In memory of Dr. Budd Appleton

He was truly ‘a man for all seasons’ and will be sorely missed by everyone whose lives he touched.

Issue: January 15, 2000

ByHerve M. Byron, MD

---Budd Appleton

Budd Appleton suffered a massive heart attack on Aug. 28, 1999, on the way to his favorite fishing location in Duluth, Minn., and he died on the way to the hospital. Budd’s life was filled with stunning achievements in his many roles in the military, in academia, in professional organizations and in community services.

Budd was a medical school classmate of mine from 1950 to 1954. Because our last names were closely linked alphabetically, we spent a great deal of time working together on the same cadaver. We became close friends during our four years of medical school.

From the very first year at New York Medical College, it was obvious that Budd was a unique individual. During our first major 3-hour examination in October l950, Budd rose from his seat after 90 minutes, dropped his exam paper on the proctor’s desk, walked out of the room and never returned, while the rest of us tried desperately to finish that exam. That feat was Budd’s trademark in our class — always the first in finishing exams, never failing an exam, and ranking academically in the upper third of our class, justifying his acceptance in Alpha Omega Alpha, the medical school honor society.

Setting goals

In the early part of the second year of medical school, Budd surprised everyone with the proclamation that he had enlisted in the U.S. Army. We thought that Budd was joking with us, but we soon realized that was not the case — he actually had done it. When asked why he enlisted, his answers demonstrated his practicality, ambition and vision of the future.

Budd figured that he could not afford to pay the balance of his medical school tuition. By enlisting in the Army, he could solve that financial crisis.
He already had decided that he wanted to become an ophthalmologist. He told us that he intended to take his postgraduate training in the Army so that he could afford to pay his living expenses during the lean years of residency training.
He predicted that he would become head of the Department of Ophthalmology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and, eventually, the highest ranking ophthalmologist in the Army.
Budd also figured that 20-plus years later, he would enjoy the option of leaving the Army with a sizeable retirement fund, whereas we all would still be diligently working in a very different medical environment.

Budd achieved all those goals, just as he had predicted. He was the Chief of Ophthalmology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from 1967 to 1978. He was the Ophthalmology Consultant to the Surgeon General of the U. S. Army from 1967 to 1978, which meant that he was then the highest ranking ophthalmologist in the Army.

Serving others

Budd’s leadership qualities and community service activities in all our class functions qualified him for membership in Cor et Manus, the school’s community service honor society. We all recognized that Budd marched to a different beat than the rest of us. We were not sufficiently perspicacious to appreciate that he not only walked but talked and acted the dynamics of the future.

After graduating from New York Medical College in 1954, we lost contact for a while. Fifteen years later, we met at a meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and remained close friends thereafter.

Budd’s service career was exemplary, as evidenced by the following awards:

Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service in Korea, June 1964;
Meritorious Service Medal in the Army, September 1969; and
Legion of Merit Medal in the Army, October 1978
Walter Reed Medal for Outstanding Medical Contributions in the Army, October 1978.

Budd also was a born teacher, as evidenced by his many academic appointments:

Professor of Ophthalmology, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., 1976-1978;
Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine, 1978-1999;
Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Georgetown University School of Medicine, 1969-1979; and
Visiting Professor of Ophthalmology at University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, 1981-l999.

Budd was a member of 23 organizations and the president of the following:

Society of Military Ophthalmologists, 1969-1970;
Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology, 1974-1976; and
St. Paul Ophthalmological Society, 1982-1984.

Exerting energy and wisdom

He worked diligently for the AAO as Councillor from l992 to 1996. At the age of 68, Budd decided that he could significantly contribute to its effectiveness by serving as a Trustee. He gathered the required number of signatures to become a candidate nominated from the floor. I felt honored to second his nomination in that year.

Despite the fact that he did not achieve his goal, he re-entered the same election in the following year, via the same mechanism. Again, I felt privileged to second his nomination. He came closer to winning one of the two positions, but, unfortunately, he did not achieve his goal — one of the very few times in his life that he failed.

Never lacking tenacity even at 70 years of age, Budd wanted to try for the third time. However, after several hours of conversations with a few of his close friends, he decided that he had given his all in the previous two elections. It was time for him to exert his profound energy and wisdom in other pursuits. I believe the AAO missed a huge opportunity to benefit from Budd’s leadership, vision and dedication to his second love — ophthalmology.

Budd’s zest for giving his time and energy to community service is evidenced by the following:

Medical Consultant, Minnesota State Services for the Blind and Visually Handicapped, l978-present;
Member, Board of Directors, Minnesota Society for the Prevention of Blindness and Preservation of Hearing, 1980-present (president, 1981- 1992);
Member, Medical Advisory Committee, Minnesota Department of Human Services, l986-1994;
Ophthalmologist and Director of Eye Care for the Homeless Clinic (Dorothy Day Center, St. Paul), l990-present; and
Member, St. Paul/Ramsey County Community Health Services Advisory Committee, 1990-1994.

A man for all seasons

During his long and illustrious career, Budd wrote 20 journal articles, authored the textbook, Clinical Optics published by SLACK Inc., in l990, and contributed sections to two other textbooks. He also produced three teaching films and gave many presentations at major meetings.

Budd and I organized our 40th and 45th medical school class reunions. The most recent one was in May 1999. He spent hours trying to contact each class member in an attempt to persuade them to attend the parties. He was the first person to arrive and the last to leave. He was truly the heart and soul of our class.

Budd’s friendliness, his radiant smile and subtle sense of humor, his deep concern for others, his intense sense of duty and loyalty, his unparalleled ethics and integrity, his profound dedication and glowing performance in his every activity cannot be filled by any other person whom I know. He was truly a man for all seasons and will be sorely missed by everyone whose lives he touched. I have lost one of my most cherished friends of almost 50 years’ duration.

Budd is survived by his loving wife, Linda Hirte, two sons, a daughter and five grandchildren.

Donations memorializing his name should be directed to the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology’s Education and Research Foundation Scholarship Fund, 2025 Woodland Drive, St. Paul, MD 55125-2995, in the name of Budd Appleton, MD, Col., MC, USA (R).