In Loving Memory Melvern Ellis Laidlaw, Jr., M. D.

On May 6, 2021, Dr. Laidlaw passed away peacefully at the age of 96 at Park Manor Rehabilitation Center. He was a well-known physician and a longtime resident in Walla Walla.

Dr. Laidlaw or "Mel", as many respectfully referred to him as, lived a full and productive life. He was born in College Place in 1924 and was raised on his father's wheat farm in Dixie, Washington. He attended Dixie High School and graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1943.

He served in World War II in the USNR SV V6 and was trained to be a Hospital Corpsman at the Naval Training Station in Farragut, Idaho. Later he served on the U.S.S. Bollinger, APA 234, a troop transport in the "Magic Carpet" operation in the South Pacific. He was discharged as a Pharmacist's Mate 2nd Class in 1946.

In 1950 he graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington with a B A degree with a major in Biology. Four years later, he graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. He fulfilled his internship and medical residency at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, Washington and at the Portland VA Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. In 1958 with a group of other physicians, he began his practice in Internal Medicine. Two years later, this evolved into the Catherine Street Clinic. From 1958 to 1960 he also taught Microbiology and Parasitology at Whitman College. He was also Director of Health at Whitman College for eleven years.

In 1973 internist Robert Caudill, cardiologist Ralph Rampton, and Dr Laidlaw headed up the WWV Medical Society Committee and trained ten EMTs to be paramedics. He served as the Director of Advanced Life Support in Walla Walla for ten years. This paramedic program brought early care to patients and also saved lives of patients with heart attacks. Walla Walla was the third city in Washington State to have a paramedic program.

After he retired from the CSC in 1978, he became Chief of the Outpatient Department at the Walla Walla VA Medical Center. In 1994 he stepped down to do part-time disability workups. And in 2006 he retired from practicing medicine.

He was also an active member at Christ Lutheran Church and served as a lay reader and also created beautiful banners that were displayed in the church. During his spare time he enjoyed calligraphy, creative writing, stamp collecting, and genealogy.

He is preceded in death by his wife Carolyn Rose Laidlaw, his son David Laidlaw, his mother Elvira Ellen Southard, his father Melvern Ellis Laidlaw, Sr., and an infant sister Bonnie Belle Laidlaw. He is survived by his two daughters Julie Laidlaw and Lisa Zigweid.

A viewing will be offered at Mountain View-Colonial DeWitt from 12 to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 21st. And a graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 22nd at the Waitsburg Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the following in his honor: Christ Lutheran Church, 1420 South 2nd Ave., Walla Walla, WA 99362; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St., Nelson 134, Baltimore, MD 21287; Whitman College, 345 Boyer Ave, Walla Walla, WA 99362.