Dr. Phyllis Jane Rivers

Dr. Phyllis Jane
Rivers
October 6, 1925-
May 26, 2013
Columbus, Georgia- Dr. Phyllis Jane Rivers passed away May 26, 2013 at the St. Francis Hospital after a long illness. Her memorial service will be Saturday, June 1, 2013, at 2:00pm at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 2100 Hilton Ave, Columbus, with a reception immediately following.
She was born and raised in Tampa, Fla. She graduated as a Phi Beta Kappa member from Duke University at age 17 with a degree in Zoology, and again from Yale University with her MD at age 21. She interned for a year at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Fla. followed by a pediatric residency at Bellevue Hospital, and Buffalo Children's Hospital in New York. She met her husband Dr. Walker P. Rivers during that time, and they were married and moved to Columbus, GA in 1951. Here is where she began her career at the Columbus Health Department as resident pediatrician in charge of the Head Start program. In the seventies, she served the State of Georgia as resident physician (aka "The Magic Pencil") at the DIG Clinic and moved from there to head the drug/alcohol ward of West Central Georgia Regional State Hospital, retiring in 2000.
Besides her busy professional life, Jane was a founding member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church and sang in the choir and rang hand bells until her health prevented her from doing so last year. She also raised orchids, showed Jazz the Champion in dog shows, raised Pharaoh hound puppies, engaged in several senior exercise and aquacize classes, played bridge, and supported the arts, animal rescue, and international relief efforts. While raising six children, she learned to play the viola and the recorder and performed with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in its early years. She was a strong personality with a quick wit and direct manner who will be cherished and missed by many.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, two brothers, and her faithful companion for 14 years, Eslamorada Jasmine (Jazz), her Champion Pharaoh hound.
She is survived by Margaret Mason Rivers; Lee Ellen (and Sam) Mobley of Durham, NC; Walker (and Suzan) Rivers of Macon, GA; Amy (and Jim) Smith of Columbus, GA; Joan (and Ken) Cox of Rabun Gap, GA; and Ruth (and Bruce) Berger of Loganville, GA. She is survived by grandchildren Jane Marie Rivers; Andrew, Emily, and Walker Smith; Laurel, Olivia, and Blythe Rivers; and Ashley, Nathan, and Matthew Berger. She is also survived by a brother James Andrews of Provo, Utah, and her devoted friends and companions Toby (Sir Barcsalot), Sharron Shirley, LPN who was fondly called "my Sergeant Major", and Julie Justice who helped with everything.