Dr. Elizabeth Pryor

JOHNSON CITY – Dr. Elizabeth Craver (Adams) Pryor, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., noted physician, beloved mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend, passed peacefully into the arms of her savior, surrounded by family and friends at her home, Monday afternoon, Aug. 29, 2005.
Dr. Pryor, assistant professor of Ob/Gyn at ETSU, had battled pancreatic cancer since March 2005.
She will be well remembered for her warmth and tenacity, her effusive energy, her abiding love and respect for friends, patients and colleagues, her superior clinical, research and teaching skills, her terrific sense of humor and her easy laugh, her beauty and wit, her grace, charm, and style.
Anyone lucky enough to receive her friendship or nurturing care knew they were protected by a strong, smart mama lioness. She enjoyed her family, travel, skiing, tennis, camping, snorkeling and listening to good music, including James Taylor, Tracy Chapman, Phil Collins, "Phantom" and "Les Mis."
She was funny, smart, hard-working and one of God's finer gifts to the world. She was 43 years old.
Dr. Pryor (Ellie) was born to Betty Jean (Craver) Adams and John Adams in Daytona Beach, Fla. She grew up there and in Winston-Salem, N.C. As a young child, she decided she wanted to be a doctor who catches babies. That dream became a guiding, driving force, which helped her to overcome numerous challenges, including financial and personal hardships, which would have broken or prevented lesser mortals. Growing up in a family full of love, she graduated valedictorian from Parkland High School in Winston-Salem in 1980.
Earning her Phi Beta Kappa key along the way, Ellie completed her B.S. in zoology at UNC on full academic scholarship in three years, graduating with highest honors. Following a year of post-graduate research, she received three scholarships to attend UNC Medical School, from which she graduated in 1988. Dr. Pryor completed her residency in Ob/Gyn at University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she served as chief resident. She began private practice in Miami in 1992 and continued in Eden and Greensboro, N.C. After rekindling a high school flame, she was married in 1994. In 1998, she began a post-doctoral fellowship in maternal/fetal medicine at Wake Forest University, Bowman-Gray School of Medicine.
In 2001, Dr. Pryor completed her fellowship and joined the faculty of the ETSU James H. Quillen College of Medicine where, in just four short years, she rose to national prominence as a professor, researcher and academician of excellence. In her short career, she delivered well over 4,000 children. She had done extensive research in the area of fetal Hypoxia, co-authored 15 technical papers and was the soon-to-be published author of a study on medical education regarding the instruction of repair of 4th degree lacerations.
Dr. Pryor was an APGO/Solvay scholar and received many awards for academic and teaching excellence, including the Dean's Distinguished Teaching Award in Clinical Sciences, and held membership in Alpha Omega Alpha, the most prestigious medical honor society. She had mentored and inspired numerous young physicians. Her advice to students and colleagues alike was "read the chart, listen to your patient." She was a faithful member of Trinity Moravian Church in Winston-Salem and volunteered countless hours of her time to the Sunnyside Ministry in Winston-Salem and the Keystone Clinic in Johnson City.
Dr. Pryor is survived by her husband, Brett; daughter, Emmaline; mother, Betty Adams of Winston-Salem; sisters, Amanda Adams of Winston-Salem and Meredith Boggs of Lexington, N.C.; brother, John Adams of Port Orange, Fla.; and her aunt, cousins, nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by her father, John W. Adams; brother, Steve Adams; and grandmother, Johnsie Craver.
The family extends its most sincere and grateful thanks to everyone who held on during the storm, who prayed for us and supported relatives throughout this very sad, challenging time. It felt like being pulled into a life raft when we thought we were drowning. Being on the receiving end of that kind of love is wonderfully overwhelming.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, in the Sunset Chapel of Tetrick Funeral Services, Johnson City, from 5-5:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, in the Carnegie Library on the Veterans Administration Campus in Johnson City and from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, at Vogler Funeral Home in downtown Winston-Salem. A memorial service for Dr. Elizabeth Craver (Adams) Pryor will be conducted at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, in the VA Theatre on the Veterans Administration Campus, with the Rev. John Gullett officiating. The eulogy will be delivered by Dr. Phil Bagnell. The funeral service in Winston-Salem will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, at Trinity Moravian Church, with Dr. Henry May and the Rev. John Jackman officiating. Interment will follow at God's Acre in Old Salem.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in Ellie's name to Sunnyside Ministry, 319 Haled St., Winston-Salem, NC 27127.
A biography about Dr. Pryor is being planned and the author would appreciate any stories or reminiscences be sent to docpryorbio@bellsouth.net. Friends have established a Web site, ElliesWish.org, to support research and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Words of condolence may be sent to the family via e-mail at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements for the Pryor family are through Tetrick Funeral and Cremation Services, 3001 Peoples St., Johnson City, TN 37604, (423) 610-7171.