Interview with Marthena Burr, May 12, 2022

Partial Transcript: I'm Kopana Terry, and it is May 12th, 2022, and I am talking with Marthena Burr.

Segment Synopsis: Burr speaks about her upbringing on a farm in Scottsville, a lifestyle which she has continued as an adult since she is now the farm manager. She mentions having a bachelor's degree in nursing from Murray State, and that she worked in the field for over fifty years and has now retired.

Keywords: Allen County Hospital; Dr. Francis Joseph "F.J." Halcomb, Jr.; Halcomb & Oliver Clinic; Halcomb and Oliver Clinic

Subjects: Childhood; Country life; Education; Family farms; Farm managers; Hospitals; Murray State College; Murray State University; Nurses; Nursing; Occupations; Oklahoma; Professions; Rural conditions; Scottsville (Ky.); Vocations; Work

Partial Transcript: Wow, so I think--tell me your relationship with the doctor and Mariola.

Segment Synopsis: Burr talks about her familial connection with Dr. Halcomb; her mother is Dr. Halcomb's sister. Burr says that as a child she saw Dr. Halcomb as a distant man in a suit. She mentions that after his retirement Burr told Dr. Halcomb he could only visit the farm if he helped out with farm chores, since it was the farm he'd grown up on too. She recounts an anecdote where he visited during hay season in brand-new blue jeans.

Keywords: Dr. Francis Joseph "F.J." Halcomb, Jr.; Farmer clothing; Field hands; Hay season; Kentucky--Social conditions; Physicians--Kentucky; Summer squash; Town life; Yellow squash

Subjects: Blue Jeans; Childhood; Cooking; Country life; Family farms; Farms; Harvesting; Occupations; Pranks; Rural conditions; Vocations

Partial Transcript: And for anybody that's ever worked in a hay field, you need to know that you've got to keep your people hydrated.

Segment Synopsis: Burr explains the best way to stay hydrated on a farm. She says she would never move to town because she her neighbors are so special, driving her to and from the fields and sending people to climb through her kitchen window when she's locked herself out of the house.

Keywords: Hay fields; Kentucky--Social conditions; Medical care--Kentucky; Rural health--Kentucky

Subjects: Alcohol; Beer; Community; Country life; Families; Family farms; Farmers; Farmhands; Illness; Infrastructure; Rural conditions; Rural health services; Town life

Partial Transcript: Were you inspired to go to nursing school because of Doc?

Segment Synopsis: Burr isn't sure why she was inspired to go to nursing school, but she'd thought about it since childhood. She says that she never talked with Dr. Halcomb about their careers in healthcare.

Keywords: Dr. Francis Joseph "F.J." Halcomb, Jr.; F. Joseph "Joe" Halcomb, III; Healthcare; Mariola Shrewsbury Halcomb; Medical care--Kentucky; Physicians--Kentucky; Rural health--Kentucky

Subjects: Education; Medical care.; Medical schools; Nurses; Nursing; Professions; Rural health services; Sunday schools

Partial Transcript: Did you ever work for him?

Segment Synopsis: Burr describes her at the Logan County Hospital in Russellville, Kentucky, and her move to work in intensive care in the Round Wing at Vanderbilt University Hospital. Burr says she worked at Greenview Hospital for 40 years, 17 in management and then in a range of specialties.

Keywords: Angel Wagon; Greenview Hospital; Intensive care; Logan County Hospital; Medical care--Kentucky; Medical specialists; Physicians--Kentucky; Round Wing; Rural health--Kentucky; Vanderbilt University Hospital

Subjects: Bowling Green (Ky.); Emergency rooms; Franklin (Ky.); Health care; Medical schools; Pediatrics; Rural health services; Russellville (Ky.); Vanderbilt University

Partial Transcript: Well, you've had a very long career.

Segment Synopsis: Burr says that when she began her career, families would stay with patients overnight, intensive care was less accessible, and some services would require patient transfer to Nashville. She says there are more government regulations nowadays, especially in medical billing, and there is a constant need to stay updated on the latest medications. Burr mentions that there are new specialized treatments with more successful outcomes, and that computers have become essential across a broad range of tasks.

Keywords: Administrators, Health services; Automobile accidents; Medical billing; Medical bills; Medical care--Kentucky; Physicians--Kentucky; Regulations; Rural health--Kentucky

Subjects: Administrators in Medicine; Computers; Family medicine; Health care; Hospitals; Nashville (Tenn.); Nurses; Nursing; Patients; Rural health services; Technology

Partial Transcript: Did, did you and Dr. Halcomb ever talk about these changes as they were going on?

Segment Synopsis: Burr remembers Dr. Halcomb's patients visiting the house, and the telephone was always ringing. She says Mariola Halcomb would sometimes help patients if Dr. Halcomb couldn't be reached.

Keywords: Dr. Francis Joseph "F.J." Halcomb, Jr.; House calls; Mariola Shrewsbury Halcomb; Medical care--Kentucky; Physicians--Kentucky; Rural health--Kentucky

Subjects: Family medicine; Health care; Rural health services; Technology

Partial Transcript: What--tell me a little bit about Mariola.

Segment Synopsis: Burr talks about Mariola Halcomb's love of flowers. She says Joe Halcomb loved boxer dogs, and he and Harriet held a funeral when one passed away. Burr remembers Dr. Halcomb's children: Harriet Halcomb was more artistic and humorous while Joe Halcomb loved music, Julie, who was the oldest, was independent.

Keywords: F. Joseph "Joe" Halcomb, III; Harriet Halcomb; Julie Halcomb Koch; Julie Koch; Mariola Shrewsbury Halcomb

Subjects: Boxer (Dog breed); Country life; Dogs; Families.; Family farms; Flowers; Funerals; Gardening; Humor; Irises (Plants); Lilies; Pets

Partial Transcript: Talk--talk more about being here in the house with the family.

Segment Synopsis: Burr says the Halcomb house still feels the same today. She talks about how Dr. Halcomb loved pulling pranks, and had special Christmas clothing he would wear that lit up. Burr remembers he and Dr. Oliver would play pranks on one another, but never on her. She says there was always a feeling of family commitment, love and respect in the house, which Dr. Halcomb extended to his patients and the community.

Keywords: Dr. Earl Oliver; Dr. Francis Joseph "F.J." Halcomb, Jr.; Halcomb & Oliver Clinic; Halcomb and Oliver Clinic; Medical care--Kentucky; Physicians--Kentucky; Rural health--Kentucky

Subjects: Children; Christmas; Clothing; Community; Historic buildings--Conservation and restoration.; Historic buildings.; Historic house museums.; Historic preservation; Holidays; Patients; Pranks

Partial Transcript: Well, tell me a little bit about what--what you know of him in the community.

Segment Synopsis: Burr says Dr. Halcomb served on the board of education during a period of time when a range of new, good schools were built. She talks about how his goal was never to be the center of attention, only to make the community better and that he was a real, serious, family-oriented, committed, engaged person. She describes Mariola Halcomb as committed to the home, to her children, and how she expressed her nursing background through those activities.

Keywords: Allen County School Board of Education; Banks; Board of education; Dr. Francis Joseph "F.J." Halcomb, Jr.; School construction

Subjects: Children; Civic leaders; Community; Country life; Education; Families; Infrastructure; Nurses; Nursing; Rural conditions; School boards; Scottsville (Ky.); Small towns

Partial Transcript: I know you've got a million stories that you want to tell me about--why do you call him--what--what's his nickname, Jody (??)?

Segment Synopsis: Burr mentions that different people pronounced Dr. Halcomb's name differently, and the family would call him "Doc." She says Christmas was always fun at the house and there was a whole extended family that would alternate visiting Burr's mother's home and visiting the Halcomb house. Burr feels stories can never give the truest picture of anyone.

Keywords: Dr. Francis Joseph "F.J." Halcomb, Jr.; F. Joseph "Joe" Halcomb, III; Harriet Halcomb; Julie Halcomb Koch; Julie Koch; Mariola Shrewsbury Halcomb

Subjects: Children; Christmas; Country life; Dwellings; Families; Family farms; Franklin (Ky.); Grandparents; Historic buildings.; Historic house museums.; Historic preservation; Holidays; Homes; Houses; Nicknames; Parents; Rural conditions; Scottsville (Ky.); Siblings; Sisters; Small towns