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Gustav Bansmer was born in New York City in 1917. He received both his undergraduate and medical degrees from Columbia University in 1938 and 1942 respectively. After rising through the ranks of the surgical staff at Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound to Chief of Staff, Bansmer made a career change in 1959. In that year, he founded and opened the Yakima Valley Clinic which offered medical and community services to residents of the Yakima Valley. Shortly thereafter Bansmer became involved in efforts to develop medical and health care delivery systems for rural and migrant populations in Washington State. He served on numerous committees and boards during the 1960s and 1970s which explored ways to teach medical students and paraprofessionals about this area of medicine. He also testified before Congress and lectured and wrote on rural and migrant health care issues. Gustav Bansmer died on August 10, 1998.