Berryhill, W. Reece (Walter Reece), 1900-1979

Walter Reece Berryhill was director of student health services, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1933-1941, and dean of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 1941-1964.

Walter Reece Berryhill was born 14 October 1900 in Charlotte, N.C., the son of Samuel Reece and Minnie Eugenia Scott Berryhill. In 1921, he graduated from the University of North Carolina. Six years later he completed course work at the Harvard University School of Medicine. Berryhill served as an intern at Boston City Hospital, and as a resident at University Hospital (Case Western Reserve University), Cleveland, Ohio.

In 1931, Berryhill returned to his native state. From 1933 to 1941, he served as physician-in-chief at the University infirmary and director of the student health service at his alma mater. Also during this period, Berryhill was promoted to associate professor, then to assistant professor, and, finally, to assistant dean of the School of Medicine. In 1941, he became both professor of medicine and dean of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. After 27 years as dean, Berryhill stepped down from that position in 1968. He retired in 1971, having served his last three years as the Sarah Graham Kenan Professor of Medicine.

In addition to his service at UNC, Berryhill was vice-president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 1958-1959, and sat on the executive council. He also wrote numerous articles pertaining chiefly to lung diseases and medical education. His final project was the co-authoring of Medical Education at Chapel Hill: The First Hundred Years (1979).

Berryhill received various awards for his service to medical education. Among these were the Faculty-Alumni Distinguished Service Award (1955), honorary degrees from Davidson College (1956) and UNC-Chapel Hill (1976), the O. Max Gardner Award (1964), and the Distinguished Citizen Award (1964). He considered his greatest honor the choice of Berryhill Hall as the name of the Basic Medical Sciences Building at UNC-Chapel Hill. The University thus acknowledged Berryhill's successful efforts to change the medical school from a two-year to a four-year program, and to lead the school to national prominence.

On 3 August 1930, Berryhill married Norma Mae Connell. The couple had two children, Jane and Catherine. Berryhill died 1 January 1979.