D. Ross Irons, M.D.
May 26, 1933 - July 2, 2006
Obituary from The Bellevue Gazette -
July 5, 2006:
Bellevue Gazette story about Dr. Irons -
July 5, 2006
D. Ross Irons, M.D., F.A.C.S., age 73, of St. Rt. 113,
Bellevue, passed away Sunday, July 2, 2006, at the
University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo.
He was born May 26, 1933, in Lyme Township, Huron County,
the son of the late Ross Clayton and Doris (Kuns) Irons.
He was a 1951 graduate of Bellevue High School and a 1955
graduate of Ohio Northern University, where he received a
bachelor of science degree in pharmacy. He attended Oberlin
College in 1955-1956 for graduate work in anatomy before
graduating from the Ohio State University College of
Medicine in 1960.
He completed his internship at Akron General Hospital,
1960-1961, followed by his general surgery residency at
Akron General Hospital, 1961-1965, where he was Chief
Administrative Resident in 1964-1965. He was licensed by the
State Board of Pharmacy in 1955, the State Board of Medicine
in 1960 and the American Board of Surgery in 1970.
Dr. Irons was the active Chief of Surgery at The Bellevue
Hospital, Bellevue, Ohio, and was a consulting staff member
at Memorial Hospital, Fremont, Firelands Regional Medical
Center, Sandusky, Fisher-Titus Medical Center, Norwalk,
Mercy Hospital, Willard, Mercy Hospital, Tiffin, and H.B.
Magruder Hospital, Port Clinton.
He has been honored with the Distinguished Service Award
from the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce for service performed
for The Bellevue Development Corporation, received the
Alumni Achievement Award from the OSU College of Medicine in
1990, was named to the Ohio Northern University Hall of Fame
in 1990, and was given the Distinguished Citizen Award from
the former Medical College of Ohio in 1998. In addition, he
received the Distinguished Service Award from the Ohio
Chapter of the American College of Surgeons in 2004, and was
inducted into the Bellevue High School Halls of Excellence
in 2002.
Dr. Irons continued to work the family farmlands he was born
on. Ironwood Farms was his refuge and a great source of
pride to him. His sense of stewardship for the land will be
remembered by many, especially his children and
grandchildren who carry on the tradition.
He was a member of Lyme Congregational United Church of
Christ where he was past council president, and the Bellevue
Rotary Club. He was a Fellow of the American College of
Surgeons, and belonged to the American Medical Association,
the Ohio State Medical Association, Ohio Chapter of the
American College of Surgeons, the Huron County Medical
Society, and was an associate member of the Sandusky County
Medical Society.
He also served as a Bellevue Area Chamber of Commerce
Trustee, 1983-1986; a trustee of the Clyde Development
Corporation, 1990-present; was President of the Ohio
American College of Surgeons in 1993-1994; Chairman of the
Board for The Bellevue Hospital, 1980-1981, and as Cancer
Liaison Physician for The Bellevue Hospital 1984-1999.
He also was President of the Bellevue Hospital Medical Staff
for two terms; the Ohio State Medical Association, 11
District Counselor, 1982-present; President of the Bellevue
Development Corporation, 1984-1985; Chairman of the Board of
Physicians Insurance Company of Ohio, 1988-1990; President
of the Ohio State Medical Association, 1987-1988; and Board
Member of PICO, Norfolk Southern Railroad Surgeons, Ohio
Chapter.
Survivors include his wife, Linda (Early) Irons, who he
married Feb. 14, 1998; five sons, Ross P. Irons of Columbus,
Logan (Karen) Irons of Bellevue, Ryan (Shelly) Irons of
Ashley, Ohio, Lukas Irons of Delaware, Ohio, and Aaron
(Brandy) Irons of Gahanna, Ohio; a daughter, Alicia (Rolf)
Lindquist of Sweden; and 12 grandchildren and three great –
Grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, a daughter, Julia Irons, and his
brother, John Irons, M.D, preceded him in death.
Visitation will be held Friday, July 7, in the atrium of the
former Bellevue Hospital facility, 811 Northwest St.,
Bellevue, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., where the family will be
present from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m.
The funeral will be conducted on Saturday, July 8, at 10
a.m. in St. Paul United Church of Christ, 428 Kilbourne St.,
with the Rev. Gene Hegemier and the Rev. Clifford Munger,
pastors at Lyme Congregational UCC, officiating. Private
burial will follow at Strongs Ridge Cemetery, Lyme Township.
Memorials may be made to the Bellevue Hospital Foundation,
Walking Trail Project, 1400 West Main St., Bellevue, OH
44811; or to Lyme Congregational United Church of Christ,
P.O. Box 103, Bellevue, OH 44811.
The Foos and Son Funeral Home, 311 W. Main St., Bellevue, is
in charge of arrangements.
Noted surgeon, Dr. D. Ross Irons,
remembered for his achievements
By SALLY BOYD
Neighbors Editor
When D. Ross Irons, M.D., spoke, it was always with great
assurance and authority — traits born of great wisdom, great
skills, and great training. The flame of medicine which he
fanned so enthusiastically and constantly, flickered less
brightly this week as word of his death on Sunday evening
spread like wildfire.
“It is with great sadness that I note the passing of Dr.
Ross Irons, a general surgeon in the Bellevue and Clyde
communities,” said Mike Winthrop, president and CEO of The
Bellevue Hospital on Monday.
“So much of what The Bellevue Hospital is today is a direct
result of his unwavering efforts to practice quality
medicine and to expect the same from those with whom he
worked.
“My sympathies are extended on behalf of The Bellevue
Hospital Board of Trustees, Medical Staff and all employees
to Dr. Irons’ wife, Linda, his family, his colleagues, and
the many patients that he so faithfully served for over 40
years.”
A native of Bellevue, Dr. Ross, as he was best known, became
synonymous with “medicine” — and not just medicine practiced
in small town Bellevue, but throughout Ohio.
It is most fitting, therefore, that the longtime arena where
Dr. Ross, 73, made his mark — the “old” Bellevue Hospital at
811 Northwest St. — will serve as the backdrop for friends,
family, patients, colleagues and staff members from numerous
hospitals to pay their respects. Arrangements have been made
to have the body of Dr. Irons lie in state on Friday, July
7, in the atrium at the former hospital where he spent the
bulk of his career.
People are asked to enter through the former emergency room
doors on Northwest Street between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9
p.m. Exit will be through the main doors to the south under
the portico.
The family will be present from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. Friday,
according to the Foos and Son Funeral Home, which is
handling arrangements. Parking will be available in all the
lots surrounding the facility.
One of a pair of noted Bellevue brother physicians, Dr. Ross
appeared headed for greatness even as a teenager when he was
a shining star at Bellevue High School. An outstanding
three-sport athlete (track, football and basketball), he
also was an inductee in the National Athletic Scholarship
Society, the national Quill and Scroll Society for
journalism and the International Thespians. He sang, he
acted, he wrote for the school paper, The Dial, and
yearbook, The Comet. He had the gift of athleticism and is
remembered by classmates as being extremely social.
Like his younger brother, the late John Irons, a computer
medicine pioneer, Dr. Ross could have set up practice
virtually anywhere he chose. Instead, both opted to return
home to Bellevue where they formed Firelands Medical Clinic
nearly 40 years ago, the private medical practice which
continued to be run by Dr. Ross up to the time of his death
July 2 in The University of Toledo Medical Center (formerly
Medical University of Ohio).
Dr. John eventually moved away from private practice into
the world of computerized medicine where he became one of
the nation’s top experts in computer-processed health risk
analyses. Dr. Ross, however, who loved farming the family’s
acreage — Ironwood — on Strongs Ridge (Ohio 113 East) almost
as much as he loved medicine, soon became one of the most
highly regarded surgeons in the state.
He also became one of the area’s most knowledgeable
physicians on a variety of cancers, serving to bring the
expertise of regional teaching hospitals to Bellevue
Hospital, where he was the cancer liaison physician for 15
years.
“You do not replace someone of Dr. Irons’ stature and
ability,” said Winthrop. “Surgeons on our staff are
rearranging their schedules to assist in caring for Dr.
Irons’ patients in a prompt and professional manner.”
His former partner at Firelands Medical, Dr. Elbert
Lawrence, who retired in May 2005, summed up his 30-year
affiliation with Dr. Ross by saying, “I admired him more
than any other man I’ve ever known. He was a very
responsible man. We worked together very well. I’ve never
respected anyone more than him.”
Indeed, it was his skill in the operating room that gained
him the respect of patients and peers alike.
“He probably saved thousands of lives, including mine!,”
said Dr. Lawrence.
Winthrop concurred, “Dr. Ross earned tremendous respect, not
only locally but on a state and national level, as an
outstanding physician and surgeon. He was a gifted teacher
to medical students and hospital personnel alike.
“Dr. Irons had a passion for learning himself. He stayed
current in the practice of surgery, read constantly and,
just a few weeks ago, attended a week-long conference on the
latest treatment of breast disease. The ‘status-quo’ was not
in Dr. Irons’ vocabulary.”
His contributions to the region as a surgeon and physician
were clearly acknowledged in 2002 when he was chosen as an
inductee into the then four-year-old Bellevue Halls of
Excellence, which pays tribute to Bellevue High School
graduates who have achieved great success in their chosen
fields.
Among the comments offered by people who nominated him for
the honor were:
“He is one of the best surgeons in Ohio. He has saved many
lives, including mine,” said one.
“Dr. Irons has dedicated his medical career to helping his
hometown. He has researched new surgical techniques and
cancer care to help people right here. He has also
contributed much to the schools’ sports program,” said
another.
And yet another tribute: “He has done more for Bellevue
Hospital than any other doctor since it was founded.”
Dr. Ross, who graduated from Bellevue High School in 1951,
first earned a degree in pharmacy in 1955 from Ohio Northern
University, then went on to gain his medical degree from
Ohio State University in 1960. Since that time, he garnered
dozens of honors during his 46 years in medical practice and
belonged to numerous organizations both professional and
private, including being instrumental in the survival of
“Ohio’s oldest continuous church,” Lyme Congregational
United Church of Christ, on Ohio 113.
Indeed, as much as anything, it was his upbringing at
Ironwood and the home he created there with his wife, Linda,
that brought him great pleasure in the past few years.
Despite continuing to practice medicine full-time, he also
devoted considerable time to building their new home where
his family’s history could be prominently displayed. He
proudly would point out to visitors items that had belonged
to both his parents and grandparents and clearly enjoyed
looking out over the farmlands which surround the home,
including several acres which he donated for the development
of Historic Lyme Village.
But it is, perhaps, the regard and respect in which he was
held by his peers that best sum up his place in the
community. The higher standard to which he held himself and
others caused people to also seek new levels of
accomplishment.
One of his oldest friends and colleagues, Dr. Ted Ball,
M.D., on Monday said, “Ross and I went to medical school at
Ohio State University and graduated together in 1960. He was
one of my best and most trusted friends. His surgical skills
were outstanding. I know, because I assisted him for 35
years. He was an extremely ethical doctor and always showed
concern for his patients.
“Many days, even this year, he spent 10 to 12 hours a day at
the hospital in surgery. He was very loyal to The Bellevue
Hospital and a major reason why The Bellevue Hospital has
thrived.
“Ross was a real doctor and surgeon. He used to say, ‘I’m
just a country doctor.’ He is irreplaceable and Bellevue
Hospital and the entire surrounding area will miss him. The
hospital is in a state of shock right now. I will miss him
terribly.”
Dr. Irons is survived by his wife, Linda; his five sons,
Ross P. Irons, Logan Irons, Ryan Irons, Lukas Irons and
Aaron Irons; a daughter, Alicia Lindquist; 12 grandchildren
and three great-grandchildren.
