Who’s Who in Yelm – Dr. W. H. Frisbie
Nisqually Valley News February 11, 1943
Making his living off others persons’ pains and complaint hasn’t tainted Dr. W. H. Frisbie’s sociable outlook on life. With the solemnity of Methusalah he regales his patients and Yelm Lions club with jokes and hilarity indeed, he don’t betray beyond a twinkle in his eye that he thinks the stories are funny.
Yelm’s Fred Allen was born in Lech, Illinois, but was received his academic training at Ellsworth College in Iowa Falls. and has a degree from Iowa State University. During the two prosperous post war years he built up a dental business in the Middle West., only to lose that during the financial slump which followed, most people were more interested in headache than toothaches. Selling his office and equipment Dr. Frisbie came west to Washington and picked Yelm as the town he would most like to settle in.
That was 1934. Today he still occupies his office on Yelm’s main street even though his colleagues in Tacoma have often urged him to give up his rural practice for a more flourishing urban business. “Doc” will often get up to Tacoma, look at the opportunities [can’t read] . . .Yelm is a better town than Tacoma (We hope he wasn’t so convincing for this town couldn’t quite support all the dentists in Tacoma who might decide to give this outside life a try.
His very early life seems to have intrigued him, for he was prepared for instantaneous recitation with an account of his birthdays up to the age of five.
When he was one he solemnly announced, “I had a birthday cake with one candle. I ate the cake. When I was two I must have suffered a slight setback for I ate the candles instead of the cake. When I was three I said my first word, ‘Mama.’ At four I learned my second word, ‘Dada.’ But when I was five my mother had me wash my mouth with tar soap.
After going into business in Yelm, Dr. Frisbie married Miss Ora Harcourt who was formerly th principal of the Yelm High School. Not being satisfied with the ordinary of numbers of children, “Doc” claims all the youngsters who pass by his office on their way to and from school as his own.
“That’s the reason I located my office on its present site,” claims the dentist. “I wouldn’t give up any friendship with all these swell kids for anything in the world and I’m almost as fond of most of their parents.
The Lions Club, both the local organization and the other club in this area receive most of Dr. Frisbie’s spare time. Mot of Yelm’s business men belong to the organization which has performed many outstanding services for this community.