Then Again
Audrey Juds, a longtime resident of New Berlin, has worked over 25 years covering the city as a reporter, editor and columnist. Contact her at dajuds@att.net.
NB Hospital staff still strong in spirit
Above, Dr. Arthur Angove is standing behind Dr. Ted Ludwig and wife Judy.
The spirit of our former New Berlin Memorial Hospital is still alive! This I witnessed when invited to the recent 8th annual New Berlin Memorial Hospital Women’s League Reunion, including spouses and friends. These people still continue their relationship as one big family.
Heading up the event for the 28 participants was Judy Ludwig, a former second grade teacher at Calhoun School. She is the wife of Dr. Ted Ludwig, a retired podiatrist.
Since many residents were not aware a hospital ever existed in New Berlin, five years ago I wrote two lengthy articles for my column in the New Berlin NOW -- from its opening in 1966, through its growth and then its fatal demise in 1988.
The hospital was located at 13750 W. National Ave., now the site of the sprawling Pro Health Care Regency Senior Communities, New Berlin.
H. Harpster Wonder, a doctor of osteopathy – is credited with getting the project going. Noting that the hospital was built on faith, Wonder recalls seeing a "for sale" sign on the Gene Jungbluth farm on National Avenue back in 1962.
He asked the family if they would hold the property for the project. He claims Jungbluth agreed to do this, which took two years, because he wanted a hospital built on his farmland.
Wonder then enlisted the help of other doctors, including the head surgeon, Arthur Angove. Both, now retired, were present at the dinner.
The doctors teamed up with Common Council President Robert Burns, Mayor P. Harry Eberle and City Engineer Don Polzin.
Hospital Administrator William Schwarten, now deceased, had told me he liked to think the hospital had grown with the community. Although it started out as a full service hospital, he explained that the obstetrics department later was discontinued because the staff was delivering fewer than 100 babies a year.
In 1976 a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a $1 million expansion project. When the addition opened the next year, it brought the hospital to a capacity of 126 beds plus additional rooms for therapy and laboratories.
Meanwhile, a women’s guild sponsored fund-raising events, ran the gift shop and volunteered in the hospital. Doctors’ wives and board members formed the Women’s League that ran the annual spring benefit ball.
By 1981 tremendous pressures were mounting to consolidate medical services in the Milwaukee area to hold down cost. A committee of the Southeastern Wisconsin Health Systems Agency proposed closing New Berlin Memorial.
Mayor John Malone and the Common Council chastised the agency in a resolution, and Ken Matheson, president of the New Berlin Industrial Association, wrote a letter stating that the facility was necessary to the industrial complex. Also, 12,000 people signed a petition.
The agency backed down for three years. Then in January, 1986, New Berlin Memorial and Waukesha Memorial hospitals were consolidated, however, Angove recalls it was the Waukesha people who were appointed to the board.
The decline of New Berlin Memorial followed, and with no official warning, the doors closed April 8, 1988, shutting out a shocked and tearful staff.
During the reunion dinner many of the former hospital personnel updated me on their activities.
Dr. Arlen Delp is working with Lakeshore Medical Clinic.
Dr. Edward Aprahamian works part-time reading x-rays and MRI exams for two clinics in the Milwaukee area.
Drs. Charles Carton and Pat Krzyzewski are still in practice as podiatrist in Milwaukee.
Dr. Tom Riedel is a retired podietrist. His wife, Beverly, teaches at Waukesha County Technical College in the Community Health Dept. Her students will become nursing assistants.
Dr. Russ Seaman retired from anesthesia in 1997. He and his wife, Emy, spend winters in Florida and summers in Wisconsin.
Dr. Alex Momashko, a pathologist at New Berlin Memorial from 1970 until 1987, continued his practice at Waukesha Memorial until 2000. He and his wife, Marcia, are retired and live in Genesee. He still does lab inspections around the county and she is a fiber artist.
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A friend BARBRA FROLA worked there in the early 70's. She always had good things to say about the hospital. I would like to have forwarded this to her, but she passed away a few years ago. Thanks for your article.
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Thanks Audrey for being a good friend and journalist for the staff and administration of the New Berlin Memorial Hospital. We were right on the cutting edge of medical and surgical advances, being the first in many scientific and medical procedures and equipment. We looked forward to working at the hospital because we knew each other, and the patients, like a big family. It was the way medical care should be provided. As in real life there were emotional mountaintop and deep valleys experiences, but the good memories abound and keep us together. With grateful appreciation, Arthur E. Angove, D.O., General Surgeon, Retired. Retired, but busier that ever. My kids tell me: Dad, please go back to work so that we have some time to see you. Art
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Thanks for the update about New Berlin Memorial/doctors. You are correct that the hospital was closed quite abruptly. New Berlin Memorial was among the hospitals that I worked at during my nursing career. One day--just a few hours before my scheduled second shift-- I got a phone call from hospital personnel telling me not to come in to work that day or anymore because the hospital was closing that afternoon/ all the patients were being moved out.
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Back to topgeno53151 - Jul 01, 2009 9:29 PM - Report Abuse
aeangove - Jun 24, 2009 11:36 PM - Report Abuse
Linda Richter - Jun 21, 2009 10:13 PM - Report Abuse