Muskingum-Morgan County OhArchives Biographies.....Urban, Donald Alvin June 14 1914 - August 26 2002
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David H Davis hondaharri@highstream.net August 15, 2004, 8:57 pm

Author: Donald Alvin urban
BIOGRAPHY OF DONALD A. URBAN

     Donald A. Urban was born on June 14, 1914 in  
Zanesville, Ohio.  His parents were Franklin Pierce  
and Lelia Lighthizer Urban.  At the time, they lived in  
Perry Township on the old Wheeling Road which  
was a part of the Zane Trace.  His father died when  
he was five years old.  From this time on, he assumed  
the major responsibility for his family.  He attended a  
one room school house.  Some times he would  
go on house calls with the country doctor.   
 
     As a young man, he was walking down a country  
road with the sunset shining in his face.  It was at this  
point when he felt the overwhelming sense of  
direction for his direction in life.  He would help 
people and medicine would be the way he would serve.  
In  1932, Donald graduated from the Zanesville High  
School.
  
     Working after school, weekends, holidays and  
vacations in a grocery store, Donald had saved  
$1,000 to go to college.  When that time came, the  
Bank Holiday froze his account.  It was only with the  
interaction with Muskingum College that he was able  
to transfer his account to theirs.  With borrowed  
money from the newly established Shinnick  
Educational fund and the money he had saved, his
collegiate career began.  The bank remained solvent  
and no money was lost.
 
3
       Determined to become a surgeon, he attended  
Muskingum College for the first two years of his  
undergraduate study.  For the last two years of  
college, he transferred to Ohio State University.  He  
received his bachelor’s degree in 1936.  He then was  
admitted to the Ohio State University Medical School  
and received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in  
1940.  Before doing his fellowship at the Mayo  
Clinic in general surgery, he completed his internship  
at the City Hospital of Akron.  He then was awarded  
the Rankin Intern prize in surgery.  Later, he was first  
Assistant to Doctors John M Waugh and Marden  
Black.  In 1944, he finished his residency in the midst  
of World War II.
 
5
     Doctor Urban then entered the military service and  
completed his basic training.  He was then assigned  
to an evacuation hospital in the European Theater of  
Operations.  It was the 385th station hospital in  
Nuremberg, Germany.  He later became chief of  
surgery.  When he returned to the United States, his  
assignment took him to the Scott Field AFB Hospital  
in Bellville, Illinois.  Later, his assignment took him to  
the Anacostia AFB Hospital in Washington D.C.  After  
serving until 1947, he was discharged from the  
service and received the rank of Major.
 
    At this time, he returned to the Mayo Clinic where  
he spent one  quarter in surgical pathology.  In  
January of 1948, he began to practice surgery in an  
 
7
old clinic building on Market and Sixth Street in  
Zanesville, Ohio.  Dr. Urban and Dr. Phillips formed a  
partnership in general surgery.  They were the  
premier surgeons of this part of the state.  They also  
served as preceptors for a host of surgical residents
from the Johns Hopkins training program.  Their  
association lasted over thirty years.
    
    The early years of Dr. Urban’s medical profession  
included lecturing in the School of Nursing of the 
Ohio University of Zanesville and participating in civic  
affairs particularly those relating the practice of  
medicine.  In 1994, he received the Hiram Heck  
Award.  He also had an interest in local history and  
the settlement of local ancestors in the area.  At this  
 
9
time, he became a member of the Muskingum County  
Chapter of the Ohio State Geological Society.
He was also a member of the first families of  
Muskingum County and of the Sons of the American  
Revolution.
 
     During his thirty years practicing as a general  
surgeon, Dr. Urban was certified by the American  
Board of Surgery and a fellow of the American   
College of Surgeons.  He was also a member of  
The American Medical Association, the Ohio State  
Medical Association, and the Muskingum County  
Academy of Medicine.  As a member of the staff at  
the Good Samaritan Hospital and the Bethesda  
Hospital in Zanesville, Ohio. Dr. Urban served as  
                                    
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Chief of staff in 1957 at Good Samaritan and 1971 at  
Bethesda Hospital.
 
     Dr. Urban retired from practicing medicine in 1986  
after giving nearly forty years of service to the citizens  
of Zanesville and southeast Ohio.  During his  
retirement, he enjoyed traveling and reading.   
Remaining current in his profession by attending  
many of the CME programs and reading in many  
other fields.   Dr. Urban died at his home on August  
26, 2002.   
 
13



Additional Comments:
Dr. Donald Alvin Urban is buried in St. Paul's Cemetery, Sonora, Muskingum 
County, Ohio. Follow Route 22 east out of Zanesville, past airport road. Turn 
left onto Bald Hill Road. Follow it all the way to the cemetery entrance. St. 
Paul's is the first cemetery you come to on Bald Hill Road. Dr. Urban's name 
can be found on the Veterans Memorial Wall, on the east end of the cemetery. 

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