DR. WILLS (Editor's Note: The following remembrances of Dr. Charles E. Wills Jr. were written prior to his death on October 4, 2007. Mrs. Sisson was a long-time patient of his and her sentiments echo those of hundreds of others.)

If you are reading this, please know I am grateful to the editor for finding space on the very-full pages of The News-Reporter for just one more of my "just writing" pieces.

As Dr. Charles Wills retired October 1, I'm writing of my gratitude for all he has meant to my family through the years. I am sure everyone can write similar accounts of good care given by their family physicians. This is about mine -- about several of my doctors. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts at this time.

And, I know I am not alone in being grateful to Dr. Wills. In grocery store, pharmacy, and on the phone I often hear from other patients of sad feelings and tears shed when they think of being unable to have Dr. Wills as their family physician. I know a very good friend of mine is another who will miss having Dr. Wills as her doctor.

Through the years I have been blessed with good doctors. I was among the children Dr. Tom Nash saw at his home officein Philomath and during the very early years of my marriage.

Then, Dr. Robert G. Stephens was our family physician. He delivered our first child -- our daughter -- on August 18, 1949, at the hospital on Spring Street -- Washington General if I remember correctly -- and was our family physician and friend for the next seven years.

In late 1955, my husband, our little girl, and I were delighted to learn we were expecting another child. We were concerned when Dr. Stephens told us he no longer delivered babies. He went on to tell of the good qualities of the young doctor he suggested we try to get to take us as patients.

That doctor, Dr. Charles Edward Wills Jr., agreed to see me through my pregnancy and delivery of our baby. He delivered our son on July 29, 1956, also at the old hospital. Another boy was born that same night, and I am sure his mother has words of praise for the good doctor who remained at the hospital late into the night -- until our sons were born.

His well-known knowledge of medicine, his professionalism, and his conservatism in treatment and prescribing were evident early on. After our six-weeks check-up, he told us Dr. Stephens could resume his usual great care of our little family, and he -- Dr. Wills -- would be our surgeon if needed.

Dr. Stephens continued to be our doctor. I was one of many who said, "Just talking with Dr. Stephens makes you feel better." I treasure some of his books given to me by his daughter, Mrs. Emma Wilson.

Dr. Wills was my mother's doctor. His father had saved her life years earlier when she had "a thousandto one chance of surviving" gall bladder surgery after an acute attack which left her unconscious. Mama thought the young Dr. Wills was just as great.

About the time of my mother's illness, my sister-in-law was working at the old Washington General Hospital, and she and her young son were living with my parents and me while my brother was in the Navy. She knew first hand the hard work of Dr. Charles Wills' parents. Their work to keep the old hospital going is well recorded. I also remember her speaking of the young Charles Wills, about something funny that happened . . . and I cannot think of anything specific right now. But, I will ask her about it when I see her again.

Dr. Wills went on to practice medicine for 59 years, so we know many local folks benefitedfrom his care. He knew long before others seemed to that more antibiotics were not always good. His patients knew one had to have had a fever for a while, with tests confirmingthat particular drug was what was needed. I believe everyone now knows his conservative way was the better way.

He became quite well-known for his successful gastric by-pass surgeries, improving the health, quality of life, and life expectancy of many. Over a thousand people, from far and near, benefitedfrom these surgeries. Many still keep in touch with him. Local patients have met them in his office waiting room and heard of the wonderful change that operation made in their life.

He also knew when the ailment was actually physical or was emotional and prescribed accordingly. Aspirin and Tylenol took care of many pains. Sometimes something even more simple was prescribed.

When there were sleepless nights with mama thinking children may be sick, advice was to put the children on the other side of the house, but that wasn't for this mama who wanted her little ones near.

Our son was all boy with his mischievous bent. Ask his sister. One day he had some leftover small Christmas firecrackers and decided to scare our neighbor, a boy of about his age. His joke backfiredand the firecracker exploded in his hand. Of course his frantic mother called the doctor. Dr. Wills' prescription? "Wrap a handkerchief around it for sympathy. He'll be all right." And he was. (I heard his children played with snakes. Mine didn't bring any more near the house after the one in the cage by the door disappeared.)

Dr. Wills was there for my family at many serious, critical, and final times -- continuing to the third generation, to the time our youngest grandson had a critical injury from a railroad accident. I was grateful for that and for all of the times he was at the hospital for us.

I am most grateful for the excellent care Dr. Wills gave my beloved husband during the years he suffered from emphysema, from time of diagnosis until and through his final illness, 24 years ago this month. My husband also had a lot of confidencein his ability and refused to see pulmonary specialists, saying Dr. Wills knew what he was doing.

And, he must have. Once when Dr. Wills was out-of-town and we had to see another well-respected doctor, who changed my husband's medicines (with good intentions, I'm sure,) and he became very ill. We were all glad when Dr. Wills could see him again.

I remember the morning shortly before being diagnosed with emphysema when Dr. Wills asked my husband to remove his shirt so he could listen to his lungs. A pack of cigarettes went sliding across the floor. Dr. Wills said, "Hurry, hurry, and get them!"

My husband did stop smoking but it was too late to do him any good. That and his work environment had done the damage. He later said when he couldn't stand the smell of cigarette smoke, "I wish I could apologize to everyone I offended by smoking." He was glad to be on one of Dr. Sophia Bamford's anti-smoking programs -- if he could have influenced just one to stop smoking he would have been proud.

My husband was also impressed with the nice young man who accompanied Dr. Wills as he checked on him at the hospital one morning. (We were at Wills Memorial Hospital by then.) That young may was one of Dr. and Mrs. Wills' sons, the one who was on his way to following in his father's footsteps and is now a surgeon in Thomson.

I do not know their children, but I believe Thomson is home to two other sons. That's three. One lives in Dannville, California, another in Huntsville, Alabama, and one in Snellville, Georgia. A sister to these six brothers lives in Athens. Don't you just know she is much loved by those brothers? All are successful in their chosen fields. And parents are so proud of all.

They are also proud grandparents of 19 grandchildren. I believe one is planning to be a doctor like his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather. (Wasn't Dr. Wills' grandfather also a doctor? I'm not sure about that.) And, the word is that Dr. and Mrs. Charles Wills are looking forward to the birth of their first great-grandchildren in early 2008.

More recently, patients have heard of these wonderful children. They have also been treated to seeing a large photograph of the whole family which was brought to the officeto show his "girls" -- his very helpful officestaff.

In recent weeks those girls have been very busy and so helpful and caring, trying hard to make sure Medicare and supplements -- all insurance paid all of our bills and were as happy as we, perhaps more so, when they were paid and that particular record could be closed.

Through the years Dr. Wills' staff members were/are just as professional, as ethical as he. Patients knew their health matters were not talked about, and one might as well not ask about the health of another patient. And, that's the kind of doctors, nurses, technicians, and other medical staff members we want.

One member of his staff has worked with him for 38 1/12 years. Her grandsons have been enjoyed by Dr. Wills, insurance clerk, and patients alike, as they sometimes accompanied their grandmother to work. They showed him just how much fun that great-grandchild is going to be. They also learned from Dr. Wills as he taught them to do little chores about the office.Moving baby furniture out really brought Dr. Wills' retirement home to that staff member.

Whenever I called Dr. and Mrs. Wills' home, after his officeclosed, with an emergency, or something I thought was an emergency, Mrs. Wills was always most gracious when she answered the phone. Others tell me that's the way she's always been with them. With his many patients, their phone probably rang often, interrupting meals, television programs, private at-home times. But still she was as nice as could be.

I understand she enjoys golf just about as much as Dr. Wills does. I hope they get to enjoy many pretty days of playing golf before the cold days of winter arrive. But they've enjoyed playing during cold days too. They just like golf!

Thank you, Dr. and Mrs. Wills, for everything!

(Reading what I have written, I see this has been more about me than anything; and I still need to mention other local physicians who have treated me one or more times during my 76 years. They were Doctors Adair, Duggan, Pollock, Bamford, Kuppuswamy, Williams, Kirk, and Coe. Maybe others. I'm old, you know, and forgetful!)

Of course there are those other medical folks who are so important: a special PA, respiratory therapist/ anesthetist, physical therapist; all the nurses, aides, emergency folks and . .

And, now one of all the good local physicians Dr. Wills recommended has agreed to be my doctor, and I am grateful. I'm told he is also conservative. I'm finding that to be so in the short time he's seen me as patient.

I guess what I miss most about not being physically able to write -- go out and do interviews, research, and such -- for the paper is telling about all the good folks of Washington- Wilkes.

I've heard that Dr. Wills does not want a fuss made over his retirement. I hope I don't get fussed at for writing the above. Thanks again, Dr. Wills!