Lipscomb M.D., Harry Shepherd

Harry Shepherd Lipscomb M.D., 84, of Coralville, formerly of Houston and College Station, Texas, died Friday, May 14, 2010, at home surrounded by loved ones. A celebration of Dr. Lipscomb's life will be held Wednesday, May 19, from 2 to 5 p.m. at his home in Coralville.

Born in Beaumont, Texas, to Hattie Lee Grigsby and Samuel Cyrus Lipscomb, he joined the Navy at the age of 17 and served in the Pacific during World War II. He then went on to receive his M.D. at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston. In his training Dr. Lipscomb held internship, residency, and fellowships at McGill University (Montreal General Hospital), Harvard Medical School (Peter Bent Brigham Hospital), and in the Department of Experimental Medicine at Cambridge University, Cambridge, England.

During an active career in teaching, research, and the practice of medicine, Dr. Lipscomb's interests in health care delivery took him from the coal mines in West Virginia into the fields of migrant farm laborers in California. These investigations led him to present his findings in testimony before the U.S. Senate subcommittees on Health and Public Welfare. Dr. Lipscomb served as chairman and director of the Department of Biochemistry at Baylor College of Medicine, where he coordinated faculty activities with those of researchers in the Institute of Lipid Chemistry. In addition to teaching for 20 years at Baylor College of Medicine, he created there the Xerox Center for Health Care Research. Dr. Lipscomb then joined the faculty of the College of Medicine at Texas A&M University, College Station, where he was later deemed Professor Emeritus.

After receiving a heart transplant in 1992, Dr. Lipscomb sought retirement under the care and companionship of Ronald and Nancy Grigsby, residing with them for the past 18 years.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy (Malone) Lipscomb.

He will be missed by his dear friends, Ronald and Nancy Grigsby; his children, David (Carey) Lipscomb, Lisa Lipscomb and Brian Hill and Ann (Olen) Chenault, four grandchildren; and countless other relatives and friends.

In lieu of sending flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Iowa City Hospice.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the Web at

Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Dr. Lipscomb's family and his arrangements.