[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 25, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E422]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO DR. JOHN GROBMYER TEDFORD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARION BERRY

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 25, 2009

  Mr. BERRY. Madam Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to a dear 
friend, Dr. John Grobmyer Tedford. His successes are many, but it is 
his outstanding service to the field of medicine that demands 
recognition. I am proud to honor Dr. Tedford for his lifetime of 
service to his patients, his community and our country.
  Dr. Tedford was born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1941 to William L. 
Tedford and Dorothy Grobmyer Tedford. Aside from his time in college 
and serving our country in Vietnam, he spent his entire life in Little 
Rock. He attended Hall High School but graduated from Forrest City High 
School after Governor Orval Faubus closed Little Rock's high schools in 
1958-59 during the school integration struggle. He later went to 
college to study pre-med at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. 
At the age of 20, he went to the University of Arkansas School of 
Medicine and received his medical degree in 1966. After meeting through 
some mutual friends, Tedford married Judy Stoltz on October 28, 1993.
  Dr. Tedford was a simple man who avoided fancy material possessions. 
Instead, he preferred to go to his favorite place, which was a cedar 
house his family built for him and spend time with nature. He 
especially enjoyed bass fishing and turkey and duck hunting. In 
addition, he enjoyed playing doubles tennis with his wife.
  Although Tedford enjoyed sports and hunting, his patients were always 
his first priority. For example, in 1968 he joined the Navy and asked 
to be sent to Vietnam with the Marines to serve as a doctor, taking 
care of sick and injured troops. While in Vietnam, Tedford and his 
battalion were struck by a bomb. Despite his severe injuries, he 
refused to be evacuated and continued to treat the injured soldiers 
until he lost consciousness from internal bleeding. For his valiant 
efforts he was awarded the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
  Dr. Tedford embodies the old fashioned values of service, leadership 
and commitment to his community that has made our State and our Nation 
great. He has dedicated his life to serving people and we are grateful 
for the impact he left on the lives of all he touched. He will be 
greatly missed.

                          ____________________