When you meet Hugh Williams, a resident at Morning Pointe of Danville, Kentucky, Senior Living, you won’t meet him as Hugh but as “Doc.”
Being a veterinarian has become a huge part of Doc’s identity, and it’s something he’s very proud of.
Born in 1938 in Lexington, Kentucky, Doc grew up on a farm in Stanford to a Mechanic father and a Teacher mother. He was around a lot of animals, and not just at home, either. In high school, in addition to playing football, he also played polo.
“It’s like football, except you do it on a horse,” Doc explained.
Doc earned a degree in agriculture from the University of Kentucky and then went on to earn his degree in veterinary medicine from Auburn University in Alabama.
“I like animals, and I kinda always wanted to do that,” he said.
Doc worked at Goshen Animal Clinic in Prospect, Kentucky, and while other vets served “small animals” – dogs, cats, etc. – Doc’s specialty was in “large animals” – primarily cattle and horses. The horses were his favorite. Sometimes, clients would bring the animals to the clinic, and sometimes Doc would make house calls.
“It was always challenging and exciting,” Doc said.
Most of the animals Doc treated were from local farms, though he did treat some lesser-known racehorses.
“I delivered a lot of horses, foals,” Doc remembered. “You deliver them, get them to stand up, and get them going.”
The most unusual patient Doc had over the years was a truly LARGE animal. One time, the circus was in town, and he was asked to diagnose a sick elephant.
Doc’s favorite part about his career, he said, was, “the experience of seeing so many animals.”
However, there was a personal benefit to his job as well – that’s where he met his wife, Joyce. They went on to have two children, Allison and John, and three grandchildren: Grayson, Harrison, and Amelia.
Doc retired from veterinary practice after about 30 years in the field. He stayed busy in retirement, especially serving on the Logan’s Fort Foundation, which was dedicated to restoring historic Logan’s Fort. American Revolutionaries built the structure for defense against the British, and a battle was fought there in 1777.
Eventually, as Doc got older, his children saw that he needed some help and could benefit from living in a personal care community. They chose Morning Pointe of Danville, and he moved in in February 2022.
“It’s a wonderful community,” Doc said. “I love the people.”
In his new home, he particularly enjoys watching football, doing puzzles and just sipping coffee.
Morning Pointe of Danville also provided him some activities recently that brought back memories. For example, the team took him and several other residents on an outing to Logan’s Fort, and Doc gave everyone a history-filled tour. The community also had a pony come to visit, and Doc was very happy to interact with the animal and advise the owner to keep its hooves trimmed.
In his life, Doc is most proud of being a veterinarian.
“I’ve treated everything from pet mice to elephants,” he said. “I’ve had a good life.”
Thank you for being part of our Morning Pointe family, Doc!
