Almena
1895-1975
Information provided by Howard Van De Wege
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Dr. Bennie’s examine chair and medicine case pictured above areHerbert Stuart Bennie was born July 17, 1895, twin brother of Harold, and son of Dr. Andrew and Isabel J. (Belle) Bennie, at Long Island, Kansas.
Herbert started life in Long Island, and at the age of four, traveled with his parents to California. When his family returned to Almena to establish his father’s medical practice, Herbert made this his home for life.
He attended the Almena Schools, graduating in 1912, the second graduating class in the old school house. He attended Washburn University, and the University of Kansas where he graduated with an ABS in medicine in 1920. He did post-graduate work and received his medical degree in 1921. After a years’ internship at St. Vincent’s-DePaul Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, he joined his father’s general practice in Almena in 1922.
In 1933 he was united in marriage to Imogene Wiltrout at Logan, Kansas. Imogene was killed in an automobile accident in 1953. They made their home in Almena, and had one son who died in infancy.
He was a flying enthusiast for many years and maintained a collection of antique cars. He was a member of the Norton County Hospital staff, was the Norton County Health Officer with the Kansas Department of Public Health for many years, a member of the Northwest Kansas Medical Society, the Kansas Medical Society, and the American Medical Association.
He had a large practice and his office was upstairs over the hardware store in Almena. Many a patient had a hard time climbing those steep stairs. He was known to have said, “If a patient can’t climb the stairs, I need to make a house call!”. He made those house calls in town and throughout the rural area.
He certainly never overcharged anyone, and sometimes received little or nothing, if the family could not afford it. One time he was asked how he could charge as little as a dollar for an office call, and he said, “My rent is cheap!” (He owned the building).
Dr.. H. S. Bennie died June 25, 1975, and was sorely missed by the community. Almena has not had a resident physician since his death.