Dr. W. Holmes Yealy

Dr. W. Holmes Yealy, Pennsdale, died on Jan. 18, 2012. He was born April 20, 1923, in Derry, Pa., the son of S. Holmes Yealy and Sara (Bryson) Yealy. He is survived by his wife, the former Enid Smith, whom he married in 1948.

He attended Derry Borough Schools and upon graduation as the top male student, he was awarded a full scholarship at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., from which he earned a BS degree. In 1948, he received his MD from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. He served a one-year internship at the University Pittsburgh medical center followed by a brief residency at the Williamsport Hospital and two years of general practice. He later completed a three-year residency in radiology at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and joined the radiology group at the Williamsport Hospital. He retired in 1979 as chair of the department.

During World War II, Dr. Yealy served as a naval corpsman. He was called back to further military duty during the Korean conflict and served as a battalion surgeon (first lieutenant) in a regiment stationed in the Free Territory of Trieste from 1952 to 1954.

In addition to his wife, Dr. Yealy is survived by his daughter, Gretchen and granddaughter, Karen Hopkinson, both of Riverside, R.I., and son, Karl, of Kitty Hawk, N.C.

Dr. Yealy was an avid outdoorsman. Although primarily a hiker, he climbed some major peaks in the Rockies, the Cascades, and the Alps. He completed several major treks in Nepal, including one to the base of Mt. Everest and a circumambulation of the Annapurna massif. He was a long-time member of the Alpine Club, where he participated in many hikes and spent many hours in the maintenance of the Loyalsock Trail. He also enjoyed bird watching and wildflower identification.

Classical music was a major interest throughout his life. Attending concerts, both in Europe and America, was a coveted ritual. For seven years, he played trumpet in the Susquehanna Valley Symphony, forerunner of the Williamsport Symphony.

There was no visitation; a brief service was held 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, at the McCarty-Thomas Funeral Home, 557 E. Water St., Hughesville.

The family will provide the flowers and suggest memorial contributions in his memory may be made to the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy, 330 Government Place, Williamsport, PA 17701.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family online at www.mccartythomas.com.