"Dr. Charles E. Nelson had been considering retiring for a couple of years, but he was worried about who would care for his patients after he left. After all, he had been caring for some of them almost as long as he'd been practicing - some 50 years. And he is still in good health, so deciding to retire wasn't an easy decision.

"As it approached the 50 year mark, I thought, I feel good, I ought to be able to go beyond that. But then I thought how selfish that is. My patients are good people, and if something happens to me, then they are in a quandary looking for somebody."

And he wanted to be sure he found the right person to care for his patients.

"If I can find somebody real good who can treat my people good, give them good services, be fair and everything, I would hang it up.'

"My main concern is for the people I've taken care of all these years. I expect anybody who comes in to take care of them with the same kind of care I have."

And Dr. Nelson seems to have found the person who can fill those shoes: Dr. Melanie White..."

"She is easy to know. People will take to her. I can't imagine people not liking her... You do develop attachments for certain people, when you find one you really like you don't want to lose them. That's what it amounts to - her intentions are to stay here and work with her people on a long-term basis."

"Dr Nelson wants to make sure his patients continue to get excellent care and attention, and he's pleased with his choice (in Dr. White)."Jill Bradley, his assistant and receptionist, will stay on with Dr. White to help her with the transition when she officially takes over the practice in August. He will have a chance to introduce the community to Dr. White at a reception..."

"I think she is going to be a real credit to the community. I am comfortable with this, and I never thought I would be."