Dr. Carter’s personal touch

The Journal Sentinel’s appropriate veneration of pharmacist Dr. Lester Carter reminded me of a memorable encounter I had with him in 1988 (“Photos: Street dedicated to Dr. Lester Carter”).

Within a few weeks of relocating here from another state, I was advised that the namesake owner of Carter Drug Store was unusually engaging in thoroughly attending to the needs and requests of all prospective customers.

Even though I transacted only a minor, single purchase, Carter provided far more extensive, time-consuming service and imparted much more comprehensive knowledge than would have been available from a physician. Not until I noticed the paper’s portrayal of Carter — who was no spring chicken when I met him — would I have suspected that he remained in business into the new millennium, much less achieved a halfcentury of service.

At a time of consolidation within the health care industry characterized by depersonalization and the displacement of personal service by dehumanizing technology, Carter’s commitment to individualized attention is representative of iconic concerns of a bygone era..

Jay Hodin Brown Deer

Please email your letters to jsedit@jrn.com, or mail them to Letters to the editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, P.O. Box 371, Milwaukee, Wis. 53201-0371. Letters should be about 200 words.