Born in Plainview, Texas in 1917, he grew up in San Antonio and Austin where his father was owner of the Pelphrey Funeral Home. Overcoming the poverty of the Great Depression, he worked multiple jobs to put himself through the University of Texas and later, Southwest Medical School, where he was a member of the first graduating class. He spent his internship and residency in pathology at Baylor University Hospital in Dallas.
His high school sweetheart, Elvira, returned from a career in Washington, DC to marry him in 1943, and accompanied him during a two-year tour of duty in the Navy. They moved to Austin in 1948, where he began the practice of pathology as the first trained pathologist in Austin, joining the practice of Dr. Sidney Bohls. During the 1950’s he continued his studies at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York, NY, under the world-renowned pathologist, Dr Arthur Purdy Stout. From the small Pelphrey-Rainey laboratory developed Clinical Pathology Laboratory, now known as CPL, which is the largest pathology laboratory in the United States.
Dr. Pelphrey was pathologist for the original Seton Hospital and Seton Medical Center for over 33 years, where he was chief of staff twice. He was a respected member of numerous medical organizations including the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, the College of American Pathologists with specialty accreditation, the South Central Association of Blood Banks, for which he was president; the Travis County Medical Society for which he served a term as president; and the American Cancer Society for which he was Texas Division president. He and Elvira were also founding members of Messiah Lutheran Church, for which he served as Parish Council president and director of the education program.
In time, Dr. Pelphrey would be credited with saving countless lives in Texas through his introduction of the Papanikolau test (“Pap smear”) to women in Texas, his campaigns for cancer awareness and anti-smoking, and direction of a city-wide campaign to vaccinate all Austin residents against polio. At the height of his career Dr Pelphrey was called “Dean of Southwest Pathology,” and it was said that everyone who lived in Texas benefited at some point from his work.
He will be remembered for his generosity, often supporting several families at once besides his own. He was honored by many local, national and international civic organizations, enjoyed travel, and a high point of his life was travel to Ireland with 17 family members at age 96. He will be missed by his children, Rev. Dr. Brant (Fr Brendan) Pelphrey and wife, Presvytera Sharon; daughter Barbara Morse and husband Michael; grandchildren Michael Pelphrey and his wife Dr. Amy Pelphrey; Dr. Andrew and his wife Dr. Annie Feagins; Marysa Enis and her husband Dr. Jacob Enis; and seven great-grandsons.
Visitation will be from 4:00 to 6:00 pm Friday, August 2, 2019 at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar Blvd, Austin. Funeral services will be 10:00 am, Saturday, August 3, 2019 at Saint Martin’s Lutheran Church, 606 W. 15th Street, Austin, Rev. John Van Haneghan, officiating. Burial to follow at Austin-Memorial Park.
Pallbearers include Fr. Brendan Pelphrey, Michael Morse, Michael Pelphrey, Dr. Andrew Pelphrey and Dr. Jacob Enis. Honorary pallbearers are Michael T. O’Brien, M.D.; Bruce Hurt, M.D.; James E. Johnson; Robert Snider, M.D.; and Dwaine Nystrom.
