Spain retires after 31 years in anatomy lab

Nathan Spain spent 31 years in the anatomy lab at Baylor College of Dentistry before retiring Jan. 26, 2007 and leaving his position in biomedical sciences to his son, Kevin.

Spain was responsible for the receiving, care and maintenance of the bodies in BCD’s willed body program. He also was responsible for the gross anatomy laboratory, where up to 100 students are dissecting and studying at one time. He trained his son in January on the particulars of the job and assures he is ready to jump in and help if Kevin runs into trouble in the lab.

Nathan Spain (third from left) with Anatomy Professors (l-r) Robert Hinton, Bob Hutchins, Emet Schneiderman, Jim MacIntosh and Robert Spears.

“Mr. Spain has been a good teacher for Kevin on the day-to-day necessities of taking care of our dental students’ first patients,” says Dr. Bob Hutchins, associate professor of biomedical sciences.

Spain had a special relationship with the dental students. He says he looked at all of the students as if they were his own and kept in contact with many of them over the years. While Spain says he will miss all of the instructors and colleagues he worked with, he admits he will miss the students the most.

“Mr. Spain always was there for students and he would remember them over the years,” says Hutchins. “I was amazed at how he would talk about specific students and then tell me where they were practicing.

“Mr. Spain has always been efficient and respectful to everyone, but I think what I noticed above all of the other things – beyond his job – was how he got to know the students and be their friend; and that went both ways, too,” says Hutchins.

Shortly before Spain’s retirement, a fire damaged much of his Dallas home, forcing him to relocate until the house returns to livable condition. For now, he is staying with relatives. Despite the setback of the fire, he holds plans for retirement, which will initiate an exciting new chapter of his life.

“I plan on spending more time with my grandchildren – and more time with myself,” says Spain.