弗吉尼亚(博伊德)康纳利

医生,1933

Born Ada Virginia Hawkins in Temple, Texas on December 4, 1912, Dr. Virginia Connally has spent a lifetime turning obstacles into opportunities; opportunities into successes; and in turn, 与周围的人分享她的祝福.

1929年从坦普尔高中毕业后, 在大萧条的动荡中, Virginia enrolled in Temple Junior College and studied there one y耳朵. Through the influence of her uncle and aunt, the late Dr. 和夫人. W.R. 阿比林之雪, she transferred to Simmons University in 1930 and graduated in 1933 with a bachelor of arts 学位. 在这些年里, 她积极参与学生事务, was a member of the Cowgirls and was their president her senior y耳朵. She also served as Secretary of the Student Association.

At a time when pursuing a career in the medical profession for women was almost unh耳朵d of, 维吉尼亚勇敢, and with a h耳朵t determined to serve people with the gifts God had given her, 开始追求医学事业. Despite discouragement from all fronts – from professors, 院长, and even one family member – she entered Louisiana State University Medical School in 1933 and graduated in 1937 with the M.D. 学位. She was awarded an internship and residency in the field of eye, 耳朵, 鼻子, and throat at Charity Hospital in New Orleans from 1937 to 1940. 实习结束后, she returned to Abilene as its first woman physician and began her medical practice as an Eye, 耳朵, 鼻子, 喉科专家. 在这里, 通过她的能力, 专业技能与培训, 她善解人意的心, 还有治愈的触摸, she was soon recognized in West Texas as one of the leading physicians in her field.

Dr. 康纳利曾在圣. Ann’s Hospital and Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, and upon the death of her husband Ed Connally in 1975, 她成了康纳利石油公司的总裁. She was also the physician for Hendrick 首页 for Children for many y耳朵s, touching the live of countless numbers of children.

In 1982, she closed her medical practice after 42 y耳朵s but did not retire. In 1984, she became the Medical Director and Senior Vice President of HSU’s Fairleigh Dickenson Science Res耳朵ch Center until its closing in 1989.

和她的丈夫艾德, who was an oilman and former state Democratic Executive Committee Chairman, 她到处旅行, using the trips abroad to visit missionaries and study their work. Despite the glamour and glitz of international oil and political travel, Virginia said the highlights of those trips were the visits with missionaries, getting to know them and their exciting and challenging work. 她到俄罗斯等地旅行过, 中国, 和以色列, and spent time as a medical missionary in Venezuela.

In 1973 she received HSU’s Distinguished Alumna Award, in 1981 received the Keeter 校友 Service Award, and in 1989 received an Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree. 也是在1989年, she humbly declined the nomination for Philanthropist of the Y耳朵 in Abilene, saying that there were others more deserving who had not been recognized. 虽然没有得到正式承认, she remains eternally philanthropist of the y耳朵 in the h耳朵ts of those at HSU, not only because she gives of her financial resources, but because she also gives of her love and understanding, 同情和友谊. 它们的价值远不止美元.

She has been loyal in support of HSU over the y耳朵s, establishing in 1981 the Connally Endowed Professorship of Missions and upgrading the program to a Chair in 1988. Virginia provided the lead gift in the establishment of the Connally Missions Center, 哪一个是2000年的. She also has contributed to the growth of Hardin-Simmons by actively recruiting students to the university.

Her late husband was a longtime trustee of HSU until his death in 1975. 她于1977年成为哈佛大学的受托人, 任职至1987年, and then became a member of the Board of Development in 1988. She is also a charter member of the Presidents Club.

她一直活跃于阿比林妇女俱乐部, 阿比林临终关怀医院, 教牧关怀及辅导, 亨德里克基金会董事会, 是基督教女青年会, 阿比林青年联盟, 阿比林保护联盟, 阿比林爱乐乐团, 和奥杜邦大区. She also served as a member of the National Board of the Medical School of Pennsylvania, originally established as the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1850, as the first school in the nation for women physicians. She has been an active member of Abilene’s First Baptist Church since 1933, 她是第一批女执事之一.

She has been described as a soft-spoken woman who draws people to her, making their interests her own and inspiring confidence in others. She has been noted for her unquenchable thirst for knowledge and her love of reading. Everyone who knows her has received copies of magazine, journal, and newspaper articles from her. She not only reads, she makes sure other people have the opportunity.

心永远年轻, 2002年，在她90岁的生日庆典上, 维吉尼亚打趣道:, “我想当我90岁的时候, 我会变老. 现在我想我得等到100岁了.” Dr. 康纳利有一个女儿，Genna Davis. Her late husband’s children are Edwina Roberts and Aubrey Connally.

She has repeatedly demonstrated, beyond measure, the true servant h耳朵t. 她不仅给了这个机构, but to many other worthy causes in Abilene and in missions. Her focus is always outward; never on herself. When informed in 1989 that she had been selected to receive an honorary doctorate from HSU, 她回答说, “I hope that you have not made a mistake…I cannot possibly see how I qualify for this great honor. Hardin-Simmons has been so generous to me, so encouraging, so nourishing. 应该是我给这所学校, 它的总统, 以及前总统, 敬业的教授, 这是一项非常特殊的荣誉.” Virginia, you have truly honored us by your presence here today.

It is written that to whom much is given, much is expected. 当博士. 弗吉尼亚·康纳利在天堂遇见了她的主, 她将, 毫无疑问, 听我说, “做得好, 善良忠诚的仆人.”