Dr. John Tatom passed on Sunday, June 21 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area where he lived after retiring from his Sulphur medical practice in January.

Tatom grew up in the western Oklahoma community of Davidson, then headed off to the University of Oklahoma where he received his medical degree in general surgery. He worked in Lawton for a year before entering the U.S. Army and serving in Viet Nam.

After his tour of duty ended in the army, Tatom returned to civilian life, opening a private practice in Missouri, before embarking on a 10-year medical missionary stint in Indonesia. When that ended, he returned to Oklahoma, and in 1983 began a general surgery practice at Arbuckle Memorial Hospital in Sulphur. He also opened a family practice clinic on the west side of the downtown area, serving many hundreds of patients during his career.

When surgery became more difficult for him as he aged, Tatom continued his family practice at his clinic.

He was featured in an August 17, 2023 issue of the Times-Democrat on his 90th birthday celebration at the hospital.

“I’ve always liked Sulphur and never felt a desire to leave after I came here,” he said during that interview. He told the gathering of friends and hospital employees he would not be slowing down anytime soon.

Tatom continued his medical practice in Sulphur for the next two and one-half years before retiring in January at the age of 92 after having served the community for over 43 years.

A full obituary for one of the longest serving physicians in Sulphur history is published on the back page of this issue.