John Calvin Partin, MD

John Calvin Partin passed away peacefully at home on August 25, 2023, at the age of 90, in Gloucester, Virginia. John was born on March 21, 1933, at Fort Lewis, Washington, to Col. Calvin and Opal Partin. As an “Army brat”, John moved many times. He and his wife Jacqueline (Surratt) Partin met at the US Military High School in Erlangen, Germany, and married in 1954 in Lexington, Kentucky. John graduated from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where he studied bacteriology and participated in ROTC. He attended medical school at the Cincinnati College of Medicine, graduating in 1959. After completing his training in pediatrics and serving as chief pediatric resident at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, John was assigned to the US Army Tropical Medical Laboratory, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After his military service, he completed a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.
   When he returned to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in 1966, he established an Electron Microscope Laboratory, funded by the William K. Schubert family, where he worked side-by-side with his wife on childhood illnesses such as Reye’s Syndrome. After 14 years at Children’s Hospital, John became the first Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the State University of New York - Stony Brook, and he and wife Jackie relocated to Old Field, New York. John was a skilled and compassionate scientist-pediatrician, widely sought after for his diagnostic acumen and his dedication to his young patients.
   When John retired in 1995, after a year of travel, he and Jackie settled in Gloucester. In Gloucester, John became a Master Gardener, and was instrumental in the development of the Tidewater Oyster Garden Association. John always enjoyed teaching and he led many workshops instructing others in building oyster floats for their docks. John was an avid reader, and over the years, he and Jackie donated hundreds of books to the Gloucester Public Library. He was always eager to start a discussion on his latest interesting read.
   John is survived by wife Jackie (Surratt) Partin, to whom he was completely devoted; daughters Beth (Partin) Evans (Nick Evans), Barboursville, VA; Mary Partin, Cleveland, OH; Kathryn Partin (John Gieser), Gaithersburg, MD; Jill Partin (Michael Klitzner), Rixeyville, VA; son Jonathan Partin (Linda Partin), Southwest Harbor, ME; and eight grandchildren: Nathaniel Galea, Jon Evans, Jaq Evans, Alan Dowling, Taylor Gieser, JP Gieser, Calvin Partin and Charlotte Partin. He was preceded in death by brothers James and William Partin. John was blessed with loving caregivers who made his last months as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
   Throughout his life, John showed his love of education and science, the value of compassion to others, his love of country, and the importance of every individual becoming the best person they could be. He believed that his children were his greatest contribution and was proud to see each of their accomplishments in their fields and family lives. He was a loving husband, son, father, and grandfather, who had a lasting impact on all who knew him.
   Services will be private at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science General Graduate Student Support Fund (3337). This reflects John’s passion to protect of the environment and support education in Virginia.
   Andrews Funeral Home, Gloucester, Va. is in charge of arrangements.