Dr. Fred H. Krock was a leading Fort Smith surgeon and founder of Holt-Krock Clinic along with Dr. Charles Holt. Krock also was a gynecologist. He practiced full-time until 1970 and part-time until his retirement.

Born July 15, 1900 in Sandusky, Ohio, he attended Western Reserve University in Cleveland until 1920 then studied at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., until 1923. In 1925, he was awarded his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Krock came to Fort Smith from Woman's Hospital in Baltimore where he was an intern, associate resident and resident. Dr. Howard Kelly, the "Father of Gynecology," was one of his teachers at Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Holt closed St. John's Hospital in 1934 to merge with Sparks Memorial Hospital, and the clinic moved into the building it vacated. Krock served on the board of governors of the Sparks hospital from 1951 to 1974. Besides the Sebastian County Medical Society, Krock was a member of the Arkansas Medical Society, where he served a term as vice president and a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery in 1950. From 1959 to 1960, he served as president of the National Council of the Southwestern Surgical Congress and was a member of the congress from 1952 to 1960.

Krock served in World War I. He was a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Naval Reserve Medical Corps and went on active duty in December 1941. Until December 1945, he served on active duty. He was discharged with the rank of captain.

At his death, Krock was survived by his wife, Hazel Josselyn Krock, two sons and four grandchildren.

Source: Southwest Times Record, "Fred Krock dies; founder of clinic," May 3, 1981, p. 1A, 7A.