Memories: forty years of Thanksgivings together

Forty years ago, Ventura County Hospital welcomed five young medical doctors into the residency program under the supervision of Dr. Austin Daley and Senior Chief Resident Dr. Larry Dodds. Doctors Jon L. Schrock, Dick Booth, Gösta Iwasiuk, Dick Tushla and David Stegman not only began their careers, but their long lasting relationships in July of 1968; Bill Ekman joined them in 1969. Here they share their Thanksgiving memories, reflections of 40 years of friendship in our Santa Paula community.Dr. Jon L. “Larry” Schrock, as related by wife Jane SchrockPrior to starting our residency, Larry had served two years in Vietnam while baby daughter Julie and I stayed at Point Loma in San Diego. It was at the 32nd Street Naval Base in San Diego that Larry Schrock, Bill Ekman and Dick Booth originally met. Larry and Dick started the Ventura County Hospital Program together. Bill and his family started their residency program in northern California and didn’t like it. So, one year later he and his family joined us in Ventura.The day Larry, Julie and I arrived in Ventura to start his residency program, I was due with our second child. As we drove up to the residents housing, I prayed, “Lord, please give me 10 days to move in and get settled.” Ten days to the day, our daughter Janell was born. We were blessed with Jon and Jana in years to come.We had all originated from various places: Austria, Ohio, California, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. There were no acquaintances in Ventura for any of us. Coming from the Midwest, where families and traditions are very strong, I needed to transplant my former traditions into the soil of California. So in November of 1968, our new family of residents started our tradition of getting together for Thanksgiving.When their two years of residency ended, Dr. Booth started his practice in Ojai. Drs. Iwasiuk, Stegman and Tushla went to various places in Europe to serve their military duty. Drs. Schrock and Ekman had already served in Vietnam, so they were ready to start their private practice with Dr. Alan Peterson in Santa Paula.When Drs. Iwasiuk, Stegman and Tushla fulfilled their military duties, they returned to Santa Paula to set up practice with Drs. Schrock, Ekman and Peterson. Shortly after that, Dr. Dick Booth lost his battle with leukemia and passed away.The medical group with Peterson, Schrock, Ekman, Tushla, Stegman and Iwasiuk grew “like Topsy.” Many of our Thanksgiving dinners included around 40 people in the Schrocks’ dining room.During the “heyday” of the Peterson Medical Clinic, emotions ran high with the expansion of the Medical Group into various cities around. Due to poor business management, the highs turned to drastic lows. With the downfall of the Peterson Medical Clinic, we all experienced tremendous lows and heartaches. It is times like this that one’s faith and beliefs are tested. Ephesians 4:13 states, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”Knowing that with the Lord’s help and belief in ourselves we could rebuild our lives, Larry started his own private practice both in Santa Paula and Fillmore. In 1989, after the downfall of the Peterson Medical Clinic, each of us went our separate ways, but everyone stayed in the county. During all the trials and tribulations, it was the friendships we had built along the way that fortified us continually. We had discovered the adage, “ties that bind.”Through ups and downs, failures and successes, these doctors and our families have built a strong lasting relationship together. We have participated in the cycle of life together. We have shared joys of births, empty nests as we’ve sent our children off to colleges, later to graduate, establish their own careers, get married, and have their own children. Most of us are now grandparents; what a joy it is to watch our children grow their families and construct their own traditions.Thanksgiving celebrations have been an annual event each and every year for these 40 years. These doctors and their wives have been blessed with many talents, skills, and endowed with the spirit of giving back to this community. With the good Lord’s blessings, we will continue our Thanksgiving traditions for many years to come.Dr. Dick Booth,related by wife Sharon BoothIn 1968, six physicians from many states away gathered for our first “residency Thanksgiving” feast at the Schrocks’ apartment on the grounds of what was then Ventura General Hospital. Whoever would have imagined that all six doctors would remain and establish practices in Ventura County – and 40 years later, six minus one, plus wives, would still be gathering every November to celebrate our friendships and count our blessings.The premature and tragic death of my husband, Dick Booth, due to cancer, serves as a constant reminder of the fragility of life and the desire to embrace the goodness in every day. As we gather around the table, I give silent thanks we haven’t lost anyone else from the “family practice residency class of 1970” at VGH.As we celebrate our 40th year, it is a special privilege to have my daughter, Kimberly Booth, joining us in reminiscing and giving thanks for these many years of friendship with her dad’s residency classmates. Kimberly is home from San Francisco for the weekend visiting family. She is associate director of development at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, where she works with Cancer Center physicians in the neuro-oncology and melanoma programs to secure private financing for cancer research.Personally, the last 40 years, specifically the last 28 years, have taught me there is no perfect tomorrow. Tomorrow is what we choose to make it. Life’s challenges have taught me faith, acceptance, courage, and thankfulness.The first four lines of Rheinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer express this lesson: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.” Gratitude makes every day sacred, and gratitude for simple abundance makes every day a gift.As a group, building lifelong memories while watching each other establish medical practices, raise families, and evolve into the unique persons we are has been an interesting journey. We have a long history together. The fun, crazy times we enjoyed when we were all younger, the celebrating of joyous occasions, and support in times of loss and pain will always occupy a special place in my heart.We all would not be enjoying this annual gathering were it not for Jane and Larry, who have, in the most joyous and challenging of times, been unselfishly committed to keep this tradition alive.Dr. Dick andConnie TushlaWhat some might think was a random collection of a small group of physicians from all over the country interested in family practice, I believe, was God’s plan and providence bringing us together for a lifetime.Our group bonded at Ventura County General Hospital into a family. Most lived in hospital housing or near the hospital. Dr. J. Austin Daly, director of the residency program, was a strong father figure. Jane Schrock was the organization person, cook par excellence, and the glue for this event.Working closely together in the residency training program was challenging, unifying, fulfilling, exciting and educational. Our families came together as one big family. This bonding process was well in place by the time the residency was completed in 1970, and the tradition of a group Thanksgiving celebration had begun and was to be perpetuated.Whose idea was it to get together with the old Family Practice Residency group of 1970? Jane Schrock! Inexhaustible cooking and entertaining (with a little help from her friends), ever since the Pied Piper Peterson lured five of us to Santa Paula.It’s a good time to reflect upon our fortune of bumping into some of the brightest and most talented and giving people around. Our families (Bill, Larry, Gus, Dave and me, RJT) recall many of them at the annual feast.Here’s a partial list of some all stars of the past: Dick Booth, Austin Daly, Ken Reinflesh, Charles Fletcher, Harry Brown, Dave Fainer, Larry Dodds, John Toohey, Dimetri Prian, Steve and Dorothy Chess, Tom Kong, Bill Zuber, Dave Sherrill, Phil Blodget, Ralph Busch, Clyde Kirchoff, Jim Mason, Ed Katabah, “Boots” Horton, Bill James.Dr. Gösta Iwasiuk, as related by wife Mary IwasiukTonight is the night of our “40th Annual Pre-Thanksgiving Feast.” We have been doing this dinner the week before Thanksgiving since 1968!In 1968, Gösta and I were newlyweds, moving to Ventura where Gösta would start his residency in Family Practice at the Ventura County Medical Center. Also starting residency were Larry Schrock, Dick Tushla, David Stegman and Dick Booth (Bill Ekman would join the Residency Group in 1969).It turned out that most of us were originally from the Midwest, we had a lot of interests in common, and we all enjoyed each other’s company. In the two years that we were all together we became good friends, and actually ended up being “friends for life.”Jane and Larry Schrock thought it would be nice to have our own Thanksgiving dinner for the Residency Group, and thus the tradition was started! Who knew this tradition would continue for 40 years!Jane and Larry thought it would also be nice to do something for the community, to give back to those less fortunate. Every year we bring food for some of the needy families in our city. Jane makes the arrangements with one of the churches in town, and she delivers the food to the families, along with a home-cooked turkey!Over the years we have held the dinners at several of our homes, but usually the dinner is held at the Schrocks’ home. It’s always the best when it is at their house. Last year at the 39th Annual Dinner we were contemplating going to a special place for the 40th anniversary. Places like London, Paris, Rome, New York or Las Vegas were mentioned, but we all knew that it wouldn’t be the same. As Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home.” So this year it will be very special to celebrate our 40th in the Schrocks’ newly-built home.Well, it’s almost time to go. I can already taste the yummy food we will be having tonight. Everybody brings something delicious! Jane always makes the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and of course her homemade dinner rolls.I’m looking forward to the “feast,” but even more I’m looking forward to seeing our good friends. We’ll tell some stories, laugh at some jokes, share some pictures of the grandchildren, and do a lot of reminiscing… but mostly we’ll be thankful for each other, our “friends for life.”Dr. David andLinda StegmanWith the completion of the residency in June 1970, Dick Booth went to Ojai, Gus, Dick T. and I were invited to a military tour of duty, and Larry and Bill were wooed to Santa Paula by Alan Peterson. After fulfilling our military obligations, Gus, Dick T. and I returned to Santa Paula to join the Santa Clara Valley Medical Group, and the annual Thanksgiving celebration grew.After Dick Booth’s untimely death, Sharon continued in this tradition. The bond remained after the breakup of the SCVMG and the Peterson Medical Clinic. The nucleus of the group remained practicing in Santa Paula and at Santa Paula Memorial Hospital.We physicians and our families remained close friends, respected our differences, tolerated our shortcomings, and enjoyed true friendship and collegiality without competitiveness. Our wives got along well, and this contributed greatly to the perpetuation – each contributing special dishes for the great feast. I look forward to the event every year.Many things have changed in our world in the last 40 yeas, but it is comforting to know that the “things” that really matter (like friendships and traditions) do not. I am thankful to God for these things as we celebrate Thanksgiving.Dr. Bill andNorma EkmanI was born and grew up in a small town in South Dakota. I received my medical degree also in the Midwest, at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS. We were a young family here with four children; we needed some sort of income soon. The U.S. Navy helped with my senior year and provided Norma and me with a very promising future.I did a rotating duty at Camp Pendleton, and subsequently became enamored with Southern California. Following this internship, my tour of duty was at the U.S. Naval Station in San Diego, where we remained for three years.This is where I was fortunate to make the acquaintance of two other Navy officers who had Sea Duty. When returning to the states, they were subject to the U.S. Navy Station command. Thus Drs. Richard Booth and Larry Schrock became early friends, sharing many of the duties of sick call, the brig, inspections, and the usual duties. We also did a fair amount of “moonlighting” in various hospitals in and around San Diego. In house emergency coverage was just coming into vogue, and I was actively involved with coordinating coverage. We were thus able to supplement our income as much or as little as desired.Family Practice seemed to be a logical career choice for the three of us, and discussions plus searching for a residency program gearing to our interest recognized several excellent programs in California. Thus we all ended up at Ventura County Hospital, Ventura, CA.Here is where we met Drs. David Stegman, Richard Tushla and Gösta Iwasiuk. On completion of this program, they still had their military obligation to fulfill. We, on the other hand, had to start looking for a place to settle down and practice medicine. This was an era when physicians could almost write their ticket to where they wished to practice. We were in demand and needed in so many places.