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Sunday, December 06, 2009
Sermon Related -
Tributes to Dr. Perce Percefull
By Rev. Dr. Harvey C. Martz
PERCE PERCEFULL MEDITATION
Sabin Crawford “Perce” Percefull was born in Chickasha, OK February 19, 1923. He graduated from High School in Alva, OK and received his Bachelors of Science Degree from Northwestern Oklahoma University with a major in Biology.
He then attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma and later did post graduate work at the University of Colorado, Harvard University and the University of Wisconsin.
Perce was a member of what Tom Brokaw has rightly called the Greatest Generation, one of our beloved World War II veterans to whom we still owe so very much even as 21st century American citizens. During that war he served in the US Army Medical Corp and was stationed at Fort Logan for the duration of the war.
It was at the Fort Logan hospital that he was fortunate enough to meet Ann Baker who at that time was chief nurse at the hospital. They met in a most unusual way. Perce’s father was a patient in the hospital and while Perce was attending his father, he was getting a bed pan for his father, when Miss Baker came in to check on this patient as well. Perce’s father introduced them to each other, over the bed pan, I am told, and said that they should get to know each other.
Perce and Ann got married in 1951at Emmanuel United Methodist Church here in Denver, and began a family that includes Brad, Annette, Dan and grandchildren Bricklyn and Wesley.
Perce had a distinguished professional career specializing in cardiology and gastroenterology until he retired in 1989. During that distinguished career he served as President of the Swedish and Porter Hospitals Medical staff, president of Arapahoe Medical Society, a Fellow in the American College of Physicians, and a Fellow in the American College of Gastroenterology
He served his community well, also, as President and with his Life Membership in the Englewood Lions Club, as a member of the Tri County Board of Health and a director of the First National Bank of Englewood.
In addition to those professional and community involvements, Perce was an avid musician playing his horn in groups like The Retreads, the Lions Club Jazz Band, and the prescription Jazz band.
Brad, Annette, and Dan have warm and joyful memories of growing up in this family when they would always wait to have family dinners together when their dad got home. They remember a regular play night as children with their dad on Thursday nights which was known as rough up night with dad. They appreciated his commitment to education and remembered the regular family jam sessions with Perce playing horn and Ann playing the organ.
His love for his grandkids showed in his occasional musical recitals just for them and his excellent care for them whenever they would be ill.
Perce got his values right and in the right order-God, family, physician, community member, music lover.
Annette, Dan, and Brad are sharing their personal memories of this exceptional fellow and positive role model, Perce Percefull.
Thoughts from Annette Percefull.