Dr. Audrey Traub
Last week I was shocked to learn a friend from college days died. Dr. Audrey Traub died January 28, 2007, at Unity Hospital in Fridley, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis. She was only 57 years old. Her birth date was 3 weeks before mine.
Audrey and I became friends while we were both medical technology students at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. We connected because of our major and classes together as well as our faith. In our senior year when we interned she already knew she wanted to go on to be a doctor. In the midst of interning she also took the pre-med Physics class so she would be ready to go on to Medical School the next year at UND. Her capacity to learn was astonishing. I remember watching her skim through her Biochemistry notes and highlight briefly…. just before we walked in to take our Biochemistry test. She aced it!! Memorizing all that information was hard for me. No, I did not ace it.
When we interned, the first semester she and I lived in an apartment with two other medical technology students. One of my fondest memories is that she patiently taught me to crochet. She showed me how to make a ‘shell’ (crochet vest that was made then) and it was bright orange!!
After college I moved from North Dakota to Rocky Ford, CO, where I worked a year in a small hospital lab. November 18, 1972, Glen and I married in Valley City, ND, and Audrey joined us in our joy and was at our guest book. We kept in touch through Christmas cards in the 70s. Audrey and I were able to meet in St. Paul when she was doing her residency in surgery in the late 70s as my family and I were traveling between our relatives in North Dakota and Wisconsin. We lost contact in the 80s.
Now I learned of her passing because another college friend saw her obituary in the Bismarck, ND, newspaper. Audrey was from the town of Garrison which is not far from Bismarck.
Though I would have much preferred to reconnect personally and know her at this time of our lives, I was very glad to learn these things from Audrey’s obituary and comments people have left at her guest book at www.legacy.com which is connected to her obituary.
* Dr. Audrey Traub was a doctor for 32 years. She had her medical practice as a surgeon for over 20 years in Fridley, MN, where she was on staff at Unity Hospital. She was named Chief of Staff in 1992.
“Additional appointments included serving as medical director of Mercy and Unity’s High Risk Breast Diagnostic Treatment Program and chair of the hospital’s breast cancer board. In 2002, in recognition of her dedication and service to Unity Hospital, organized medicine and the community, Unity was proud to present Audrey Traub, M.D. with the hospital’s highest physician honor, The William J. Carr Award.” (from her obituary)
* Dr. Traub was a strong proponent for women’s health and helped many people as a general surgeon. There are many comments on her legacy.com guest book that share how much she helped people and how much she will be missed. She was a very caring, compassionate surgeon. Their needs and comfort were of highest priority to her. She called her patients at their homes after they had surgery. She hand made Christmas ornaments that she shared with friends and patients.
* Audrey loved her cats and Star Trek. She traveled to China, Australia and New Zealand. She enjoyed reading, movies, gardening and crafts.
* There were funeral services for her at both her hospital and church which were Unity Hospital and Redeemer Lutheran Church in White Bear Lake.
I am so fortunate to have known Audrey. I am so proud of how she fulfilled her dream to be a surgeon and made such a difference in people’s lives!!! I feel loss with her family, friends, coworkers and patients. Indeed, she will be greatly missed!!
