Dr. Gary T. Kimmel

A memorial service for Dr. Gary T. Kimmel, 76, of Flint, will be held on Monday, October 8, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Marvin United Methodist Church with Dr. Doug Baker and Dr. Mike Massar officiating under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. A private burial will precede the service at Rose Hill Cemetery.

Dr. Kimmel passed away on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at his home in Flint. He was born June 22, 1942 in Brookville, Ohio to Byron Kimmel and Ethel Jones Kimmel.

Dr. Kimmel graduated from Bowling Green State University of Ohio in 1964, after which he attended medical school at the University of Cincinnati, graduating in 1968. He completed his education with a Fellowship in Hematology at Cincinnati General Hospital. Dr. Kimmel served in the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of Major and Chief of Medicine at Darnell Army Hospital at Fort Hood, TX. He practiced medical oncology for over 30 years until he retired in April of 2001.

Throughout his career, Dr. Kimmel was a member of the American College of Physicians, American Society of Hematology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, Smith County Medical Society, the Texas Society of Medical Oncology and the American College of Sports Medicine. He held appointments as Medical Director of Hospice, Hospice Board Member, Hospice Executive Committee Member, member of the State of Texas Cancer Task Force, Northeast Director Texas Chapter American College of Physicians, Secretary of Texas Society of Medical Oncology, M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute Physicians' Advisory Board Member and member of U.T. Tyler Advisory Board of Master of Science in Clinical Exercise Kinesiology program.

Dr. Kimmel was the recipient of the Gold Headed Cane Award and was awarded membership in the "Dr. Luke Society." In 2007, he was elected into the Hall of Honor of Brookville High School (his hometown high school from which he graduated) and in 2009, he was awarded the T. B. Butler Award for Outstanding Citizen of Tyler. In addition to all of these achievements, Dr. Kimmel also authored numerous medical reports, journals and other publications on cancer research.

Dr. Kimmel's belief in exercise as treatment for cancer patients was realized in the founding of Cancer Foundation for Life where he served as medical director and Board Chairman Emeritus. He dedicated his retirement years to improving the quality of life and survivability of cancer patients. Through collaborative research, Dr. Kimmel worked to demonstrate the power of managed exercise as an integral part of a comprehensive treatment program for cancer.

He served as Chairman of the Tyler Baseball Commission which was responsible for the renovation of Mike Carter Field in 1993 with the goal of improving facilities that would benefit the whole community including TISD and Tyler Junior College.

Dr. Kimmel was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Byron Dale Kimmel. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 50 years, Phyllis Kimmel of Flint; his son, Greg Kimmel (Jennifer) of Tyler; daughters, Lori Peake (Jeff) of Clemson, S.C. and Lissa Greenlee (Ryan) of Richmond, VA; eight grandchildren, Jacob and Nathan Peake, Noah, Cole, Kate and Emma Kimmel, and Ava and Parker Greenlee; sister, Sherri Kimmel and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Pallbearers will be Byron Kimmel, Alexander Diegel, Jeff Peake, Ryan Greenlee, Jacob Peake, Nathan Peake, Noah Kimmel, Cole Kimmel and Parker Greenlee. Honorary pallbearers will be the Board of Directors and staff of Cancer Foundation for Life/Fit Steps and members of the Seekers Sunday School Class.

Visitation will follow the memorial service in Pirtle Hall at Marvin United Methodist Chuch.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Cancer Foundation for Life/Fit Steps at P.O. Box 8257, Tyler, TX 75711.