Friday, January 3, 1941
- Jill Johnson Tewsley
- Jan 3, 2021
- 2 min read
HENRY TAKES FLOYD TO HOSPITAL
Beautiful sunny day.
First sunshine we have had
in about four weeks.
Cleaned the whole house
to - day.
Much colder to - night.
Henry went to G.R. early
this morning. Took Floyd
Flynn to St. Mary's hospital.
Very, very sick with terrible
pain in region of kidney
and bladder.
Henry drove Flynn's car.
Henry went to Custer to-day.
St. Mary's Hospital opened in Grand Rapids in 1853. Located at 145 South Lafayette St., Sisters Mary Ignatius McCord, Mary Anthony McMullen, and Mary Baptist Feldner founded the 15-bed hosptial.
Since its humble beginnings in 1853, St. Mary's has grown into a comprehensive medical facility that is now part of West Michigan's Mercy Health System.
Dr. Robert Claytor earned his medical degree at Meharry School of Medicine in Nashville, TN in 1934. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University but was refused entry to their school of medicine because their quota for African-American students was filled.
After earning his medical degree he decided to settle in Grand Rapids where he became the area's third black doctor.
Dr. Claytor received privileges at St. Mary's Hospital shortly after his arrival in Grand Rapids but it took another ten years before he would be accepted to the staff at Butterworth Hospital.
In 1976, Dr. Claytor was named the "Family Physician of the Year" by the Michigan Academy of Physicians. He died on February 27, 1989 after a long illness.
Learn more about Dr. Claytor, his wife, and his legacy.
Dr. David Baumgartner served on the staff at St. Mary's for 47 years before retiring in 2019. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Aquinas College and studied medicine at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Baumgartner specialized in infectious disease and was instrumental in founding
an HIV clinic at St. Mary's Hospital in 1989. It was the first of its kind in the area and came at a time when fear and stigma associated with the disease prevented patients from receiving care.
Dr. Baumgartner worked with St. Mary's to secure a grant to establish the HIV clinic in Grand Rapids. He said he had hoped to identify 30 patients in the area during the first year. It only took three months.
Learn more about Dr. Baumgartner, his history with St. Mary's and his work establishing care for HIV patients in Grand Rapids.
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