Dr. Thomas Ellis Reeve Jr.

CARROLLTON, Ga. - Dr. Thomas Ellis Reeve, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, June 12, 2008. Dr. Reeve was born April 29, 1920, in Richmond, Virginia, the son of Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Ellis Reeve, Sr. In 1921 he moved to the former Belgian Congo, West Africa, with his missionary parents. Upon returning to the states in 1929 they took up residence in Calhoun, Georgia. Upon graduation from Calhoun High School in 1937 he attended Emory at Oxford, received his bachelor's degree from Emory University in 1941, and received his M.D. degree from Emory University School of Medicine in 1944. He subsequently completed his surgical residency at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta under Dr. Floyd McRae. During WWII Dr. Reeve was commissioned as a lieutenant in the United States Navy and assigned to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Dublin, Georgia. It was there that he met his future wife, Ruth Hadley of Statesville, N.C., who was serving in the American Red Cross. They were married on November 10, 1945. Upon completion of his military duties, Dr. Reeve did a 2 year surgical residency at Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, GA. In 1949, he and his family moved to Carrollton, Georgia, where he joined Tanner Memorial Hospital and became the first General Surgeon on staff there. He practiced solo until Dr. T. M. "Mac" Martin joined the practice in the mid 1960's, forming the Carrollton Surgical Group. In 1957 Dr. Reeve became the first Board Certified Surgeon in Carroll County. He, like his other colleagues, made countless house calls over the West Georgia and East Alabama area, frequently receiving fresh vegetables, muscadines, chickens, and country hams for his services. His patients loved him not only because he was a gifted surgeon, but also because he was compassionate, attentive, and always had the patient's best interests in mind. He retired in 1987 after his son T.E. Reeve, III (Tee) joined the practice. While on staff at Tanner Memorial Hospital, Dr. Reeve was an active member and former chief of staff of Tanner Medical Center, past member of the Carroll City-County Hospital Authority, past acting member of the Tanner Medical Foundation Board of Directors and emeritus member from 2006 until present. He was a longtime member and former president of the Georgia Surgical Society, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the Floyd W. McRae Surgical Society, Carroll-Douglas-Haralson Medical Society, American Medical Association, Medical Association of Georgia, and The Southern Medical Association. Dr. Reeve was a former member of Sunset Hills Country Club, where he was an avid tennis player for most of his adult life. He was a devoted member of First United Methodist Church of Carrollton, where he served on many committees over the years. He and his wife Ruth were faithful members of the chancel choir for 50 years. Dr. Reeve was devoted to the community of Carrollton as well, where he was a member and former Chairman of the Carrollton City School Board of Education for 25 years. He was instrumental in supporting and instituting the smooth desegregation of the Carrollton City School System. Dr. Reeve was a past Carrollton Citizen of the Year. After his retirement he served on the Carrollton Federal Bank Board. He had a passion for photography, travel, trees, wildflowers, birds, rocks, and the constellations. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ruth Hadley Reeve, and their four children: daughter Susan and son-in-law Dr. Richard M. Ingle of Carrollton; daughter Robin and son-in-law Rick Allen of Augusta, Georgia; son Dr. Thomas Ellis Reeve, III, and daughter-in-law Dana, of Carrollton; son Tim Reeve and daughter-in-law Wendy of Augusta, Georgia. He and Ruth have 15 grandchildren: Kim Ingle Culwell (Johnny), Debbie Ingle Esslinger (Bill) of Carrollton, Betsy Ingle Perry (Jason) of Atlanta, Georgia, and Reeve Ingle of Carrollton; Jennifer Allen Green (Tee) of Carrollton, Andy Allen of Paris, France, Molly Allen of Atlanta, and Robin Anne Allen of Atlanta; Rett, Rachel, Molly and Sam Reeve of Carrollton; Will, Luke, and Matt Reeve of Augusta. He also has 9 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by brothers Dr. J. Jackson Reeve, Cumming, Ga. and Rev. Charles Reeve, Marietta, Ga. A memorial celebration of life service for Dr. Reeve will be held on Friday, June 20, 2008, at 1 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Carrollton with Rev. Eddie Herring, Rev. Tommy Greer, and Rev. Bill Holt officiating. Afterward the family will receive friends at a reception in the Fellowship Hall of the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Tanner Medical Foundation, Inc., 303 Ambulance Drive, Carrollton, GA 30117, Tanner Hospice Care, P.O. Box 1136, Carrollton, GA 30112, First United Methodist Church, 206 Newnan Street, Carrollton, GA 30117, or Carrollton City Schools Education Foundation, 106 Trojan Drive, Carrollton, GA 30117. Almon Funeral Home, Carrollton. Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com