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GEORGE HORSLEY |
George Ernest Horsley; was ear, nose, and throat specialist
Dr. George Ernest (Ernie) Horsley, a longtime Melrose resident who practiced ear, nose, and throat medicine at New England Memorial Hospital in Stoneham, died Aug. 20 in Fort Worth of natural causes. He was 89 and died surrounded by family members at home.
Dr. Horsley was born in Birkenhead, England, the second of twin boys. Early in his life, his family moved to Vancouver and later to Chilliwack, British Columbia. Dr. Horsley spent a year in a children’s hospital for a knee defect but went on to what was then Walla Walla Adventist College in Washington state and Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California, where he graduated in 1945.
Dr. Horsley worked much of his way through school selling religious books door-to-door. He was known for his encyclopedic knowledge of history, literature, and science; a great sense of humor; a love of music and singing; and devotion to family, country, and God.
“He was always a matchmaker. He thought everybody should be married and they should all have kids. If they had two kids, he would say, ‘That’s a good start,’ ’’ his son, Will of Andover, said. “He had very limited success [in matchmaking]; he thought it was just male, female, bingo! He certainly gave a lot of encouragement.’’
Dr. Horsley worked alongside his wife of 62 years, Margaret, who practiced ophthalmology. The two began their careers in Madison, Tenn., and later moved to Puerto Rico as missionaries for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The couple spent five years there, living on $700 a month, Will said.
In 1967, they were recruited to work at New England Memorial, where they spent the remainder of their careers. Dr. Horsley served as a major in the US Army medical corps toward the end of World War II, along with his twin brother, Thomas, who was a doctor in the Navy. Thomas Horsley died last year, making Ernie the last surviving member of his family of two girls and four boys.
In addition to his wife and son, Dr. Horsley leaves four other sons, Brooks of Madison, Ky., Ross of Allegany, N.Y., Sterling of St. Louis, Joshua of Riverside, Calif., two daughters; Sheila of Fort Worth and Heidi of Lubbock, Texas; 20 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held Oct. 10 in Stoneham Adventist Church and Oct. 24 in Fort Worth in Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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