Dr. Keith Allen Dimond

1940 - 2018

Dr. Keith Allen Dimond, devoted husband, father, grandfather and physician died February 6, 2018. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 12, 1940 to Violet Becherer and Kenneth Glen Dimond. Growing up in Cincinnati, Keith excelled at competitive NCAA swimming and spent many hours on the golf course perfecting his natural talent. He enjoyed boating and flying the family aircraft and he soloed at the age of 16.

After graduating from Woodward High School, Keith enrolled at the University of Cincinnati College of Arts and Sciences and obtained a Bachelor's of Science degree with Honors in Chemistry. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and received the national John O. Moseley Award for the "highest standards of friendship, scholarship and service set forth by our founders and as specifically enunciated in our creed."

After graduation, Keith began his studies at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha medical honorary in his junior year. In 1964, he married the former Julie Shinkle, also a native of Cincinnati. In 1966, Keith received his Doctor of Medicine and celebrated the birth of their first child. The Dimonds moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he began an internship in Internal Medicine at Grady Memorial Hospital. He served for two years in the United States Public Health Service, Division of Indian Health as Surgeon on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Whiteriver, Arizona. In 1969, Keith returned to Grady Hospital to complete a two-year residency in Internal Medicine and received the Resident of the Year award in 1971.

At the completion of a two year fellowship in Nephrology Keith moved his now family of five to Savannah and became partner in Paulson Square Medical Associates and later Medical Associates of Savannah. He instituted the first dialysis center in Savannah with Dr. Lamont Danzig in 1974 at Memorial Hospital and served as its director as well as other centers, Coastal Dialysis and West Chatham Dialysis until retirement. He maintained a busy private practice for nearly 43 years and became Associate Professor at the Departments of Medicine at both The Medical College of Georgia and Mercer University School of Medicine.

For his dedication to the art and practice of his profession Keith was awarded the Department of Internal Medicine Physician of the Year in 1992 at Memorial Health. He served as President of the Georgia Society of Nephrology, Vice President of the Georgia Medical Society, Chief of Staff at Memorial Health University Medical Center (MHUMC), member of the Board of Directors for MHUMC for eight years and Chairman of the Credentials Committee at MHUMC. In addition, he was a member of the End Stage Renal Disease Network 6 Medical Review Board of the Southeast Kidney Council and The Marshes of Skidaway Island Board of Directors. Lastly, Keith was honored with the Physicians Lifetime Achievement Award at MHUMC in 2003 .

Although his achievements and recognitions were many, he was quietly humble and unassuming. His integrity was unmatched. He focused on old-fashioned hard work and long hours of study that are required of a physician dedicated to the well being of his patients. The same dedication, caring and loyalty was demonstrated toward his wife, family and friends. He was a true gentleman who embraced Medicine as a calling and was a superb, yet humble physician. He was caring and compassionate toward his patients and all persons. Always the skillful teacher, Keith was kindhearted, generous and genuinely hospitable. He disliked unfairness and injustice and he loved his Lord. He served humanity with kindness and skill and worshiped at Isle of Hope United Methodist Church where he attended the Seekers class.

His parents, as well as his loving son, Jeffrey Allen Dimond, predeceased Dr. Dimond. In addition to his wife, Julie, he is survived by one daughter, Emily Alexander Jowers (Rick), one son, Jacob Lawrence Dimond (Charlene), four grandchildren, Nicholas Allen and William Alexander Jowers and Rebecca Jeanne and Patrick Keith Dimond, all of Savannah. His sister and brother in law of Connecticut, Jennifer and M. Kirk Carr, Jr., nephews, M. Kirk Carr III (Laurel) and Alexander Blakely Carr (Laurie), and several grand nieces and nephews, all of Connecticut, complete his related survivors. Keith also leaves his loving, adopted brother and cherished friend. Dr. Bill Haley.

The family will hold a visitation at Fox and Weeks Hodgson Memorial Drive location Friday from 5 pm to 7 pm. A memorial service will be held to celebrate Keith's life at Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, 412 Parkersburg Road, Savannah, GA 31406 on Saturday at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests remembrances be made to the Jeffrey Allen Dimond Aviation Scholarship at Florida Institute of Technology, the Jeffrey Allen Dimond Music Fund at Savannah Country Day School, the Endowment Fund at Isle of Hope Methodist Church or the Cody Fund at The Asheville School in Asheville, North Carolina.

OUR PRAYER

Lord God, we praise you and thank you for giving us this man to be a part of our lives to love and be loved by. Although we suffer grief and sorrow we are comforted with assurance that at this very moment he and Jeff are enjoying being together in the presence of the King of Kings and all his glory. Amen