During my Racine history studies, I came across two Racine dentists who were unusual for the amount of traveling they did in addition to their busy careers in Racine: Dr. Harry Voss (1899-1984) and Dr. Donald Gramza (1917-1969).
by Harry G. W. Voss
Book review: Touching Horizons in Africa, India, Tibet and the Far East
By Harry G. W. Voss
Carlton Press, New York, 1961
Because of my interest in the history of Racine, Wisconsin, I was glad to get this book, but as it turns out, the author mentioned Racine only once or twice. However, everything is written from the point of view of a Racine dental surgeon in the 1950s and 1960s, so that became my focus as I read through this 362 page book.
Dr. Voss writes with a clinical eye, and so includes details of physical maladies, hygiene, and sanitation that most travel writers would leave out. This 51,000 mile trip was planned as a trip of a lifetime, from Africa to the Far East, and included his wife Mildred and his son Harry Jr.
The trip starts in Portugal, which is very clean, according to Dr. Voss, but from there the trio arrives in Africa, and conditions get considerably worse, at least sanitation-wise. Former Portuguese colonies still seem clean, but the rest of Africa is shocking. This book was published in 1961, and thoughts of Communism are heavy on everyone’s mind.
Some quotes: While in Tibet, and suffering through cold lodging heated with dried manure, “It is my belief that Red China’s goals are to infiltrate all these countries slowly, then take them over. They will endeavor to kill off the religions of these peoples and make slaves of them.”
While in India: “News of the communist invasion of Tibet was passed to us.”
While in Japan: “Later in the evening, we went to a Sukiyaki party at the Kikkaso pavilion. Having been at better ones at home, we did not enjoy this one too much. The Sukiyaki did not have the flavor. The Geisha girls were nothing more than waitresses who were far too old, numb of joint, and well past the Geisha girl age. They revealed no training.”
On the way home, Dr. Voss and family land in Hawaii, where they have been many times before, and have a good time catching up with old friends. Everyone in the family still have the “Japanese flu” and are very sick, but are recovering in the warm sun. I was struck during this chapter how many times a dental surgeon from a small Midwestern town had traveled in great luxury to Hawaii with his family.
Dr. Voss concludes by wishing that everyone could have an education through travel the way he has, but on the other hand, if everyone in the world had access to education and its accompanying unrest, “I foresee a future of bloodshed.” Finally, “My friends ask me, ‘When did you get back?’ My answer is, ‘I’m still on the trip.’”
Racine Journal Times, March 17, 1969
Believe Racine Dentist, Gramza, Wife Victims
A Racine dentist and his wife were believed to be passengers aboard a Venezuelan airliner which crashed in a residential section of Maracaibo Sunday killing at least 155 persons. It was termed the worst disaster of aviation history.
The names of Dr. and Mrs. Donald J. Gramza, 3404 Kensington Court, were on a list of passenger released by Venezuelan authorities.
Notified of Crash
The couple was scheduled to board the big VIASA DC9 jet at Curacas, Venezuela, on the last leg of a South American tour which started Feb. 22.
The Racine couple’s only child, Mrs. Ralph (Kathleen) Johnson, 25, of 2053 Thurston Ave., said she was notified of the crash by airline authorities Sunday night.
She was awaiting confirmation of their deaths today.
The tour, arranged by the Johnson Travel Bureau, 3900 Erie St., took Dr. and Mrs. Gramza to Panama, Bogota, Quito, Lima, the Lost City of Machu Picchu, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Petropolis and Curacas.
Traveled Extensively
After leaving Curacas, the couple was scheduled to spend a few days in Miami, Fla., before returning to Racine.
A spokesman for the travel bureau said the Gramzas traveled extensively each year.
Their most recent trips included a 21-day African safari in 1968, a trip through the Orient in 1967 and a European tour in 1966.
Dr. Gramza, 51, married the former Joan Nobert Pflieger of Milwaukee in Milwaukee on June 6, 1942.
She was 46.
The dentist was born in Racine Nov. 3, 1917, and was a 1935 graduate of St. Catherine’s High School.
He was graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1939 and Marquette University School of Dentistry in 1943.
Dental Society President
After serving with the U. S. Army Dental Corps from 1943 to 1946, Dr. Gramza opened his office in Racine.
In 1952, Dr. Gramza was installed as president of the Racine County Dental Society. He completed a one-year term as president and was elected to a three-year term on the board of censures.
He was also on the dental staffs of St. Mary’s and St. Luke’s Hospitals.
Gramza was a member of St. Edward’s Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, the Holy Name Society, the Elks Club, Meadowbrook Country Club, American Legion Post 310 and the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.
Mrs. Gramza was a former officer of the Lakeshore Club.
In addition to his daughter, Dr. Gramza is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Gramza, 3513 Wright Ave., and two brothers, Allen, an attorney for the Airline Pilots Association, and Joseph, and attorney in Colorado Springs, Colo.