SIOUX CITY -- Dr. Joseph H. Washburn, 72, of Sioux City passed away at his home on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011.
Services will be 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Sunnybrook Community Church in Sioux City. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Larkin Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.
Joseph was born on Oct. 15, 1938 in Los Angeles, Calif. He was the son of Joseph H. and Viola (Neill) Washburn Sr. He was raised in California, Gross Point, Mich., and Smith Valley, Nev. He graduated from Smith Valley High School and LeeLanau school in Glen Arbor, Mich. He then attended the Sullivan School in Washington and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., the University of Iowa and Arizona State University, where he studied chemistry. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1960 until 1964 as a military adviser to Special Forces in South Vietnam. He was a graduate student at U.S.C. in the pathology department. He received his predoctoral Traineeship in experimental pathology from USC. He did graduate work at Whittier College, University of Nebraska. He received his medical degree from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, where he served his residency in radiation oncology.
He was an assistant professor of Radiation Oncology in the Department of Radiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha. He was a consulting physician at Marian Health Center in Sioux City from 1977 to 1979. He was the acting director of the Radiation Oncology Department at the U of N Medical Center from 1978 to 1979. He became the director of Radiation Oncology Department at Marian Health Center in Sioux City and served as the medical director of the Marian Cancer Institute from 1982 to 1995 and was named the director of Radiation Oncology at the Siouxland Regional Cancer Center in 1995. He retired from active practice on June 30,1996.
He married Ann Marlene Tuttle in 1967. He published many papers over the years for conferences and study groups. He loved the West and as a child he would visit and work on his aunt and uncle's ranch. He loved the outdoors, hunting, camping, photography and was an avid Nebraska fan. He also loved to travel and had been around the world seven times. He loved spending time with his family and friends. As a doctor he was known for the caring and kindness that he would express toward his patients and would work tirelessly on their behalf.
He is survived by Ann M. Washburn of Sioux City; two daughters, Aimee and Paul Clancy of Sioux City, and Kitty Washburn of Sioux City; four grandchildren, Jennifer Clancy, Samantha Hines, Riley Slechta and Simon Slechta, his companion, Carla Lyon, and her children, Brett and Cassie Lyon of Sioux City, Ashley and Brian Bunce of Omaha, Daniel and Richelle Lyon of Pleasant Hill, Mo., Blake Lyon and his fiancee, Paula Newhouse of Ravenna, Neb., Brenda and Jesse Duerksen of Salix, Iowa, and grandchildren, Kelsie and Luke Lyon, Cloe and Carson Duerkson, Katelyn and Ayden Bunce.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his cousin, Harvey Neill; his aunt and uncle, Johnny and Hettie Neill; and Corey Lyon.