FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE
LEADERSHIP, STEADFAST
AND PLUCKY
James Patrick Murphy, MD, MMM
“He showed us daily, with his words and actions, what it really
means to be a servant-leader.”
– Bert Guinn, MBA, CAE, Executive Vice President, Greater
Louisville Medical Society
T
oday was truly the end of an era for Louisville’s medical community. After 35 years of incredible service to the Greater Louisville Medical Society, Lelan Woodmansee is retiring. At stately Whitehall Mansion, hundreds gathered to say good-bye and thank you.
Having now passed the baton (literally) to his protégé, Bert Guinn,
Lelan and his soul mate, Marlena, will finally have time to travel,
visit family, and enjoy a little down time. He will be missed, but
his presence will be felt for generations to come. As Dr. Gordon
Tobin so eloquently put it, “Our members are the bricks but Lelan
was the mortar.”
During my time with the GLMS, Lelan was more than my Chief
Executive. He was my mentor, counselor and friend. He deserves
an epic poem, however, it is late and an epic limerick will just
have to do.
Note: Dr. Murphy, board-certified in Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine
and Addiction Medicine, is the president and medical director of
Murphy Pain Center. He is an assistant clinical professor at the
University of Louisville School of Medicine and serves on the board
of the International Association of Pain and Chemical Dependency
and is a past president of GLMS.
There was a young man named Woodmansee,
Felt writing might tickle his fancy.
He thought it was great,
At Ohio State,
But later he got really antsy.
So traveled he down to Kentucky.
For this we are all very lucky.
He gave it his best,
At GLMS,
With leadership, steadfast and plucky.
His value is more than you can see.
He helped us be all that we can be.
Three decades have gone,
Now we say, “So long,”
To our dear friend Lelan Woodmansee.
He blogs at http://jamespmurphymd.com. This was posted on
August 16, 2015.
GLMS members are welcome to submit recent blog posts for possible publication in
this space by emailing: [email protected].
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LOUISVILLE MEDICINE