterinary Medicine, promptly shipped out to fight in WWII on the European Front. While stationed in Italy, Richard met the beautiful Jane Gurney from Dunkirk, New York, who was also serving our country as an Army Nurse. At the end of hostilities, Richard and Jane were married and started on their life journey together. Richard’s enlistment kept him in post war Germany helping with the reconstruction of that war torn land. There, their son Richard Wall Winters, Jr. was born. Richard and Jane then moved to Weatherford, TX where Richard opened his first veterinary hospital and earned the nickname “Doc”, which stuck with him throughout his life. There, they were blessed with their daughter, Kathleen May Winters.

Because of Doc’s ability to communicate clearly and concisely, coupled with his engaging personality, Lederle Laboratories, a division of American Cyanamid, made an offer Doc and Jane could not refuse. They sold the vet practice and moved to New Orleans where Doc served as South Eastern Field Representative and also attended Tulane University for his Masters Degree in public health services. In 1959, Doc’s father needed his help with the family ranching operation and Steve King, whose veterinary practice was expanding, offered Doc a partnership in his practice. Having traveled the world with corporate business and residing in Europe, Atlanta and New Orleans, Doc and Jane decided Brady was a good place to raise two children, and put him closer to his beloved Texas A & M. And here they stayed until their passing…Jane on January 30, 2008. Both Doc and Jane were active in civic, church, fraternal and professional organizations while in Brady. Doc’s expertise in “non-traditional agriculture” and the positive aspects of exotic wildlife species earned the attention of Governor Ann Richards. She created a position on the Texas Animal Health Commission to represent the Exotic Livestock and Fowl Industry and named Doc to be the first Commissioner to serve in that capacity.

Doc is gone now, leaving this earthly plain on Monday, October 3rd, 2011. He is now with Jane, playing a round of golf, or a game of 42 with H.D. and Fay, and enjoying his Aggie buddies and the Class of 43, Inc. Those of us left behind sure do miss them.

Richard and Jane are survived by their son, Richard Wall Winters, Jr. and his wife Susan Prugel of Menard County, daughter Kathleen May Winters of Henderson, NV; granddaughter Amy Winters Greer and husband George of Brady; grandson Richard Wesley Winters and wife Gina of Houston; granddaughter Summer Kathleen Marik of Henderson, NV; step-grandchildren John August Henke of Los Angeles, CA and Meredith May Henke of Waco, TX.

The family will receive friends Sunday afternoon, October 16, 2011 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm at Leatherwood Memorial Chapels in Brady. Friends may sign the online memorial guest book at www.leatherwoodmemorialchapels.com.