Thomas Joe Rosenbalm

Dr. Thomas Joe Rosenbalm, B.A. ’50, M.A. ’51, of Spring, Texas, passed away July 19. He was born December 8, 1929, in Schwertner, Texas, to the late Clarence Olen Rosenbalm and Claudia Lee (Weatherford) Rosenbalm. He grew up in Bartlett, Texas, and graduated from Bartlett High School with honors.

Rosenbalm attended Baylor University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950 and a Master of Arts degree in 1951. He then obtained his Doctor of Medicine from Baylor College of Medicine in 1955. To further his training, Rosenbalm completed a residency in San Diego. He then entered the United States Air Force, becoming a flight surgeon, and he served two years in Japan. During his service, Dr. Rosenbalm was honored with a write-up in Stars and Stripes detailing his night mission flying in a helicopter and then a sea plane during a typhoon to perform emergency surgery to save the life of a Japanese officer’s wife.

Upon returning home, he opened his medical practice in Houston, where he served his community for 28 years. Dr. Rosenbalm served on the board of directors for Fidelity Bank and Trust in Houston and the board for Hospital Affiliates International in Nashville. He served as the chief of staff for Northshore Medical Plaza and a member of the board of governors for both the Harris and Bell County Medical Societies and the American Legion.

In 2015, Rosenbalm donated funds to his beloved alma mater, Baylor University, for the construction of an improved Fifth Street and the Rosenbalm Fountain to honor his parents. Dr. Rosenbalm wanted to create a space on the campus that would not only provide a hub for activities and a place for study but also a place to reflect on the families that support all students at Baylor.