George L. MacGregor (left) receives the 1969 Distinguished Health Service Award from Dallas Hospital Council Chair John Morgan, administrator at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.
Known as the Dallas Hospital Council at the time, the Distinguished Health Service Award was created in 1948 to recognize individuals who sacrificed their time to improve healthcare in the region. In those early days, “these individuals possessed a pioneering spirit and endeavored to create better ways of providing healthcare to the community,” to quote a 1979 program brochure.
Past recipients of the Distinguished Health Service Award include former mayors of Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Irving and Denison, former senators, and former presidential nominees. It’s a “who’s who” list of North Texas community leaders going back over seven decades.
Today, the DFW Hospital Council (DFWHC) presents the award during its Annual Awards Luncheon to honor local residents for their dedication and support of healthcare. Past recipients have included:
2015 – Dr. Merlyn Sayers
2014 – Dr. Wright Lassiter, Jr.
2013 – Senator Florence Shapiro
2012 – T. Boone Pickens
2011 – Mayor Mike and Rosie Moncrief
2010 – Val Wilkie, Jr.
2009 – Ray and Nancy Ann Hunt
2008 – Ross and Margot Perot
2007 – Jerry Gilmore
2006 – Jerdy Gary
2005 – James E. Oesterreicher
2004 – Robert and Doris Klabzuba
2003 – W. W. “Bill” Aston
2002 – Jerry Farrington, J. Andy Thompson
2001 – Dr. George E. Hurt, Jr.
2000 – Paul Seegers
1999 – Donald Zale
1998 – Robert J. Wright
1997 – Dr. Lucius Waites
1996 – John P. Thompson
1995 – Paul M. Bass, Jr.
1994 – James R. Nichols
1993 – Clinton Howard
1992 – Ruben Esquivel
1991 – Judson A. Cramer
1990 – Robert L. Dillard, Jr.
1989 – Louis A. Beecherl, Jr.
1988 – Isadore Roosth
1987 – Dan C. Williams
1986 – Dr. Charles C. Sprague
1985 – Tom Vandergriff
1984 – William C. Connor
1983 – Perry R. Bass
1982 – W. Dewey Presley
1981 – W. B. “Ben” Munson
1980 – Earl Luna
1979 – William and Elizabeth Moncrief
1978 – James F. Chambers, Jr.
1977 – M. Lee Halford
1976 – L. S. Turner, Jr.
1975 – Ben A. Lipshy
1974 – J. Erik and Margaret Jonsson
1973 – Charles E. Watson
1972 – Eugene McDermott
1971 – William A. Blakley
1970 – Lester T. Potter
1969 – George L. MacGregor
1968 – James W. Aston
1967 – Joe M. Dealey
1966 – Dr. Percey E. Luecke, Jr.
1965 – Dr. Floyd A. Norman
1964 – Edward R. Maher
1963 – Travis T. Wallace
1962 – Dr. Charles Max Cole
1961 – C.A. Tatum, Jr.
1960 – Dr. Edward S. Sulkin
1959 – Dr. Milford O. Rouse
1958 – G. H. Penland
1957 – Ernest Parks
1956 – Bishop William C. Martin
1955 – L. D. Isett
1954 – Karl Hoblitzelle
1953 – Fred Florence
1952 – Fred O. Detweiler
1951 – Arthur Coburn
1950 – Dr. E. H. Cary
1949 – W.W. Caruth, Jr.
1948 – Milton F. Brown
On October 18 at DFWHC’s 68th Annual Awards Luncheon at Arlington Convention Center, Margaret Jordan of Dallas Medical Resource will carry on the tradition when she is honored as the 76th recipient of the award.
Tickets and tables to the event are available here.
For information, please contact Chris Wilson at chrisw@dfwhc.org or 972-719-4900.
Ross and Margot Perot, 2008
T. Boone Pickens, 2012
Senator Florence Shapiro, 2013