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By Ed Gerritsen, June 2010
Collection Overview
Title: Ralph Blocksma Collection, 1933-2003
ID: COLL/507
Primary Creator: Blocksma, Ralph
Extent: 1.75 Cubic Feet. More info below.
Arrangement: Folder level description
Date Acquired: 00/00/2009
Abstract
Plastic and reconstructive surgeon (specialized in repairs for cleft lips and palates, decubitus ulcers, and burns), and served as a medical missionary. The collection includes biographical materials; diaries; writings; diplomas; awards; publications; speeches; lectures; correspondence; newspaper clippings; "Letters from Pakistan"; photographs (photographic images of surgical procedures are restricted); and materials from his leadership in the Christian Medical Society, Medical Assistance Program (MAP), Board of Affordable Medicines in Africa (AMFA); Oral Cleft Clinic; plus other medical and plastic surgery associations and societies.
Biographical Note
(1914 - 2001)
Ralph Blocksma was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1914. He was a student at Calvin College and graduated with his BA in 1936. He later went on to become a doctor and served on many medical societies and boards and became a medical missionary. Ralph spent a great deal of time and money to develop plastic surgery in third-world countries. He was married to Ruth Naomi Enss in 1940. Ralph served as a captain in the US Army from 1942-1945. He was a plastic surgeon in the Army and worked in evacuation hospitals in England, France, and Germany. In 1949 he had a career in international medicine. Ralph Blocksma lived in Grand Rapids but died in Jacksonville, Florida. He was eighty-seven years old when he died in 2001.
Administrative Information
Repository:
Heritage Hall, Hekman Library
Alternate Extent Statement:
4 Boxes
Acquisition Source:
Ruth Blocksma, 2009
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Biographical information],
[
Series 2: Publications],
[Series 3: Miscellaneous],
[
Series 4: Photographs],
[
All]
- Series 3: Miscellaneous
- Box 3
- Folder 1: Historical summary of Grand Rapids residency program in plastic surgery --- [1981?]
- Folder 2
- Item 1: Correspondence re: British Virgin Islands Workshop in Plastic Surgery --- 1992-1996
- Item 2: Photograph of Blocksma --- [undated]
- Folder 3
- Item 1: Correspondence with Denis Burkitt and related materials --- 1977-1994
- Item 2: Photographs Burkitt and Blocksma --- [undated]
- Folder 4: Correspondence --- 1940-1995
- Folder 5: Correspondence with Florentine Van Tiem re: St. Lucia Projects --- 1978
- Folder 6: Letters from patients --- 1993 and [undated]
- Folder 7: Article written by a patient --- [undated]
- Folder 8: Patient stories
- Folder 9: "Orbital Floor Reconstruction Following Blunt Facial Trauma: A Twenty-Year Experience" --- 1988
- Folder 10: Materials re: Affordable Medicines for Africa: Practical Witness to Christ's Love --- 1970-2003
- Folder 11
- Item 1: "Survey Report: Sudan Interior Mission Medical Installations Nigeria, West Africa," with photographs --- 1974
- Item 2: Photo of Liberian President William R. Tolbert (massacred shortly after photo taken) --- 1974
- Folder 12: Taiwan Trauma Symposium, with photographs of Blocksma and M. Samuel Noordhof --- 1984 and 1996
- Folder 13: Photograph of the Board of Directors of the Van Andel Institute --- 1996
- Folder 14
- Item 1: "Ralph Blocksma Endowed Lectureship Donor Listing" --- 1991
- Item 2: Photograph of C. Everett Koop --- [undated]
- Folder 15: Publications re: visit to the San Blas Islands --- 1958-1960
- Folder 16: Tribute to Ferris N. Smith --- 1990
- Folder 17: Ralph Blocksma Award Recipients by MAP International --- 1978-1990
- Folder 18: Photographs of Blocksma --- [undated]
- Folder 19: Sculptures done by RB? --- [undated]
- Folder 20: "The Collected Poetry, Prose, Essays, Epistles and Pure Piffle: From the Lifetime Practice of a Plastic Surgeon" --- [undated]
- Folder 21: Newspaper clippings --- 1959-1992
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Biographical information],
[
Series 2: Publications],
[Series 3: Miscellaneous],
[
Series 4: Photographs],
[
All]
