William E Laur

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 24, 2010 at Brentwood Chapel, Schooler Funeral Home at 4100 South Georgia St. in Amarillo. Dr. William Edward Laur, 90, died Tuesday, April 20, 2010 in Amarillo, TX.He was born November 17, 1919 in Saginaw Michigan, son of Ruth Eyre Laur and Vertner Linton Laur. He married Mary Elizabeth Kirby of Beaumont, TX on December 31, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan.Dr. Laur graduated high school in Midland, Michigan in 1936 as class Salutatorian. He began his premedical studies at Mercer University and earned a B.S. in 1940. He began studies concurrently at the University of Michigan Medical School in 1939 and enlisted with the Army in 1942. The army allowed him to complete his studies under an accelerated curriculum and he graduated M.D. in February, 1943. He completed a brief internship at the University of Texas Hospital at Galveston before being called to duty. It was in Galveston where William met his future wife Mary, marrying her prior to entering army training in 1944. Dr. Laur served in WWII as battalion surgeon in France and Germany, earning the rank of Captain. After leaving the military in 1946, Dr. Laur began his training in dermatology at Wayne University Medical School. He earned a M.S. in medicine for his research work in 1949. Shortly thereafter, he passed the examination for the American Board of Dermatology and moved with his family to Amarillo where he began a private practice. In 1973 he founded High Plains Dermatology Center, currently the largest dermatology clinic in the Texas panhandle. Dr. Laur retired in 1990, concluding a 40-year medical practice.During his career, Dr. Laur published many papers in peer-reviewed medical journals, served as consultant for the U.S. Air Force and the Veteran’s Administration, and instructed medical students and residents at Texas Tech Medical Center in Amarillo. In 1957 he was the designated director of Amarillo Moonwatch, an organization working with the Air Force division to aid in preliminary tracking of the first artificial satellite, the Soviet Union’s Sputnik 1. He was elected and served one term as president of the Potter-Randall County Medical Society in 1964 and served as chairman of the Potter-Randall Citizens Health Council in 1965. For this service he received a commendation award from the Potter-Randall Citizens Committee. In May 1980, Dr. Laur and his colleagues were invited by the Chinese minister of health to conduct a lecture tour of China on various medical diagnostic topics, including dermatology. Later that year, Dr. Laur was also invited to conduct similar lectures in the Soviet Union.  Dr. Laur was a member of the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association, the Potter-Randall County Medical Society, the American Academy of Dermatology, the Texas Dermatological Society, the Noah Worcester Dermatology Society, the Victor Vaughan Medical Historical Society, the Alpha Chi Honor Society and member emeritus of the medical staff of BSA and Northwest Texas hospitals in Amarillo. He was a life member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. William and his wife Mary were enthusiastic and frequent world travelers, visiting many unique places on six continents. He was an avid supporter of fine arts and with his wife supported the Amarillo Symphony and participated in theater productions at Amarillo Little Theatre and West Texas A&M University. He enjoyed playing duplicate bridge, writing, computer activities, and was an accomplished amateur chef. He was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and a lifelong Episcopalian.Dr. Laur is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Mary Elizabeth of Amarillo; son Eric of Amarillo, son Edward and wife, Marla of Amarillo; son John and wife, Frances of Albuquerque, NM; son Mike and wife, Shelley of Manitou Springs, CO; granddaughter Gail Laur of Tulsa, OK; grandson Johnathan Laur and wife, Tiffany of Amarillo; grandson Austen Laur and wife, Alexa Singer Laur of Tulsa, OK; grandson Casey Laur of Kansas City; grandson Jason McDuffie of Tulsa, OK; grandson Seth Price of Albequerque, NM; and five great-grandchildren: Zoe Zamora, Phoebe Laur, Piper Laur, Charlotte Laur, and Jasen McDuffie.In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to Post-Polio Health International http://www.post-polio.org/

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