W. David Strayhorn, Sr. was a physician, cardiologist, and teacher. He conducted research in heart disease and pregnancy. He served as the first Chief of the Cardiovascular Disease Clinic at Vanderbilt Hospital in 1951. He received both his bachelors and his M.D. from Vanderbilt University receiving the latter from the School of Medicine in 1928. He did his residency training at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, Vanderbilt University, and finally New York Hospital of Cornell University from 1932-1934. Dr. Strayhorn organized the medical department of the TVA in Knoxville from 1934-1936. He returned to Nashville to establish a private practice and served on the clinical faculty at Vanderbilt where he advanced from Instructor to Professor of Clinical Medicine from 1936-1968. He died August 3, 1981.