Nola Mae Moore – a Physician in Shoreline, Washington – passed away on 17 April 2020 after suffering from COVID-19. Nola was 88 years old.
Nola had polio when she was 8. This resulted in a long hospital stay and, because her dominant left hand was paralyzed, Nola, never short on grit, taught herself to write with the right-with a very distinctive lefty slant. She remained semi-ambidextrous the rest of her life, which would later make her an excellent set of hands in surgery. Unfortunately, it would not be her last long childhood hospital stay.
When she was 12, she and Duane developed a homemade pair of wings and eagerly climbed to the top of a nearby windmill. On a coin toss (that she won) she tried them out…and ended up in the hospital with a broken back for another 6 months. Rather than be discouraged, Nola read, and she developed a deep interest in medicine that burned passionately within her, and would go on to define the rest of her life.
A graduate of Barron High in 1949, she continued her education at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where she received her B.S., M.D. and M.S. in pulmonary physiology.
She practiced medicine for 30 years in partnership with her husband and favorite cribbage partner of 50 years, James H. Dahlen M.D. (1928-2009), whom she met on the bus to Army Reserve boot camp, and also ran an undoubtedly more organized (but perhaps somewhat less whimsical) solo practice for 5 more years, until her retirement in 1998.
In addition to her medical career, Dr. Moore also founded, served as president, and was a board member of the Washington State Physicians Insurance Association, served 9 years on the Physician's Insurance Company Board and 9 years on NORDIC Board (a dental liability insurance company), was a member of and served terms as president of the King County Medical Society and King County Academy of Family Practice, and was selected for the King County Academy Community Service Award.
Source: The Seattle Times