Obituary of
Blair, M.D., Drury Shelton
Drury Shelton Blair, M.D. Born August 15, 1914, in Dallas Texas, to Maggie Penn Blair and Richard White Blair, on Bowser Ave., died peacefully February 13, 2014. A lifelong Dallas resident, he attended school at Stephen J. Hay Elementary, North Dallas High (1932), SMU ( member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity ), and Baylor Medical School (Southwestern Medical School) 1935 -1939. He finished his internship at Parkland Hospital, and entered into active duty, U.S Army 7/28/1941 to 3/30/1946. He served in the Army Medical Corps during the Rhineland Ardennes campaign and was awarded two Bronze Stars, EAME Campaign Medal, American Theatre Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged as a Lt. Colonel.
He returned to specialize in dermatology at the New York Skin and Cancer Center, Columbia University, graduating in 1947, becoming Board Certified in 1948 under Dr. Bedford Shelmire’s certification committee. He returned to Dallas and began private practice. He spent his professional career in Dallas as a Doctor of Dermatology.
He married Janet Wright Dillon of Leominster, Massachusetts, January 1949.
Dr. Blair was the interim head of the department of Dermatology at Parkland Hospital for 5 years until Dr. James Herndon took over as its first Chairman. During that time, he ran the dermatology clinic at Parkland. He donated thousands of hours of community service providing free medical care at Parkland. He instructed classes and trained residents in his specialty for many years, every Thursday afternoon. He witnessed Dallas’ darkest day, at Parkland, watching as LBJ escorted Mrs. Kennedy from the hospital. His private practice began initially at the Medical Arts Building, downtown Dallas, then to Presbyterian Professional Building 1, 1970.
He served on the Board of Directors at Jones Blair Company, a local coatings manufacturing facility, for decades, and at Praetorian Mutual Life Insurance Company for many years. He was also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
He was an avid reader with an insatiable curiosity towards every subject he encountered. He loved Texas History, Civil War History, American History, Russian History. He was a fan of light opera and Broadway musicals, flamenco and classical guitar, choral music, and all things classical. He loved automobiles and spending time with his sons, and friends, at Green Valley Raceway, Dallas Motor Speedway, and always the Autorama. A shooting enthusiast, he was a member of the Dallas Gun Club, spending many Sunday afternoons shooting skeet and plinking with .22 rifles. A horticulturist, he nurtured exotic tropical flowering plants in his home, and planted thousands of tree seedlings at his property at Lake Athens, Texas. He was a collector of 19th century pocket watches and clocks, with which he loved to ‘ tinker ‘.
Later in life he became best friends with Kellis White, athletics instructor at University Park School District. ‘ Coach ‘ and ‘ Doc ‘ spent many days together between Athens and Dallas.
He was truly a renaissance man who gave freely, and generously, of his time and education. Engaging, a refined gentleman, gracious, warm, a healer, a peacemaker, always learning, genuinely interested in others, shunned every spotlight in an amusing, shy manner. To those who were fortunate to meet him, to a person, he was regarded as a great guy.
He is preceded in death by his brother Joseph Penn Dillard, and his brother Richard White Blair, Jr. He is survived by his devoted wife Janet Blair, daughter Katherine Louise Blair, son Peter Blair and his wife Paula, son Joseph Dillard Blair and his wife Catharine, Granddaughters Roseanne Wright Blair and Madelyn Paige Blair, and Grandson Drury Everett Blair.
In respect to Shelton’s wishes, there will be no memorial service. Friends are invited to visit www.northdallasfun.wpengine.com to sign the remembrance register.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Southwestern Medical School, Dermatology Department., c/o Ms. Elizabeth Edwards, U.T.SouthwesternMedicalSchool, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, Texas, 75390-9069.
Private internment will be held at Restland Memorial Park.
A reception in his honor will be held Wednesday, February 26, 2014, 4:00-7:00 pm at the Forum on Park Lane, 7831 B Park Lane. Friends are invited to attend.
The Blair Family would like to thank The Walnut Place for their care of Dad’s comfort in his last few weeks, as well as his loving sitters who attended him.
Tribute Wall of Blair, M.D., Drury Shelton
Katie, Thinking of you, and so sorry for your loss.
Betty Anderson Haisten
Betty Haisten
Thursday October 13, 2022
Katie, Thinking of you, and so sorry for your loss.
Betty Anderson Haisten
Dearest Katie,
I am so sad to hear of you losing your father. He was definitely a remarkable man. He must have been a remarkable person to have in your life. I hope you find joy in his memory.
Love,
Kathy
Kathy McKinney Friedman
Thursday October 13, 2022
Dearest Katie,
I am so sad to hear of you losing your father. He was definitely a remarkable man. He must have been a remarkable person to have in your life. I hope you find joy in his memory.
Love,
Kathy
Shelton epitomized what it is to be a gentleman. He went out of his way to make those around him comfortable and was always positive. I have great memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas at Janet’s and Shelton’s home. He will be greatly missed.
Forrest Collier
Thursday October 13, 2022
Shelton epitomized what it is to be a gentleman. He went out of his way to make those around him comfortable and was always positive. I have great memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas at Janet's and Shelton's home. He will be greatly missed.
Joe, Katie, and Pete, we lift you and your family in prayer, and may beautiful memories give you peace, strength, and comfort.
Joanie King Norwood
Thursday October 13, 2022
Joe, Katie, and Pete, we lift you and your family in prayer, and may beautiful memories give you peace, strength, and comfort.
Shelton was always a perfect gentleman. I have great childhood memories of Thankgiving and Christmas at Janet’s and Shelton’s home. He was a gracious host and a fine man.
Forrest Collier
Thursday October 13, 2022
Shelton was always a perfect gentleman. I have great childhood memories of Thankgiving and Christmas at Janet's and Shelton's home. He was a gracious host and a fine man.
Doctor Blair was a wonderful, dignified man. My condolences to his family. I feel very grateful to have known him and had him as my doctor. He was truly a very special person who touched many lives.
Kim Hendricks
Thursday October 13, 2022
Doctor Blair was a wonderful, dignified man. My condolences to his family. I feel very grateful to have known him and had him as my doctor. He was truly a very special person who touched many lives.
Katie,
We are thinking of you and your family. Your father had a most impressive career. Blessings on you all.
Olga
Olga Harris
Thursday October 13, 2022
Katie,
We are thinking of you and your family. Your father had a most impressive career. Blessings on you all.
Olga
Peter, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. May God give you peace and comfort during these times.
Larry Rudick
Thursday October 13, 2022
Peter, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. May God give you peace and comfort during these times.
A gentleman and a scholar and his passing is a loss to Dallas medicine.
Byron L. Brown M.D.
Thursday October 13, 2022
A gentleman and a scholar and his passing is a loss to Dallas medicine.
To all the Blair family, we are so sorry for your loss. Dr Blair was such a sweet, kind man; I know he will be missed by so many. May God provide you with peace and comfort during this difficult time. Blessings, Susan and Frank Jay
Susan Jay
Thursday October 13, 2022
To all the Blair family, we are so sorry for your loss. Dr Blair was such a sweet, kind man; I know he will be missed by so many. May God provide you with peace and comfort during this difficult time. Blessings, Susan and Frank Jay
I just loved this man! He first saw me when I was six months old. He influenced me to stay out of the sun and called my moles “moleys” My medical record was a small 3 x 5 card. His gentle spirit was so captivating. We lost a real treasure!
Mary M. (Oliver) Vaughan
Thursday October 13, 2022
I just loved this man! He first saw me when I was six months old. He influenced me to stay out of the sun and called my moles "moleys" My medical record was a small 3 x 5 card. His gentle spirit was so captivating. We lost a real treasure!
My most heartfelt condolences to Sheldon Blair’s family and friends.He was a wonderful doctor who gave generously of his time and talent to help others. May he rest in the comfort of our Lord’s embrace.
Nikki J. Beneke
Thursday October 13, 2022
My most heartfelt condolences to Sheldon Blair's family and friends.He was a wonderful doctor who gave generously of his time and talent to help others. May he rest in the comfort of our Lord's embrace.
Sorry to read of the passing of Dr. Blair. Over 30 years ago, as a high school student from Terrell, Texas, I was a patient of his. Even then I knew that besides being a Doctor, he was a man of great distinction and depth. After reading about his life, I was not surprised. God Bless him and his family.
Richard DeFord - Waco, Texas
Thursday October 13, 2022
Sorry to read of the passing of Dr. Blair. Over 30 years ago, as a high school student from Terrell, Texas, I was a patient of his. Even then I knew that besides being a Doctor, he was a man of great distinction and depth. After reading about his life, I was not surprised. God Bless him and his family.
We were privileged tho know and enjoy so much of his Wisdom. Yes, we know he is at Peace having helped so many socially & professionally.
Art & Katie Bissonnette
Thursday October 13, 2022
We were privileged tho know and enjoy so much of his Wisdom. Yes, we know he is at Peace having helped so many socially & professionally.
Janet, We know that Shelton is at peace enjoying the comforts of Heaven.. It would have been nice if he had waited until August 15th to enter at the out standing life of 100 years helping so many people. We always valued and enjoyed our visits with Shelton and you. See you Soon. God Bless !
Art & Katie Bissonnette
Thursday October 13, 2022
Janet, We know that Shelton is at peace enjoying the comforts of Heaven.. It would have been nice if he had waited until August 15th to enter at the out standing life of 100 years helping so many people. We always valued and enjoyed our visits with Shelton and you. See you Soon. God Bless !
On behalf of the Department of Dermatology at UT Southwestern, I extend my deepest sympathy. Dr. Blair will be remembered for his professionalism and his generosity, Kim B. Yancey, MD
Kim B. Yancey, MD
Thursday October 13, 2022
On behalf of the Department of Dermatology at UT Southwestern, I extend my deepest sympathy. Dr. Blair will be remembered for his professionalism and his generosity, Kim B. Yancey, MD
we were sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing. May God give you peace during the coming days
Rick and Jenifer Neal
Thursday October 13, 2022
we were sorry to hear of your Dad's passing. May God give you peace during the coming days
Shelton Blair will be missed, and remembered by those who learned from him.
Gordon Green, MD, MPH
Thursday October 13, 2022
Shelton Blair will be missed, and remembered by those who learned from him.
Janet,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Fondly, Pat Mittenthal
Pat Mittenthal
Thursday October 13, 2022
Janet,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Fondly, Pat Mittenthal
I was saddened to hear of his passing. I was a patient until his retirement and my parents were friends and patients also. Steve Freeman (O.B. and Virginia Freeman)
Steve Freeman
Thursday October 13, 2022
I was saddened to hear of his passing. I was a patient until his retirement and my parents were friends and patients also. Steve Freeman (O.B. and Virginia Freeman)