Don Ray Krohn, M.D., passed away on August 2, 2013, in Eugene, Oregon, at 84. He is survived by his wife, Betty Jo Stevens, and their four children, Bill (Patty) of Grapevine, Texas; Vicki Amorose (David) of Eugene; David (Cynthia) Krohn of Traverse City, Michigan; and Katherine Krohn (Steve) of Eugene. Don is also survived by grandchildren Jennifer Krohn, Lindsay Leahey (Mark), Sarah and Hannah Krohn, Rosie and Jackson Amorose, as well as great-grandchildren, Mark and Lucy Leahey.
Don was born in Bloomfield, Nebraska in 1929. He moved to Detroit in the early 1940s with his mother, Maria, and his stepfather, Roy Versaw. Don later left home to attend Concordia Lutheran High School in Indiana. After graduation, he enrolled at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he met his future wife, Betty Jo Stevens of Smithville. They were married in 1951.
Don attended medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, interned at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, and served his residency at Harper Hospital in Detroit. In 1959 he was called to service in the U.S. Air Force. He and his family moved to Bitburg, Germany. An Air Force captain, Dr. Krohn worked for two year as an obstetrician and gynecologist at Bitburg Air Force Base Hospital.
While Don and Betty raised their four children, he worked as an OB/GYM in the suburban Detroit area. For 14 years, he served as director of the Residency Training Program and chairman of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan. Over the years, Dr. Krohn delivered thousands of babies and cared for many loyal patients.
On family vacations, the Krohns spent much time in Northern Michigan, where Don enjoyed fishing, hunting and being outdoors. The family also spent time with Betty’s family in Tennessee, where Don fell in love with the beautiful state and friendly people. In 1988 Don and Betty relocated to her hometown of Smithville.
Over the next eight years, Dr. Krohn served on the faculty of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the University of Tennessee (Erlanger Hospital) in Chattanooga. In 2002, after Don was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, Don and Betty moved to Eugene to be near family. There the Krohns became members of Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Don loved to tell stories. Before entering medical school, he was an English major with strong interest in literature and writing. While in his 80s, Don published two books of hi life stories, “Tap Dancing, Babies, and Cadavers; Humor and Pathos in the Life of a 20th-Century Doctor” and “Big Bands and Small Farms.” Don will be remembered for his many accomplishments, great sense of humor, quick wit, loyalty, determination and strong spirit.
Visitation was held Tuesday, Aug. 6, and Wednesday, Aug. , until the time of the service at 1 p.m. at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home in Smithville.
Pallbearers included Jack Hurst, Tommy Webb, Ron Goodwin, Scott Goodwin, Clayton Parsley, and Jim Hodge.
Honorary pallbearer was Joe Collins.
Internment was at DeKalb County Memorial Gardens.
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, Smithville, was in charge of the arrangements.
SMITHVILLE REVIEW
Smithville, TN
August 7, 2013
www.lovecantrellfuneralhome.com