Dr. John Alexander Lusk III

GREENSBORO — Dr. John Alexander Lusk, III died peacefully on June 9, 2010, surrounded by his family. He was 87 years young and lived a very full and giving life.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at Westminster Presbyterian Church at 2 p.m.

John Lusk was born April 9, 1923 in Gadsden, AL, the elder son of John Alexander Lusk, Jr. and Sarah Bellenger Lusk. He entered Davidson College as a member of the class of 1944. He accelerated his studies in order to graduate early and serve his country in World War II. He earned degrees in chemistry and mathematics from Davidson College in 1943. Within days of graduation, he joined the U.S. Army. He was assigned to Italy and participated in the invasion of southern France. After sustaining wounds that prevented him from returning to combat, he joined the Military Police Battalion in France. For his service he received the Combat Infantry Badge, as well as the Purple Heart.

After returning to the United States in the summer of 1946, Dr. Lusk earned his M.D. degree from the Medical College of Alabama in Birmingham in 1951. Following graduation he was awarded a year's fellowship there with Dr. Tinsley Harrison studying Cardiology. After completing this fellowship he became a medical intern under Drs. Chester Keefer and Louis Weinstein at Boston University Hospitals. He spent the next year as an Assistant Resident in Medicine with Dr. Max Wintrobe in Salt Lake City, Utah. He returned to the University of Alabama, Birmingham to become an Assistant Resident in Anatomic Pathology under the tutelage of Dr. J.F.A. McManus completing his medical residencies as a Senior Resident in Medicine. In 1958, he completed a fellowship in hematology with Dr. William Riser at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. During that year, he met his future wife, Barbara Angele, who was finishing her post-graduate degree in medical technology.

Dr. Lusk moved to Greensboro in 1958, opening an internal medicine practice with his brother, Walter. As he completed his hematology fellowship, the new specialty of oncology was added to his training. He introduced these specialties to the Greensboro medical community. Soon after his practice was set-up, he became a clinical associate with Dr. Wayne Rundles, Chief of Hematology and Oncology at Duke University, clinical instructor at Duke School of Medicine, as well as a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of N.C. He earned his Fellowship in the American College of Physicians in 1972. He served as Chairman of the Pharmacy Committee at Moses H. Cone Hospital for 25 years, at which time he was elected Chief of Medicine at Cone Hospital, serving until 1992.

He spent the first 36 years of his career serving Greensboro as a hematologist/oncologist and was one of the first physicians to recognize the need for hospice (end-of-life) care. He went on to become a founding board member of Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro and was the first physician in the community to make a patient referral to Hospice. Dr. Lusk retired for two weeks in 1993. For the next 17 years, he served with HPCG as the first medical director and then as medical director emeritus. In 1998 he became certified as one of the first Hospice and Palliative Medicine specialists in North Carolina. At the time of his death, he and Barbara co-chaired the 2010 HPCG Annual Campaign. His family has the highest praise for the special talents and grace embodied in the Hospice physicians and caring Hospice staff. The family also wishes to express their deep gratitude to the physicians and staff at Cone Hospital who took such excellent care of Dr. Lusk.

Dr. Lusk was very proactive in medicine, which was recognized by numerous honors, awards, and leadership roles on local, state, and national levels. . A few of Dr. Lusk's honors include the Sword of Hope from the American Cancer Society (ACS), the St. George's Medal from the ACS, Physician Laureate award from the NC Chapter of the American College of Physicans, and the Spirit of Hospice Award from HPCG. He was grateful and humbled by each one. He was also was on the cutting edge of medicine, as well as technology, helping to establish a computer system at Moses Cone Hospital. When praise was given of his determination and dedication, his reply would be: "That's just what you do. Give your best." He was always quick to note that Greensboro has given him many opportunities and that it was natural to give back to the community.

We lost a husband, father, mentor, friend, and hero. We also realize that his legacy lives on in all of us and it inspires us to forward his grace, ideals, and high standards.

Dr. Lusk is survived by his wife of 50 years, Barbara Angele Lusk of Huntsville, AL; their two children, John Alexander Lusk, IV of Durham and Elizabeth Lee Lusk of Raleigh; his brother and sister-in-law, Walter Coles Lusk, II and Nancy McKelvey Lusk of Los Angeles; two grandchildren, Conrad and Albert Lusk, and many loved family members and close friends.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27405 or the Lusk Family Scholarship at Davidson College, P.O. Box 7174, Davidson, NC 28035.