Valley Doctor Loses Battle With Cancer
By Jack Gurner
Reporter
“He left a war-torn country to find peace.”
That was how Dr. Bojan M. Milicevic, M. D., began his journey to Water Valley, said friends.
That journey ended Monday, Nov. 19.
Dr. Bo grew up in the country formerly known as Yugoslavia and completed his medical training at the University of Belgrade in 1984. He practiced at their University Clinical Center before going into residency in New York.
“Water Valley seems to be a kind, quiet town,” he said when he joined the staff at Yalobusha General Hospital in May of 2000. “This is the type of environment that I want for my family.”
“He was a dedicated physician, a dedicated father, dedicated friend…He was an honorable man with a gentle compassionate spirit and the heart of a lion,” said Linda Eakes, Director of Pharmacy at the Yalobusha General Hospital, and Kimmons Street neighbor.
“He was one of those doctors who still made house calls,” commented family friend Lori Williamson. “He was that kind of caring doctor for everybody.”
The doctor treated her father, Brownie Crawford, who once commented that Dr. Bo would have to become a Crawford since he would never learn how to pronounce Milicevic.
“Dr. Bo was an excellent physician who did a lot to relieve the stresses on some of us old guys,” commented Dr. Joe Walker. The two practiced together in the Medical Arts Building of Yalobusha General Hospital.
“He’s really going to be missed,” Dr. Walker said.
Dr. Bo opened the Water Valley Medical Clinic on May 1, 2006. Friends say he continued to work there when he could during the last months of his life.
“Not only was he needed here, but he chose to be here. He wanted to be here,” Eakes added.
