Dr. Harold Hubert Jeter

"Death comes like the birth of a baby, when it's time, it's time – birth, death, sleep, healing; each comes in its own time – whatever comes, we can trust that we are in the hands of a God who loves us." So, that time came for Doctor Harold Hubert Jeter when he flew away with angels on Monday, February 15, 2010. His first wife, Mary Glenn Slater, predeceases Dr. Jeter. He is survived by his wife, Martha Denny Jeter, his brother, Mumford Scott Jeter and wife Doris, his children, Lee Jeter Davies and husband Jeff, Elizabeth (Libby) Summerford and husband Bryan, Mary Catherine Worley and husband Sid, and Robin Rayburn Jeter and wife Seyward and their daughters Merritt and Jordan. Also surviving are grandchildren Bobby and Elizabeth Hardy, Bobby's sons Christian and Tripp, Hunt Summerford, Ryan and Jon Sobus, step children, Robert Vernon Jeter, John Denny Jeter, Melicent Jeter and great granddaughter Victoria Jeter. Dr. Jeter was born in Columbia, SC, July 1925 to the late Harold Hubert Jeter and Elizabeth Scott Jeter. Harold moved to Wilmington when he was four years old. He attended Hemingway and Isaac Bear Elementary Schools before graduating from New Hanover High School where he excelled in academics and in football as fullback on the double wing formation. Harold was ROTC Captain of Company B. Being in the honors program, he left New Hanover High School in January 1943 and was admitted early to the freshman class of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When he was eighteen, he joined the Navy. Because he was color blind, he was given the choice of being a cook or a medic. Choosing to be a medic destined his career and future in the medical profession. In the Navy, he sang in the Blue Jackets Choir. While stationed at Long Beach Naval Hospital he was assigned to the Marine Corps. Following that assignment he went on to New Guinea and there he was involved in the invasion of Leyte Gulf. Harold was assigned to the USS Pinkney, a black hospital ship, so called because it was armed. A Japanese Kamikaze struck that ship and damaged it extensively. Because of Harold's valiant efforts to right the ship he was awarded the distinguished Bronze Star. While stationed on an LST he was involved in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Caught between American and enemy fire, he rescued the wounded and the burned from Mt. Siribachi, ferrying soldiers back to the hospital ship. After the war he returned to Chapel Hill, pledged Phi Gamma Delta and finally entered Medical School. He completed his medical degree with highest honors at the University of Virginia, enabling him to be tapped into AOA, an honorary medical fraternity. Dr. Jeter then joined the Army and interned at Walter Reed Hospital and trained under Brigadier General William Mattingly, President Eisenhower's cardiologist. Thus he had served in the Navy, Marines, and Army. In 1954, Dr. Jeter entered family medicine practice by establishing a clinic in his grandmother's home in Florence, SC. He later formed Jeter-Skinner Clinic and he and Dr. Roy Skinner moved to McLeod Hospital West Wing. Harold was said to have delivered approximately 3, 000 babies. He had the first portable electrocardiogram machine in Florence. He worked tirelessly to see that family medicine was board certified and later was honored in the year 2000 in San Francisco for life long contributions to that profession. For ten years, Harold was the editor of "The South Carolina Family Practice Journal", also contributing articles. He served on the committee to set up the code systems for the South Carolina Medical Society. Dr. Jeter was Chairman of the South Carolina committee to rehabilitate doctors with drug problems. He was the medical director of Honorage Nursing Home and instrumental in originating both the Heritage and Commander Nursing Homes. He headed the Tuberculosis Sanitarium, which later became the Presbyterian Home, having been director of all of those institutions. In Florence, he was a deacon in the First Presbyterian Church and an elder in the John Calvin Presbyterian Church, where he enjoyed choral singing. He was president of the Kiwanis Club and the Florence Country Club. Throughout his career he remained loyal to his beloved McLeod Hospital where he taught young physicians who were on McLeod's Resident Staff. Dr. Jeter was considered to be an institution at McLeod Hospital; one who went quietly around upturning stones while maintaining the highest principles, displaying integrity, honor, and gentility. Known for his whistled birdcalls he further delighted the children he treated. Dr. Jeter concentrated and devoted his life to the service and healing of his patients. Modern medicine was barely a century old, yet he practiced good medicine for almost half a century. He fought a ferocious battle against the diseases of the mind and body, death, malnutrition, and poverty. He sat with patients and literally stood by them. Some patients remarked they felt better when he would walk into their rooms. Harold Jeter felt it was a privilege to find and solve patients ailments, to comfort and to listen. He did so with a great deal of compassion and dignity. His greatest reward was to witness the progressive medical changes during his century. He had practiced medicine 46 years, retiring three times. Throughout his life he thrived on the love of medicine, the caring of his patients and anyone in medical stress. Patients were endeared to him for his virtues, his concern for human values, for his sincerity, honor, and healing achievements. Dr. Jeter's final tenure was as a circuit rider physician to McLeod's subsidiary clinics, his last two years being at the Timmonsville Clinic. He retired at the age of 75. After marrying Martha Denny Jeter, widow of his second cousin, Dr. Vernon Jeter, he and Martha moved back to Wilmington in 2000 where he became a member of the Surf Club and Cape Fear Country Club, loving his association with the senior golfers. He joined the First Presbyterian Church and the Journey Sunday School Class. He and Martha enjoyed their days at Wrightsville Beach where he reveled in the joys of surfing and fishing. Funeral services will be held at 11 AM, Thursday, February 18, 2010 at the First Presbyterian Church with Dr. Ernest Thompson officiating. Graveside services will be held at 3:30 PM, Thursday, at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Florence, SC, 100 Cherokee Rd. Memorials may be made to the McLeod Children's Hospital, PO Box 100551 Florence, SC 29502-0551.