Dr. Joseph Dudley Talbot, MD

SHREVEPORT, LA - Dr. Joseph Dudley Talbot, prominent physician and businessman, passed away at Willis-Knighton Medical Center on January 3, 2015, at the age of 100. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Shreveport on Thursday, January 8, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. with Dr. Jeff Raines officiating. A reception will be held in the parlor of the church following the service. A private family burial will take place at Forest Park Cemetery. Dr. Talbot was born April 20,1914, in Texarkana, Texas, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Desmond O.Talbot. He spent his childhood in Stamps, Arkansas. In 1932 he graduated from Stamps High School with honors as Salutatorian. He received a full scholarship to the University of Arkansas where he began his study in medicine. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, played the saxophone, and served as assistant Drum Major in the Arkansas Band. In 1934, he continued his studies at Tulane Medical School where his band reputation preceded him and he was asked to lead the Tulane Band as Drum Major. He received his Medical Degree in 1938 and later interned and finished his residency at Charity Hospital and Tulane University in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He also held membership in the Phi Chi Medical Fraternity. He began his medical career as the ship's doctor on a merchant ship, traveling to Cuba and Panama. In 1939, he received his orders as First Lieutenant in the Army Reserves and served briefly at Ft. Bragg, N.C. and Camp Shelby, Mississippi, before returning to New Orleans during World War II to treat patients at the Emergency Hospital. Talbot married Gwendolyn Ruth Buhler in 1941, in New Orleans and later moved to Shreveport in 1942, where he was a pioneer in OB-GYN at Tri-State Hospital, later to become Willis-Knighton Hospital. There, he organized the first Obstetrics Department with his partner, Dr. Thomas Glass. In his long career, Dudley proudly delivered over 6,000 babies before his retirement in 1998, after 60 years of service. During his distinguished medical career, Dudley served as both Chief of Staff and President of the Willis-Knighton Hospital and held memberships in the American Medical Association and the Shreveport Medical Association, where he served a term as Vice President. He was a Diplomat of the American Board of Obstetrics, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Gynecology, and he held memberships in the Southern Medical Association, the Central Association of OB-GYN, the Southeastern Association of OB-GYN, Louisiana State Medical Society, the Conrad Collins Association at Tulane University, as well as being a lifetime member of the Royal Society of Medicine in London, England. Talbot was active in many community organizations. He joined the downtown Shreveport Rotary Club in 1946 and served as its President in 1968. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow and was a major donor to the Rotary Foundation. He was a member of the Ambassador Club, the Shreveport Country Club, President of the Men\'s Camellia Club, Bayou Syndicate Stock Club, the Demoiselle Club and the Holiday In Dixie Cotillion Club where he served as King in 1983. Dudley also was a charter member of the Royal Order of Jesters. In 2004, he was chosen as a Laureate of the Junior Achievement of North Louisiana Business Hall of Fame. In 2006,because of his desire to preserve the history of Willis-Knighton Medical Center, which was founded in 1927, the Talbot Museum was established in celebration of the 80^th Anniversary of Willis-Knighton Hospital, with the support of Dr. and Mrs. Talbot. In May, 2014, Dudley was honored at the opening of the new Willis-Knighton Innovation Center in Bossier where the Talbot museum was relocated. In 2008, the Tulane University School of Medicine created the J. Dudley Talbot, M.D. Endowment Fund, which will provide unrestricted support for the Department of OB-GYN. In addition, a Lecture Series highlighting advancements in the field of OB-GYN was created in his honor. He was a member of "The Eagles", the Military Affairs Council of Barksdale Air Force Base. In 2012, on his 99^th birthday, Dudley was on the football field once again during Tulane's Homecoming, leading the Tulane Band in a golf cart and twirling his baton. In his earlier years as Tulane's Drum Major, he was instrumental in teaching the band how to formulate letters on the field, helping to create the famous "Tulane Green Wave". More recently, in 2013, he was honored as "Citizen of the Year" by the March of Dimes, which celebrated 75 years of saving babies. That same year he was recognized as the "oldest living alumni" of the University of Arkansas Kappa Sigma Fraternity chapter. The SB Magazine also honored him as having made a lasting contribution to his medical profession of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 2014, he was honored by the Shreveport Medical Society for his many years of service to the medical community. In addition, Dudley was lifelong member of the First Baptist Church and the Jacob Sunday School Class. Dudley led a celebrated, fulfilling, and accomplished life and was loved and respected by his colleagues, patients, and friends. In addition to his many achievements, he was known for his \"bedside manner\", enthusiastic, fun-loving spirit and good nature, his passion for piloting his airplanes, love of a good cigar, and special memories of family vacations to the Hawaiian Islands, Europe, the old West, and Las Vegas. He especially loved gatherings at the family home, \"Sheppard Hill\", on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was devoted to his wife Gwen of 67 years, his family and friends. Prior to his death, Dudley was determined to stay active and to travel. He celebrated his 100^th Birthday with several parties given in his honor, including one given by his 3 children. He celebrated once again with 30 special friends who joined him in Las Vegas. In addition, Dudley was honored on his 100^th birthday by the Rotary Club for being the oldest member of the Downtown Shreveport Rotary Club. Talbot was preceded in death by his parents, Desmond O. and Madaline Barkman Talbot and brother Benjamin Paul Talbot. He is survived by his 3 children and their families: Dudley Andrew Talbot and wife, Martha Martin Talbot, and their children Joseph Guyton Talbot, and daughter Joanna Martin Talbot, all of Magnolia, AR; daughter, Gwen Talbot Hodges and husband, Andrew Jackson Hodges III; and their children, son Andrew Jackson Hodges IV and wife, Susannah Rice Hodges and children Katherine Alexander Hodges and Elizabeth Elgin Hodges; daughter Marion Hodges Biglan and husband, James Vaughn Biglan III, their children James Vaughn Biglan IV and Margaret Talbot Biglan of Philadelphia, Pa; daughter, Nancy Talbot Sale and husband, William Milton Sale III of Shreveport, LA and their sons William Milton Sale IV and Talbot Jordan Sale, both from Dallas, TX. His nephews are Benjamin Paul Talbot, Jr. and Vincent Desmond Talbot, both of Arkansas. Honoring him as pallbearers will be Jim Elrod, Tommy Williams, Scott Deupree, Ed Henderson, Delton Harrison, Sonny Moss, Lamar Pugh, Dr. Billy Bickham, Dr. Stan Shelby, Dr. Charles Sale, Dr. James R. Bergeron, and Dr. Tom Pressley. Serving him as honorary pallbearers will be the Kings of the Cotillion Club. Special acknowledgment and appreciation is given from Talbot family to Dr. Ajaya Tummala, Dr. Billy Bickham, and Dr. Randy Bryn, along with the nursing staff of 4 East and 4 West of Willis-Knighton Medical Center North and the Extended Care Center. We especially wish to honor his devoted caregivers, including Darrell Favis, Silas Maru, Picoty Chepkirui, Leonard Rose, Billie Hidalgo, Terrie McDonald, and Nancy Rivers May. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Shreveport, 543 Ockley Drive, 71106, Junior Achievement of North Louisiana, 3825 Gilbert Drive, 71104, the March of Dimes, North Louisiana Chapter Western Division, 1120 South Pointe Parkway, 71105, or an organization of the donor\'s choice.