Cloudy this evening with periods of light rain and snow after midnight. Areas of freezing rain possible. Low 31F. Winds light and variable. Chance of precip 50%..
Tonight
Cloudy this evening with periods of light rain and snow after midnight. Areas of freezing rain possible. Low 31F. Winds light and variable. Chance of precip 50%.
Dr. Kenneth Case recently retired from his medical practice in Gallatin after 47 years.
He came to Gallatin in 1975 to join Dr. Clarence Sanders’ practice. He continued on in that practice for a few years after Sanders’ death. Together they had the Medical Mall built where they practiced during most of their careers together. Case joined Gallatin Family Wellness, owned by Sumner Regional Medical Center, in 2003 where he practiced until his retirement. Two of his nurses, Joanie Borden and Becky Bruce, worked with him for a number of years.
“I have worked with Dr. Case for the majority of my nursing career. To say it has been an honor would be an understatement,” Borden said. “There has never been a time that he did not have the best interest of his patients at heart. I am blessed to have been a small part of his journey.”
Bruce recalled Case’s compassion as being a staple of his character.
“It was a never-boring experience working with Dr. Case for the many years we worked together. There were happy times and sad times, and we got through them together,” Bruce said. ”I will always remember Dr. Case as the kind, compassionate doctor that cared immensely about his patients, making sure they got what they needed. His dedication to his profession should be taught to everyone in the medical profession. I will miss him in the office.”
Case was born at Fountain Head Rural Hospital and Sanatorium which became Highland Hospital. His parents, Kenneth and Violet Case, were well known in the area as owners of Case Piano. He grew up in the Highland community and attended Highland Elementary School and graduated from Highland Academy.
Case continued his education at Southern Missionary College (now Southern Adventist University). He met his wife, Ruth Arlene Painter, there and moved to California where he attended medical school at Loma Linda University. Case did his internship at Baptist Hospital in Nashville from 1967-69.
After completing his internship, he entered the U. S. Army as a physician. He went to Vietnam where he served as Chief Medical Officer for the 29th Civil Affairs Company in Da Nang. He traveled throughout the five Northern Provinces known as I Corps. The mission of the 29th Civil Affairs Company was to develop health programs for civilians in the I Corps. He worked with about 40 medics at village and district levels. After a year in Vietnam, he was transferred back to the United States where he served at Ft. Benning, Ga., in a clinic where he served military personnel.
When he was discharged from the Army, Case joined a group family practice in Spartanburg, S.C. Case served that practice until 1975 when he joined Sanders’ family practice in Gallatin.
Case always worked in family practice throughout his career, where he said he did it all — from delivering babies to caring for adult patients’ medical needs. He added that he had reached a time in his practice where many of his patients were the grandchildren of babies he had birthed.
“The most rewarding things during my career were to be able to help people by changing their lifestyles and dietary habits, so as not to become ill,” Case said. “I encouraged my patients to have a yearly physical. Being able to pick up on things early and take care of it before it gets really serious has been my focus for many years.
“The second rewarding thing was delivering babies and seeing them grow up.”
In addition to having a full practice in Gallatin, Case found time to do missionary work for the Seventh Day Adventist Church. He served in several countries, including Honduras and Puerto Rico.
While serving in Vietnam, Case sat down every night and recorded his daily adventures, which often included narrow escapes. He sent the recordings home and has had them transcribed. He plans to finish a book retelling those stories as a historical record of his experiences. He has created a slideshow to go along with the experiences. He narrowed down 1,000 slides to 341 for the complete slide show.
Case also enjoys gardening, photography and landscape design.
Case and his late wife Ruth have three children — Janice Kenner (Paul), Christopher (Wilma) and Andrew. Case has five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
