Dr. John Middleton
John W Middleton, MD went home to the Lord Sunday, July 21, 2019.
A lifelong native of Pike County, he was born in Bowling Green Aug. 19, 1925 to Jacob Hoard and Mary Jane Whiteside Middleton. John attended Bowling Green High School and then Westminster College in Fulton where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity.
When his country called, he served two years with the U.S. Fifth Army as a private in Italy until the war’s end. Returning to Missouri, he attended Washington University, graduated from the University of Missouri School of Medicine (then only a two-year medical school) and received his doctor of medicine from Temple University in Philadelphia, Penn., on June 14, 1951, followed by an internship at Kansas City General Hospital.
Notably, he did not graduate from high school or college, but earned enough credit hours to move forward from each, ultimately receiving his medical degree.
Dr. John was married to his lifelong love, Mary Alice Jaeger of Clarksville on June 17, 1951 who preceded him in death in 2014.
After a short time in Carthage Ill., he returned to Louisiana where he established (with Dr Joe Martin, …on only a handshake), the Pike County Medical Group. He practiced medicine in Pike County for over 30 years and delivered over 2,000 babies (his favorite job!).
After retirement, he served as a cruise ship physician, traveling around South America and Hawaii on the “Love Boat.” He also served on the Pike County Memorial Hospital board and was a 50-year member of the Elks Lodge and the American Legion.
Dr. Middleton had a lifelong love for Pike County, living in the same house for over 60 years. His real passion though, was for boating on the Mississippi River. Over his 93 years, he owned numerous boats and navigated several cruises to Minneapolis and Kentucky Lake. Other interests included gardening, farming, globetrotting, and Dixieland Jazz.
Dr Middleton is survived by his four children, John Jr. of Springfield, and wife, Peggy and daughters, Amanda and husband, Pablo Bravo; Katie and husband, Sean Davis and daughter, Edith; Patsy and husband, Carlos Arribas, Alice Jane Holtzhouser of Millstadt, Ill., and husband, Jay and children, Jason and Emily, Joe of Grain Valley and wife, Diana and daughter Amanda; and Tom of Louisville, Ky., and Ann Mudd and sons Mackey and Jacob Price.
Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m., Friday at Collier Funeral Home in Louisiana. The Rev. Jay Ayers, assisted by the Rev. Randall Cone will officiate services at 2 p.m., Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church in Louisiana, and joining his wife of 62 years in Bowling Green Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the First Presbyterian Church, Louisiana.
