Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Loeding, M. D., Charles April 21, 1883 - March 1926 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com July 4, 2010, 4:20 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 470 - 473 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company CHARLES LOEDING, M. D. Animated by the spirit of progress and impelled by high ideals of service, Dr. Charles Loeding exerted every effort to perfect himself in his profession and his well developed powers and tireless industry placed him with Portland's distinguished physicians and surgeons. He was born April 18, 1883, in Elgin, Illinois. His parents were John and Catharine (Von Euw) Loeding. The father was a native of Switzerland and came to the United States in his youth. He resided in Illinois for a number of years but later migrated to Oregon, his remaining years being spent in this state. The Doctor's mother was a great-great-granddaughter of Peter Faneuil (1700-1748), a prominent merchant of Boston, who built at his own expense a public market house known as "Faneuil Hall" and donated it to the city. The town hall was located in the second story and during the Revolutionary War it became a meeting place of patriots and was called the Cradle of American Liberty. Dr. Loeding was graduated from the St. Francis Academy in Chicago and in 1900 came to Portland with his parents. Ambitious and self-reliant, he preferred to make his own way in the world and secured a position in the office of Dr. McKenzie, in whom he secured a friend whose advice and encouragement proved invaluable at that time. Dr. Loeding matriculated in the University of Oregon, from which he won his M. D. degree in 1912, and for three years he was an interne in the Good Samaritan Hospital of Portland. He also took a postgraduate course in medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago. Dr. Loeding began his professional career in Portland and opened an office in the Journal building at the time of its erection, continuing in that location. He was the personal physician of the late C. S. Jackson, the publisher of the Journal, and his professional services were also retained by the Journal Publishing Company. For the last eight years he had been the official physician for the Multnomah Club and at the time of his death was serving all of the Swiss Societies of Oregon in the same capacity. He enjoyed a large practice and was a member of the staff of several Portland hospitals. As a diagnostician he was practically infallible, and his work as a surgeon was characterized by skill of a high order. During his years of practice in Portland he performed delicate operations without number and contributed much to the development of surgery. Dr. Loeding was married August 10, 1918, to Miss Margaret Jane Welch, a representative in both the paternal and maternal lines of old and honored families of Oregon. Her grandfather was the late Dr. John Welch, who was one of the early pioneers of Oregon. Dr. and Mrs. Loeding were the parents of a daughter, Charlie M'liss, who is seven years of age. The Doctor was keenly interested in the sport of football and had special charge of the Multnomah Club team. Night after night he spent on the field conditioning the "Winged M" athletes, giving his time without recompense for love of the game and desire to aid the club, where he made his home for a number of years previous to his marriage, after which he purchased an attractive residence on Montgomery drive. He was also a member of the Waverly Country Club and Portland Lodge, No. 142, B. P. O. E. Dr. Loeding was commissioned first lieutenant in the Medical Corps during the World war. His professional affiliations were with the Multnomah County and Oregon State Medical Societies and the American Medical Association. He realized the high character of his mission and cheerfully discharged its responsibilities. His was a nature in which self was so completely subordinated to duty that he was never conscious of making a sacrifice. When possible Dr. Loeding spent the week ends at High Acres, his country estate on the Mount Hood Loop highway, which was the scene of the accident that resulted in his untimely demise on March 21, 1926, at the age of forty-two years and eleven months. The funeral service was conducted by Bishop Walter Taylor Sumner, who departed from the usual custom of Episcopalian rites in order to pay high tribute to the life and worth of Dr. Loeding. He spoke of knowing both Dr. Loeding and his wife, first as children, then as young married people, then as father and mother. During that time Dr. Loeding proved his high character and distinguished himself in his profession. The following appreciation of his worth appeared in the editorial columns of the Journal, March 23, 1926: "Many a patient will regret the tragic passing of Dr. Charles Loeding. So will many who were not his patients. He was a practitioner in all the good old meaning of the word. Warmth of feeling and self-sacrificing devotion to the sick room were among his conspicuous characteristics. He brought to his practice all that was modern in the profession and blended with it the ways and ideals of the good old family doctor, that made his presence at the bedside a stimulus and a delight. "Still young in his work, there were many years of usefulness and service ahead, but for the accident that took him away. His engaging personality, his kindliness of purpose and his extraordinary devotion to those who came under his professional care were an example and a model. As a citizen, friend and practitioner, Dr. Loeding is widely mourned as the victim of an occurrence that is an omen of the insecurity of life and the uncertainty of a career." Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/photos/bios/loedingm1198gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/loedingm1198gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 6.3 Kb