Local veterinarian to retire after 42 years

Dr. Greg Tooke is taking down his shingle after forty-two years of serving Carter County and the surrounding area.

In 1975 Greg Tooke came back to Ekalaka to set up the first veterinary practice in Carter County. For around a year or two, he worked out of the old "Grandma McLean" house in town. Ranchers backed up to the door of the house and Tooke worked out of the their trucks. Dog and cat surgeries were performed on the kitchen table, much to his wife Susan's dismay.

In 1977 Jock Schneider roughed in Tooke's clinic on Highway 7 and Charlie Brence did the finishing on the inside. Later, some Swiss friends visited and built on to the initial building. The original paint job remains on the outside of the clinic after 42 years. Some kind of paint!

In 1988, Tooke was featured as the "flying veterinarian" in a book published by "Montana Magazine." Tooke and his Piper PA-11 Cub Special plane had many exciting experiences and close calls over the years. A cat with nine lives has nothing on "Dr. Death." The plane enabled him to serve more clients in Carter and Powder River counties. In addition to his clinic in Ekalaka, he also established a clinic in Broadus in the 1980s. After several years, Tooke sold the Broadus clinic to another veterinarian.

Dr. Greg Tooke is thankful to all of the customers he has had over the years for the many great memories he has from being a country veterinarian.

Individuals who have stories involving the doc that they would like to share are encouraged to send them to P.O. Box 437 in Ekalaka. The stories and memories will be compiled and, at some point, made into an entertaining book about his adventures as a country vet in his beloved Ekalaka.

The following is one such story submitted by Mrs. Tooke:

"It seems as though everyone has a nickname in Carter County...whether you know it or not! 'Dr. Death' came from an incident occurring at his clinic many years ago. A client brought in a cow with a bad cancer eye. Greg told the female rancher that he didn't think it was worth doing the surgery required as the cancer was left too long for the cow to recover. After much deliberating with the customer, he decided to do the surgery with the understanding that if it looked irreparable once he opened her up the cow would be put down. The cancer was a nasty one. Now getting a cow into the clinic was one thing. But, getting her out, half drugged, was another. She acted docile when the initial departure began. But, once outside she came to as if she knew what was in her future. Euthanasia wasn't a possibility at this point. Greg ran to the clinic to get his second form of euthanasia...a rifle. When he returned to the cow it was ready to jump the fence onto the highway. He shot and hit the cow just as she was jumping the fence. It landed hanging over the barbed wire. There was blood everywhere! Traffic was heavy that day and the sight of a smoking gun and a bloody, dead cow hanging over the fence was anything but good publicity! The story, of course, got around. The clever citizens of Ekalaka then baptized Greg as 'Dr. Death.'

Thanks again for your patronage over the years. It's been quite a ride but, due to health issues, it's time to step down."