Dr. Arthur Richard Gray

Dr. Arthur Richard Gray -ROME - Dr. Arthur Richard Gray, age 84 , of 2 Crestwood Drive, Rome, Georgia passed away January 3, 2010 following an extended illness. Dr. Gray was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 16, 1925, son of the late Arthur S. Gray and Pocahontas Gray. He was also preceded in death by two brothers and two sisters. -He served as a pharmacist mate working in the Operating Room at St. Albans Hospital on Long Island, New York before being deployed to the Pacific. He was at Okinowa and Iwo Jima serving on the U.S.S. Bayfield and the U.S.S. Bunkerhill. Dr. Gray also served as Captain in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1954 until 1958. -He received his B.A. degree and his Doctor of Medicine degree both from Emory University. He was a member of the Theta Kappa Psi Medical Fraternity. Both his year of internship and four years of Surgical Residency were at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia from 1953 until June 1958. -Dr. Gray's family moved to Rome in 1958 where he has served at both Floyd Medical Center and Redmond Regional Medical Center and was on the staff of McCall Hospital. He served as President of the Floyd-Polk-Chattooga Medical Society, Secretary-Treasurer and President of the 7th District Medical Society, a member and delegate of the Georgia Medical Association, a member of the Southern Medical Association and the American Medical Association and served as a surgeon with the Southern Railway. -He was author of the medical papers "Injuries of the Trachea", "Salivary Gland Tumors", and co-author of "Penetrating Chest Wounds" and "Non-Penetrating Chest Wounds". He helped create the trauma center at Floyd Medical Center and served as its first Trauma Director.Dr. Gray served as Medical Director and Trauma Consultant for Region 1 EMS for many years. He has been invaluable in providing guidance for the development of the trauma system not only in Northwest Georgia but in the state as a whole serving on the State Trauma Committee. He has served as president of the Rome Breakfast Club, Lt. Governor and Governor of the Georgia District of Optimist International. Dr. Gray served as a teacher in the Family Practice Residency Program at Floyd Medical Center. He was appointed as an Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine by Mercer University School of Medicine. -A member of the First Baptist Church since 1958, Dr. Gray served on numerous committees, secretary and chair of the deacons and is a Life Deacon. He loved golf, gardening, photography, fishing and growing roses. But most of all he loved his wife, his family, his church and his many, many patients. -Dr. Gray is survived by his beloved wife Edith of 63 years, his three children and their spouses, Cynthia Diane Farmer and her husband Cyrus Farmer of Kandern, Germany, Dr. Arthur R. Gray, Jr. and his wife Rosalyn R. Gray of Macon, Georgia and Dr. Phillip N. Gray and his wife Monica Gray of Calhoun, Georgia. Twelve grandchildren and one step granddaughter also survive him which include A. Christopher Gray of Macon, Georgia, and P. Aaron Gray of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, -Interment will be at Myrtle Hill Cemetery at 10A.M. Wednesday January 6, 2010 and a Memorial Service will follow at the First Baptist Church at 11A.M. with Dr. Joel Snider and Dr. Floyd Roebuck officiating. -In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the ministry of his missionary daughter and husband, Diane and Cy Farmer of Kandern, Germany c/o First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1189, Rome, Ga. 30162, or to the ministry of his missionary granddaughter and husband, Katherine and Alain Niles of Togo West Africa c/o First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1189, Rome, Georgia 30162, or First Baptist Church of Rome Foundation, Inc., P. O. Box 1189, Rome, Ga. 30162 or Heyman Hospice care at Floyd, P. Box 163, Rome, Ga. 30162-0163. -Please feel free to visit www.MeM.com to post tributes and share memories. -Daniel's Funeral Home is serving the family of Dr. Arthur Richard Gray. Dr. Arthur Gray