The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1959-09-18
ENTHUSIASM GROWS
FOR ELLIS WINSTEAD
DAY IN BELHAVEN

AHC <aliiOuACciuSuI VI the Cele-
bration of "Dr. Ellis Winstead
Day" in Belhaven on Monday,
October 5, has been met with
much enthusiasm in the town
and in the surrounding areas which
the physician has served for thir-
ty years. The idea originated with
a group of men who prefer to re-
main anonymous, their only wish
being to honor the man who has
been a friend, as well as doctor,
to so many people. The date was
chosen to coincide with the doc
tors birthday, which falls on Sun
day, October A. The celebration
will be in the form of a program
and picnic Family style) at the
Belhaven Community Center from
four to six in the afternoon. A
general invitation to participate
has been issued to all people in
this area who desire. to join in
honoring DR.. Winstead.
There are many reasons why
people wish to show their appreei-
alton to the doctor. Not the least
is the gratitude felt by the COM
munity for his service during World
War II, when he was the only ac-
tive physician in this area. At the
sacrifice of his own health, he
worked long hours and drove
many miles to tend the sick.
Though still paying the physical
price of those years, DR.. Winstead
continues his practice, except in
the fields of obstetrics and sur
gerry, and his patients know that
they can count on him, night or
day. His warm personal interest
in his patients is another reason
for the affection which people hold
for him. Realizing that his people
are not rich, DIR. Winstead has
never raised his fees, though he
has often been urged to do so. An
office visit today will cost pa
tient $1.50, just as it did thirty
years ago. The doctor says that
he has earned enough money for
his needs and that of his family,
and, that since he can't take it
with him, his patients might as
we'll share the benefits. In all his
years of practice, DR.. Winstead
has never refused to answer a call
to sick child or a sick woman,
even if he knew that he might
not be paid. Nor has he ever tax
en- out a mortgage or a judge
ment to recover a medical bill.
Only recently DR.. Winstead dis
covered that his faith in the fun
damental honesty of the majority
of people is justified. A woman
walked into his office and intro
duced herself and her twenty
seven year old son. She reminded
DIR. Winstead that he had deliv-
cred that son and that she had
been in financial difficulties at
the time. The family moved away,
and the doctor forgot the bill, but
the woman did not. Now she had
returned with the son, who said
he wanted to- be "paid for" They
offered to pay the interest, also,
but the doctor did some rapid cal
culation and figured that the in
terest would amount to nearly
double the original sum. He as
sured him that he would be happy
to settle for the principal, and two
honest people left the office with
the burden of an old debt lifted.
DR.. Winstead has shared his
financial success with the commu-
nifty in other ways, for he con-
tributes generously to civic prof.
ects and to charitable causes.
His success as a country doctor,
he says, can be attributed greatly
to his wife, Anne, who shared
much of the burden of the hard
years. The former Anne Murphy,
a school teacher from Asheville,
had married Ellis Winstead while
he was associated with his faith
See DIR. WINSTEAD, Page Four