John Ellis Moffitt

Dr. John Ellis Moffitt, professor of pediatrics and senior associate dean in the School of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, died December 6, 2007. Visitation is Monday, December 10 from 5-7 p.m. at Wright & Ferguson on Highland Colony Parkway in Madison. Funeral services will be at 2p.m. Tuesday December 11 at Galloway United Methodist Church in Jackson, Mississippi with visitation preceding the service. Visitation will begin at 12:45.
"This is a great loss for the University Medical Center and to the medical community at large. John was a wise and trusted advisor and friend to me. He will be missed by us all," said Dr. Daniel W. Jones, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine.
Dr. Owen B. Evans, chair of the Department of Pediatrics, called Moffitt "a friend to many, one of the most intelligent and caring physicians we've ever had at this institution."
"His dedication to medical education at all levels was unmatched," Evans said. "He also was a key member of the team who helped build the Department of Pediatrics.
"He served as pediatrics vice-chair for many years and was instrumental in helping make the Blair E. Batson Hospital what it is today. For a department chairman, there isn't anything more rewarding than watching your students succeed – I was always pleased to watch his career as he progressed from resident to full professor. He will be greatly missed by all whose lives he touched."
A member of the UMC faculty for two decades, Moffitt served as associate vice chancellor for health affairs from 2003-07, associate dean for graduate medical education from 2000-2003, and director of the Division of Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Pediatrics from 1987-2002.
After graduating with honors and special distinction from Mississippi College, Moffitt earned his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical School. Here he completed his internship and residency, serving as chief resident and instructor in pediatrics from 1984-1985. He completed a two-year fellowship in allergy-immunology at the Medical College of Georgia in 1987, then returned to UMC, where he served as director of the pediatric residency program from 1990-1996.
The author or coauthor of numerous scientific publications and abstracts on childhood diseases, Moffitt was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the Mississippi State Medical Association, the American College of Allergists, the Central Mississippi Pediatric Society, the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology and the American College of Allergy and Immunology.
John Moffitt was a devoted father, connoisseur of Jamaican food, and avid sports fan. He was a Green Bay Packers stock-holder and a disciple of the Boston Celtics. Though musically challenged, he was an enthusiastic Rolling Stones fan with periodic diversions to see the Who. It is rumored that he took his son David to the Who in concert on two occasions. Bragging rights of this magnitude clearly justified absence from school.
John Moffitt was beloved by all who knew him," said Dr. Helen R. Turner, UMC associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. "He never met a stranger; he enjoyed talking to all people and making them laugh. He especially loved students and residents and was a wonderful teacher.
Pediatric Allergy was his calling. Though he served children with common diseases such as asthma, he was a standout in his profession while battling afflictions of the immune system. As a teaching physician Dr Moffitt had the gift for translating incomprehensible concepts into working clinical knowledge for medical students and residents alike.
If medicine was his vocation, humor was his hobby. He could lighten the darkest moments with a word. He delivered pithy comments, biting wit, and bits of sophomoric humor with artistic skill. He enjoyed practical jokes, much to the chagrin of his colleagues and mentors alike. A smile was his hallmark.
He was preceded in death by his parents Drs. Nina and Ellis Moffitt. He grew up surrounded by steadfast love, unsurpassed intellect and keen wit. His life, passion for service, and his medical expertise reflect the labors of these remarkable parents.
Dr. Moffitt is survived by his wife Jennifer Lynn Smith Moffitt, their children, Kathleen Marie and David Ellis, faithful dogs Betty Lou and Sydney, his sister Dr. Ginny Crawford (Howell) and nephews Zach, Clay, and Ellis, and his aunt Ida Hollan Robinson of Wichita Falls, Texas. The family wishes to acknowledge the unfaltering presence in Dr. Moffitt's life by Rose Brent. Rose was like a mother to him.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Blair Batson Children's Hospital, Red Cross, Galloway Memorial Methodist Church or University of Southern Mississippi Foundation Student Health Service Account.