Neaces Join CCHS as New Docs

DAYTON-Waitsburg natives Gwynneth Neace, DO and her husband, Lewis Neace, DO, are the newest physicians to join the Columbia County Health System. The Neaces say they are happy to be home, and are looking forward to working in the community.

Dr. Gwynn Neace received her Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the University of Health Sciences in Kansas City, Mo., in 1977.

She has been Board Certified in Pediatrics since 1989, and has practiced most recently at Metropolitan Pediatrics, in Portland, Ore.

Dr. Neace has also served as the Chief of Staff at Ocean Beach Hospital in Ilwaco, Wash., where she helped to develop a specialty consultation program with Portland area hospitals.

Dr. Neace will be working one day a week at the Waitsburg Clinic, and one day a week at Columbia Family Clinic. She is currently accepting appointments for pediatric patients through the front desk of either clinic.

Dr. (Col.) Lewis Neace received a doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the University of Health Sciences in Kansas City, Mo., in 1975. He is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine, and in Aerospace Medicine.

In 1983 Dr. Neace joined the Air Force Reserves at McChord Air Force Base, near Tacoma. He is a distinguished graduate of the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, at Brooks Air Force Base, in Texas, and has served as a space shuttle flight surgeon for NASA.

As a commander of the 920th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, Dr. Neace was named Air Force Reserve Command Flight Surgeon in 1989.

From 2001 until he retired from the AFR in 2015 Neace made two or three trips each month, from his home in Portland, to his reserve unit at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida.

While at Patrick, Dr. Neace was instrumental in getting EMT certification for pararescue men (PJs), for civilian employment.

In Portland, Dr. Neace was the Chief Medical Director of Emergency Medicine at Eastmorland Hospital for two years.

Dr. Neace is currently practicing emergency medicine, four days a month, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Ore.

He is also helping provide coverage in the emergency room at Dayton General Hospital.

The Neaces moved from the Portland area to Columbia County in the middle of October, 2015.

"We'd always kind of wanted to move back home," said Dr. Lewis Neace.

"It's good to be able to give something back to the community," he said about working for the CCHS.