Obituary of Dr. Brooks Ranney

Dr. Brooks Ranney passed away Thursday morning at 1:11 a.m. at Autumn Winds Assisted Living where he had been a resident for the past two years. On-line condolences may be sent at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com. Alden Brooks Ranney was born January 31, 1915 in Daytona Beach, Florida to Milo and Ruth (Schertz) Ranney. He grew up in Metamora, Illinois. He graduated from Metamora High School where he was active in sports and band. He worked his way through Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio and worked his way thru and graduated from Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois in 1939. He married Ruth Vail Snow on October 14, 1939, in Oak Park, Illinois and to this union three children were born. He was accepted into a rotating internship program at Northwestern University Medical School at Wesley Hospital in Chicago. Because of the international situation is seemed obvious that many young doctors would be needed in the armed services, so he applied for a commission in the US Army as a medical officer January 1, 1941. He became Battalion Surgeon for the 181st Engineer Heavy Ponton Battalion and served in that position for 52 months in England, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg and Germany under combat conditions. He had attained the rank of Captain till the war ended. After the war he came back to Chicago and began residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wesley Memorial Hospital in October 1945. There, in addition to his hospital duties, he earned a Masters Degree in Physiology. His innovative method of treating endometriosis with surgery broke new ground in the treatment of infertile patients who had endometriosis. It was one of over 75 papers he published to report basic and clinical studies he undertook over the next 50 years. At the invitation of Dr. Ted Sattler and Dr. Chester McVay, he joined the Yankton Clinic, the first multi-specialty clinic in SD, in 1948. In addition to clinic work, he taught at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine. He became Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of SD and established the Ob/Gyn residency training program there. He was a Founding Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and a founding member of the Perinatal Mortality Standing Committee for South Dakota. He was a member of the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and served in various offices and committees in those organizations. His life work will be carried on by the many medical students and Ob/Gyn residents who not only learned the fundamentals of Ob/Gyn from Dr. Ranney but also how each and every patient should be attended to with empathy, kindness and care. Having practiced in the years before computers, Dr. Ranney devised his own filing system using punch cards. He could easily and quickly isolate records pertaining to any condition with his system. He devised a method of turning breech babies for safe birth, which was a breakthrough advance in the field of women's health care. After publishing a paper about this method in 1971, it became the accepted practice in the United Sates. He served as the national President of American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) from 1981-1983. He was invited to present lectures at medical schools all over the world including some countries, which were at that time, still behind the Iron Curtain. Dr. Ranney once said the most dangerous time in a person's life was the moment of birth. He took pride in having delivered over 7000 babies during his 50 years of practice. We would be remiss in not mentioning Sister Blanche Kribell, whom he trusted completely with the care of his patients, in his many years at Sacred Heart Hospital. In referring to his long years of successful practice, Dr. Ranney once said, "You can either go through life just getting along, or you can try to accomplish as much as you can. I felt it was a waste of life to do anything less than the latter." During the 1960s, he was elected to two three-year terms on the Yankton City Commissions and served one year as Mayor of Yankton. Yet, with such stellar accomplishments in his professional life, Brooks was a humble and common man. He enjoyed sail-boating and he groomed his own immaculate yard. He raised vegetables in his large garden and maintained a small orchard. This busy and loving father took time from his practice to attend the events in school which included his children, flooded the front yard for an ice skating rink each winter for the whole neighborhood to enjoy, took his family to Europe, and a myriad of other events too numerous to mention. Brooks and Vi loved sharing their home with everyone and that included guests like the prestigious Gynecologist from Moscow, Russia to people like you and me. After the death of his wife, Ruth in 1979, he married Viona (Thum) Voy in 1981. She joined him in his professional travels as President of ACOG, and together they led tours to many countries around the world, first for Pillar Travel and then Rupiper Travel. They especially enjoyed taking WWII veterans on tours of European battle sites of that war. The Ranneys found that they were really a great team at this. Dr. Ranney was an avid reader and historian, thus he gave the commentary as the motor coach full of travelers rolled along the country side. Mrs. Ranney was a gracious hostess checking people into hotels, arranging for their meals and the myriad of other details that needed to be done while on tour. The hundreds of travelers they escorted, said they were 'just the best!' Brooks made his last European tour at age 96. He stopped caring for obstetric patients after reaching the age of 65. He continued performing major gynecological surgery until age 75. He retired from active practice at the age of 80. Dr. Ranney was a very private man, who was loved and admired by his patients, and truly, a most-professional and dapper gentleman. Dr. Ranney was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in the year 2000. He was recommended for establishing the standards of health care for women when arriving in South Dakota. He was the second Obstetrician Gynecologist to come to this state, Dr. Fred Stahman in Sioux Falls was the first. Dr. Ranney and Vi were designated Citizens of the year in 2013, for their many contributions to this community. Uncle Brooks was dearly loved by his nephews and nieces, most especially by Bill, Ruth and Sue Rogers, who he lovingly put through college when their father died at an early age. Dr. Ranney was a member of the United Church of Christ, Congregational, since his arrival in Yankton in 1948. Because of his generous contribution, the last renovation ten years ago was, in part, possible because of him. He loved this church, served as moderator, on many committees and especially enjoyed singing in the church choir. He also enjoyed singing for some time with the Yankton Barbershop group. He is a VFW life Member, Member of the Elks and American Legion, and has been a member of the Yankton Area Concert Association since 1948. He is survived by his loving and caring wife, Vi, of 35+ years; children: Robert (Pat) Ranney of Omaha, NE., Dr. David Ranney of Dallas, TX, Carol Ranney Hesla of Yankton, SD; one granddaughter, Erin (Tony) Decker of Sioux Falls, SD; four great-grandsons, one great- granddaughter; loving brother and sisters-in law, Marvin and Agnes Thum of Scotland, SD, Bud and Marilyn Kratz of Yankton, SD and Donna Mouser of Scottsdale, AZ; many nephews and nieces, former patients, travelers and other friends. He was preceded in death by his wife Ruth in 1979, sisters Eloise Rogers (husband Minar) and Muriel Schrempf (husband Richard), and brother Richard (wife Barbara), nephew Michael Ranney of Alexandria, VA, niece LeAnn Gerlah, and beloved step-son Mark Lynell Voy last year. Memorials may be made to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine, 414 East Clark Street, Vermillion, SD 57069 or to the United Church of Christ for restoration of the historic windows, 218 W. 5th Street, Yankton, SD 57078.