Bernard Leslie Huffman, Jr. MD, Leader in Family Medicine
Les Huffman was born February 24, 1929 in Brundidge, AL and raised in rural Bedford County (Normandy & Shelbyville), TN, the only child of a farm implement salesman and a pianist.
He graduated from Webb School, a college preparatory boarding school in Bell Buckle, TN. He received his B.A. (magna cum laude) in 1951 and M.D. in 1954 from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, Sigma Delta Phi Journalism Fraternity, and Phi Beta Kappa. It was a source of pride to him that he helped pay for his education by selling kitchen cabinets.
He served briefly in the U.S. Army and completed postgraduate training at Tripler Army Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii and Toledo Hospital in Toledo, OH before starting a private medical practice in 1956.
In 1964, Dr. Huffman and his wife Frances moved the family “up the river” to Deepwater Farm in Grand Rapids Township. He loved looking out the windows of his renovated farmhouse to see his herd of Angus cattle grazing in the fields. His hobbies included stamp and coin collecting, photography, and travel. Les was a soft-spoken man from the South. Even his mother called him “the gentleman”.
In 1975, he founded Fallen Timbers Family Physicians in Maumee, a practice that served 4- 5,000 patients. He attained national prominence as a leader, speaker, and an author, while maintaining an active practice of family medicine.
His many roles included leadership positions and committee involvement with the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (President 1967-68), the American Academy of Family Physicians (President 1976-77), the American Board of Family Practice / American Board of Family Medicine (President 1982-1983), the Family Health Foundation of America (President 1986-87), Academy of Medicine of Toledo/Lucas County, Ohio State Medical Association (member since 1972), and the American Medical Association (member since 1981). He was the 21st President (1986-1988) of the American Board of Medical Specialties, the first family physician to be elected to this position. He said he was motivated to lead such groups, as too many national medical figures lived in large cities and were far removed from day-to-day practice.
Dr. Huffman was a charter diplomate of the American Board of Family Practice (i.e., board certified) and charter member of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. He was a firm believer in the importance of continuing education for physicians and was instrumental in the development of “Core Content Review of Family Medicine,” a widely-used home study program.
Dr. Huffman served as Chairman of the Family Practice Departments at The Toledo Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital, and was Associate Director of the Family Practice Residency Program at Toledo Hospital from 1974-1975. He was preceptor, faculty member and clinical professor of Family Medicine at the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo, where he served as acting Chairman of the new Department of Family Medicine from 1974-1976. He received the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Medical College of Ohio in June 1987. He became Professor Emeritus in 1990, upon his retirement from active medical practice and diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.
He was a Cub Master and Boy Scout Leader in Grand Rapids in the 1960’s, when his sons were young, and team physician at Otsego Schools (1969-71) and St. John’s High School (1971-74). He was an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids for many years and a member of the Masonic Lodge and Zenobia Shrine.
Dr. Huffman was a remarkable physician, who played an important role in the lives of his patients, in medical education, and in national medical associations. He died August 28, 2001 at age 72.
At the conclusion of his funeral service, Pastor Jim Anderson picked up his trumpet and played “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Dr. Huffman made him promise to play this song at his funeral and “knock the socks off those stodgy old doctors!” “Sign out the phones; he’s gone up the river.”
Les Huffman was born February 24, 1929 in Brundidge, AL and raised in rural Bedford County (Normandy & Shelbyville), TN, the only child of a farm implement salesman and a pianist.
He graduated from Webb School, a college preparatory boarding school in Bell Buckle, TN. He received his B.A. (magna cum laude) in 1951 and M.D. in 1954 from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, Sigma Delta Phi Journalism Fraternity, and Phi Beta Kappa. It was a source of pride to him that he helped pay for his education by selling kitchen cabinets.
He served briefly in the U.S. Army and completed postgraduate training at Tripler Army Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii and Toledo Hospital in Toledo, OH before starting a private medical practice in 1956.
In 1964, Dr. Huffman and his wife Frances moved the family “up the river” to Deepwater Farm in Grand Rapids Township. He loved looking out the windows of his renovated farmhouse to see his herd of Angus cattle grazing in the fields. His hobbies included stamp and coin collecting, photography, and travel. Les was a soft-spoken man from the South. Even his mother called him “the gentleman”.
In 1975, he founded Fallen Timbers Family Physicians in Maumee, a practice that served 4- 5,000 patients. He attained national prominence as a leader, speaker, and an author, while maintaining an active practice of family medicine.
His many roles included leadership positions and committee involvement with the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (President 1967-68), the American Academy of Family Physicians (President 1976-77), the American Board of Family Practice / American Board of Family Medicine (President 1982-1983), the Family Health Foundation of America (President 1986-87), Academy of Medicine of Toledo/Lucas County, Ohio State Medical Association (member since 1972), and the American Medical Association (member since 1981). He was the 21st President (1986-1988) of the American Board of Medical Specialties, the first family physician to be elected to this position. He said he was motivated to lead such groups, as too many national medical figures lived in large cities and were far removed from day-to-day practice.
Dr. Huffman was a charter diplomate of the American Board of Family Practice (i.e., board certified) and charter member of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. He was a firm believer in the importance of continuing education for physicians and was instrumental in the development of “Core Content Review of Family Medicine,” a widely-used home study program.
Dr. Huffman served as Chairman of the Family Practice Departments at The Toledo Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital, and was Associate Director of the Family Practice Residency Program at Toledo Hospital from 1974-1975. He was preceptor, faculty member and clinical professor of Family Medicine at the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo, where he served as acting Chairman of the new Department of Family Medicine from 1974-1976. He received the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Medical College of Ohio in June 1987. He became Professor Emeritus in 1990, upon his retirement from active medical practice and diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.
He was a Cub Master and Boy Scout Leader in Grand Rapids in the 1960’s, when his sons were young, and team physician at Otsego Schools (1969-71) and St. John’s High School (1971-74). He was an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids for many years and a member of the Masonic Lodge and Zenobia Shrine.
Dr. Huffman was a remarkable physician, who played an important role in the lives of his patients, in medical education, and in national medical associations. He died August 28, 2001 at age 72.
At the conclusion of his funeral service, Pastor Jim Anderson picked up his trumpet and played “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Dr. Huffman made him promise to play this song at his funeral and “knock the socks off those stodgy old doctors!” “Sign out the phones; he’s gone up the river.”