Dr. Floyd W. Denny Jr.

Dr. Floyd W. Denny, Jr., 77, died October 17, 2001, surrounded by his family and his beloved dog Dandy.
Dr. Denny was born in Hartsville, South Carolina. He completed his undergraduate degree at Wofford College and received his MD from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Dr. Denny held faculty positions in pediatrics at the University of Minnesota, Vanderbilt University, Case Western Reserve University, as well as the University of North Carolina atChapel Hill where he was chairman of pediatrics for 20 years.
As an investigator, Dr. Denny was a pioneer in the study of streptococcal disease. The studies he did with colleagues can be credited with saving countless lives of children through the prevention of rheumatic fever and with sparing millions the debilitating effects of rheumatic heart disease.
As a leader, he took a small, fledgling department of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina and moved it to national prominence as the site for educating pediatric residents and training postdoctoral fellows. In addition, it became a national leaderin research.
Dr. Denny served his university, his state, and his country by sitting on numerous advisory boards including the Commission of Acute Respiratory Diseases, the Commission of Streptococcal Diseases and the Armed Forces EpidemiologicalBoard. He was president of both the Society of Pediatric Research and the American Pediatric Society. In 1995 he received theAmerican Pediatric Society's John Howland Award, perhaps the most prestigious award an academic pediatrician can receive.
After formally retiring in 1993, Dr. Denny continued to work as an administrator and teacher for the department of pediatrics. He continued teaching daily until a few months before his death. As a teacher, he attained a stature shared by few others.Medical students, residents, faculty, and practicing physicians have always known him as an honest, scholarly and articulate educator and mentor who taught them by precept and example to have high expectations of themselves as they approach the health care of children.
Dr. Denny was married for 54 years to Barbara H. Denny who died September 30, 2000.
He is survived by their three children: Zoe Ulshen of Carrboro, Mark Denny and his wife Susan of Pacific Grove, California and Tim Denny and his wife Susan of Athens, Georgia. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Katie and Jim in California and Riva and Ethan in Georgia.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Floyd W. Denny, Jr. Distinguished Professorship in Pediatrics, Medical Foundation of North Carolina, 880Airport Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 or UNC Hospice, PO Box 1077, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
Arrangements are with Walker's Funeral Home, Chapel Hill.