Walter Bourland

Tupelo, MS -- Beloved husband, father, physician, and friend, Dr. Walter Lee Bourland, 82, died November 8, 2007. A native of Amory, he was born February 27, 1925, to the late Ebeneezer Carroll and Eva English Bourland. He graduated from Amory High School in 1942 and enrolled at Mississippi State University. At the age of 18, Dr. Bourland entered the University of Tennessee Medical School and received his medical degree in September, 1947, when he was 22 years old.

He served in the U. S. Navy for a period of two years as a medical officer assigned to the 6th fleet, during the Korean conflict. Upon discharge from the Navy in 1953, he entered a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Vanderbilt University Hospital, which he completed in June, 1956.

In July of 1956, he moved to Tupelo and joined Dr. P. K. Thomas in the practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which in 1972, became Obstetrics-Gynecology Associates, P. A. He retired in 1989, after 33 years.

A diplomat of the American College of OBS-GYN, and Board certified in OBS-GYN, he served as Chief of Staff of North Mississippi Medical Center in 1964. At his retirement in 1989, he was a professor in the department of OB-GYN at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. From 1973 " 1979, he was Mississippi sectional chairman of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology for six years.

Dr. Bourland was instrumental in the formation of the Antoine Tannehill Good Samaritan Free Clinic, serving as its Medical Director from 1992 to 1997. He was a former Director of Renasant Bank and was currently serving as Director Emeritus. An active Rotarian, he was a Paul Harris Fellow and received a Rotarian of the Year award. He was an active member of the Gloster Street Church of Christ for 51 years, during which he and his wife, Tommie, were part of medical mission teams traveling to Kenya and Guyana.

Services will be at 2:P.M. at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W.E. Pegues with Ministers Chad Ramsey and Joe Connell officiating. Dr. Swan Burrus will deliver the eulogy. Following the service, burial will be in Tupelo Memorial Park.

Survivors include his wife, Martha W. Tommie Bourland; four children, Dr. Walter Lee Bourland, Jr. (Kim) of Dallas Texas; John Tilden Bourland (Libby) of Nashville, Tennessee; Beth Bourland Jolly (David) of Columbus, Katie Bourland Dalton (Frank) of Corinth; sister Lucy Bourland Scott of Amory; and twelve grandchildren, Peter Bourland (Melna), Campbell Bourland (Chrissie) of Dallas; Claire Bourland Brickman (Blake) of Washington, D. C.; Ryan Connors of Dallas; John Bearden (Elena) of Atlanta; Rob Bearden (Shelly) of Nashville; Cole Bourland of Nashville; Anna Jolly of Atlanta; David Bo Jolly of Jackson; Lee Jolly of Columbus; Laura Dalton and Martha Frances Dalton of Corinth.

Dr. Bourland was preceded in death by his parents, and his siblings, Kathleen Bourland Wright (John) and Edward Carroll Bourland (Sunny) of Amory.

Pallbearers will be Peter Bourland, Campbell Bourland, Ryan Connors, John Bearden, Rob Bearden, Cole Bourland, Bo Jolly, Lee Jolly, and Drew Harrison.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Charles Johnston, Haywood Washburn, Dr. Swan Burrus, Dr. Jim McAuley, Dr. Jack Kahlstorf, Dr. Bill Kahlstorf, Dr. Mark Kellum Dr. Wayne Slocum, Dr. Ronnie Young, Dr. Eric Webb, Jim Long Livingston, Dr. David Irwin, Frank Riley, Dr. Bert Hill, Dr. Fayette Williams, Dr. Benton Hilbun and the Elders of Gloster Street Church of Christ, Wayne Washington, James Seagers, Gary Martin and Monty Key.

Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home and 1 p.m. until service time Saturday.

Memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Clinic, P. O. Box 1821, Tupelo, MS 38802, or to the charity of your choice.