John Francis Munroe

JOHN FRANCIS MUNROE Whiteville:Dr. John Francis Munroe, 79, of Whiteville, N.C., died Saturday, October 11, 2014 at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington, N.C. Dr. Munroe is the son of the late Homer Alexander Munroe and Katrine Odessa Hester Munroe. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sylvia Johnston Munroe. Dr. Munroe was born on October 29, 1934, raised in Bladen County, and graduated from Elizabethtown High School. He was selected as one of the first Morehead scholars at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill where he graduated after three years. He then attended and graduated from UNC - CH medical school. Dr. Munroe completed his internship and residencies at Shand's Hospital at the University of Florida - Gainesville, specializing in internal medicine. Dr. Munroe was stationed at Beal AFB in California while serving in the United States Air Force and where he developed a love of bird hunting and Vizsla dogs. Dr. Munroe returned to Whiteville, N.C. where he established his private medical practice, Southeastern Internal Medicine Group. He practiced medicine for 40+ years and was instrumental in developing the local medical community including the establishment of the first Critical Care Unit at the old Columbus County Hospital, construction of the current hospital, and the recruitment of new doctors into the area. He always sought to introduce much needed medical innovations into the local community where he practiced until his retirement on July 31, 2010. Dr. John always loved his family, medicine, fishing on the John Henry, bird hunting, reading, and spending time with family and friends at Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. Survivors include his three sons: John Francis Munroe, Jr. of Bald Head Island, N.C., Walter Johnston Munroe of Whiteville, N.C., and Homer Alexander Munroe, II, of Wilmington, N.C.; daughter: Grace Ann Munroe Phillips of Chicago, IL and her husband Richard; sister: Gayle Munroe Boykin of Elizabethtown, N.C. and her husband Ken; granddaughters: Sylvia Gabrielle Munroe of Southport, N.C., Johanna Brooke Munroe of Southport, N.C., Alexann Munroe Phillips of Chicago, IL, and Frances Grace Phillips of Chicago, IL. Funeral Services will be Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at the First Presbyterian Church, Whiteville, N.C.at 12 p.m. with Reverend-Dr. Paul Layton and Rev. Joshua Bower officiating, and burial in the Mt. Horeb Presbyterian Church Cemetery, 24 Lisbon Road, Council, N.C. The family asks that in lieu of flowers that donations be sent to the Dr. John Francis Munroe Nursing Scholarship at Southeastern Community College, 4564 Chadbourn Hwy, Whiteville, N.C. 28472 or Mount Horeb Presbyterian Church Cemetery Fund, 407 Munroe Road, Council N.C. 28434.