KEITH CLINTON WOLD, M.D. 79, passed away at his home in Boca Raton on October 1, 2003, after a lengthy illness. Dr. Wold was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1924, the son of Karl Christian Wold M.D. and Maybelle Lundgren Wold. He graduated high school from St. Paul Academy in 1942, received his B.S. in Medicine from the University of North Dakota in 1948, and graduated from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in 1951. During World War II, Dr. Wold served in the U. S. Army Medical Corp and his tour of duty included the South Pacific. In 1949, he married Elaine Johnson of New Brunswick, New Jersey and had two children, Keith C. Wold, Jr. and Diana J. Wold. In 1955, Dr. Wold moved his family from Minnesota to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he maintained an active practice in ophthalmology, specializing in eye surgery. Dr. Wold was an avid yachtsman and participated in numerous ocean sailing races. He also had a passion for Florida-bred thoroughbreds and was involved in breeding and racing. Many of his horses raced at Calder Race Course, Gulfstream Park and Hialeah. Dr. Wold and his wife, Elaine, formed The Bay Branch Foundation in 1961 and the Wold Charitable Trust to support education and research projects. His primary focus was providing assistance to the handicapped and disabled. Their philanthropic efforts have spread throughout the South Florida community and beyond. Wold Corporation was formed in Florida in 1976 to manage business investments in agriculture, real estate and transportation. Dr. Wold was honored with the Sioux Award as the Alumnus of the Year in 1990 by the University of North Dakota for his outstanding dedication to the field of medicine. Dr. and Mrs. Wold have served as chairpersons for the Boca Raton Community Hospital Ball and numerous charitable events in Palm Beach and Broward counties. Dr. Wold is a past Co-Chairman of the Grace Commission Self-Study of Government for the City of Boca Raton and served on the Board of Trustees of Boca Raton Community Hospital for many years. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Elaine; his son, Keith C. Wold, Jr., (Clio Pavlantos) of New York City; daughter, Diana J. Wold (Donald S. Marszalek) of Boca Raton, Florida; and two granddaughters: Diana Elaine Marszalek of Boca Raton, and Mary Lea Ruth Wold of New York City. He is also survived by his sister, Betty Wold Johnson of Princeton, New Jersey; his brother, Sidney R. Wold, M.D., of Danville, Kentucky; and numerous nieces and nephews. Dr. Wold was predeceased by his sister, Mary W. Strong, of Boca Raton, Florida. A memorial service will be held at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Boca Raton, FL at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 4, 2003. The family requests no flowers. A memorial has been established in the name of Dr. Keith C. Wold at Boca Raton Community Hospital Foundation, 745 Meadows Road, Boca Raton, FL 33486; and Hospice by the Sea, Inc., 1531 West Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, FL 33486. Interment service is private for immediate family only. Babione Funeral Home East Chapel 1100 N. Federal Highway Boca Raton, FL 33432 (561) 395-8787
www.dignitymemorial.comPublished by The Palm Beach Post on Oct. 3, 2003.