AUSTIN -- It's not often someone gets to do a job they love for nearly 60 years. One Austin doctor has done just that, but now he's retiring. Here's a glimpse at what's driven him all these years, and why generations of patients say he will be missed.
Patients at Dr. William Halden's office grab hugs, and even some mementos he's giving away. The 87-year-old Halden is cleaning up and clearing out his office for the last time.
"All good things have to come to an end," said Halden.
He graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1952. After 59 years as a pediatrician, almost exclusively in Austin, Halden is hanging up his stethoscope.
"I enjoyed my work," he said. "It's really not work for me. It's more fun."
In the tiny waiting room there are tears of laughter and sadness as three generations of Halden patients, all from one family, talk about the only pediatrician to care for them.
"I never thought I would I would be bringing my children to my pediatrician or my mother's pediatrician for that matter," said Tiffany Sharp.
"He's an amazing doctor," said Tyler Sharp, Tiffany's son. "He's like a best friend to us."
Halden's patients say he's definitely old school. He would make after hours house calls or see patients on the weekend in his office. And don't look for too many electronic gadgets in his office.
Any pediatrician's office across the country is going to have computers. And even though he's an old school doctor, Halden's office has one computer that they got just last year. Mandatory electronic filing made that computer necessary. Before then, he and his staff kept meticulous records. But after six decades of medical service to about 10,000 patients, Halden says it's time to take care of himself.
"Take it easy I guess and sleep late," he said with a laugh.
His patients are saddened at the reality of his retirement.
"I'm not going to be able to find [someone] that's going to take care of my children as well as he did," said Tiffany Sharp, holding back tears.
Dr. Halden says it's going to be just as tough on him not getting to do what he loves, helping sick children get better.
