Dr. William C. Link

Dr. William C. Link, M.D., 90, of Bloomington, a man who brought countless lives into the world and to better health through decades as a practicing physician, passed away on September 1. Dr. Link was born on June 20, 1924, in Oolitic, Ind. to Jesse Cecil Link and Beulah Irene (Braden) Link in a small rustic cabin. After moving to Bloomington, he graduated from Bloomington High School in 1941. Dr. Link attended Indiana University in 1941 and 1942, where he was a member of the IU Marching 100 and the IU rifle team. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and was called to active duty as a private in June 1943, serving in World War II and through 1946. He would go to basic training at Camp Wheeler, Va. and become a medical corpsman, subsequently attending Johns Hopkins University's pre-medical program prior to earning his M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia in 1949. Dr. Link was stationed in Germany with the occupying forces from 1950 to 1952, achieving the rank of Captain in the 16th Army Field Hospital - the same hospital in which his father served during World War I. On Oct. 5, 1944, Dr. Link married the love of his life, Caroline Veronica (Rinker), and in 1952 moved his family and established a successful medical practice with his wife. For more than 50 years, he provided medical care to the Bloomington community, caring for generations of residents, delivering the first set of triplets in Bloomington and providing pro bono care to poor and indigent families. Dr. Link continued to make house calls for many years, and in 2002 he achieved Emeritus status as past president and a lifelong member of the Monroe County Medical Society. He was also a member of the American Medical Association and Indiana Medical Association. Dr. Link and his family were members of the Arlington United Methodist Church in Bloomington. He was active in the Bloomington community, and Dr. Link was a lifelong aficionado of sports cars, literature and cinema. Dr. Link was preceded in death by his loving wife, Caroline, as well as his parents and one grandchild David J. Link Jr.. He leaves behind a proud family, his legacy and progeny, including daughters Rebecca Melwid (Pete) of Ocala, Fla.; Patricia Brown (Willis) of Springfield, Vt.; Billie Moore (Bruce) of Bloomington; and sons William Cecil "Peter" Link, Jr. (Sally) of Bloomington; Dwight Link of Bloomington; and David "Jon" Link of Indianapolis; 15 grandchildren including Wolfgang Schwenzner, Michelle Burgess Clason, John Melwid, Della Dietz, Valerie Tocco, Brandon Moore, Willis "Kubie" Brown IV, Stori Link, Mercede Moore, Amy Link Chitwood, Matthew Moore, Sam Brown, William C. "Billy" Link III, Austin Link, and Robert Link; and 16 great-grandchildren, Tiffany Quick, Justin Quick, Beau Burgess, Logan Clason, Johnny Melwid, Jennifer Melwid, Mark Schwenzner, Evelyn Chitwood, Nathan Chitwood, Zachary Dietz, Ethan Moore, Grant Moore, Luke Tocco, Layla Tocco, Gavin Matthews, and Gwen Matthews; and two great-great grandchildren, Aydin Morazan and Andrea Quick. Friends may call from noon until 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 6 at Arlington United Methodist Church at 1820 Arlington Rd., Bloomington. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m.followed by a burial service with family and close friends at Shilo Cemetery in Unionville. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Arlington United Methodist Church or Bloomington Hospice, 619 West First Street.

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Dr. William C. Link

June 20, 1924 - September 1, 2014