Dr. Richard Theron Furr Sr.

Dr. Richard Theron Furr, Sr., seventy seven, beloved doctor, died Thursday afternoon, October 19, 2006, from congestive heart failure. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and six children.

Dr. Richard Theron Furr, Sr. was born October 12, 1929 to Esta S. and Lottie Winnafred Hansell Furr in Aberdeen, MS, the last of four sons. It was here in Aberdeen in seventh grade that he made the decision to become a doctor. After graduating from Aberdeen High School, he went on to attend college at Ole Miss and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1950. He attended the University of Mississippi Medical School for two years, obtaining a degree in their Course of Medicine in 1952, married the love of his life, Rosemary Scanlan Neill of Leland, MS in June of 1953 and graduated from Cornell University at New York Hospital with a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1954 and received his State Medical License that year. He was a member of the Phi Chi medical Fraternity in 1952. He became a father in the last days of medical school when Margaret Moss Furr was born. He completed his internship and residency at the old Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta through Emory University School of Medicine in the years 1954 through 56. It was in Atlanta that his second daughter was born, Rebecca Hansell Furr. After completing his residency, he joined the army as a captain and served at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas and Fort Sill Army Hospital in Lawton, Oklahoma. Having finished his term of duty, he and his wife chose to settle their family in Ocean Springs in 1958, completing his medical scholarship requirement to practice medicine in a small town in Mississippi. It was here that his family expanded to include Richard Theron, Jr., Sara Neill, Samuel Neill and Henry Hansell Furr.

He set to work, opening the Furr Clinic and worked as a Family Practice and Internal Medicine Doctor. He passed the first board examination to become a charter diplomat of the American Board of Family Practice and was a charter fellow of the American Academy of Family Practice. He was an associate professor of medicine for both University of Mississippi Medical School and Tulane University School of Medicine. His honors as a doctor were many, locally and regionally, as he was proud to have served as President of the Howard Memorial Medical Staff and Chief of Medicine at the time that Biloxi Regional Medical Center was built, President of the Mississippi Academy of Family Practice, President of the Mississippi Thoracic Society, a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a member of the American College of Physicians in 1988.

He gave the first polio vaccines in Jackson County and inoculated his entire family to show support of the program. He enjoyed being a doctor, wanting to serve his community as best he could, giving athletic physicals at no cost for the Ocean Springs and Vancleave schools for years. He was proud to have successfully worked to petition the state to grant Ocean Springs the right to build its hospital. He recertified his family practice specialty every seven years throughout his career and was board certified in both Family Practice and Internal Medicine. He was featured on the radio program, "House Call with Dr. Furr" on WOSM for many years. He practiced at his clinic for 48 years, and was one of the few remaining doctors to actually perform house calls for his patients. He retired just this past July from the clinic, and traveled with his wife to a seminar in New Jersey to be certified as a counselor of Choice Theory/Reality Therapy.

Although he was passionate about his work, spending personal time reading medical journals for enjoyment, he had many other interests and talents. He played cornet in both his high school band and at Ole Miss and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He was an active member of many organizations in town. As a Jaycee, he helped build the Little Children's Park, setting the swings on the day that his first son was born. He was an Ocean Springs Rotarian and twice a Paul Harris Fellow, contributing to the organization's efforts to eradicate polio worldwide. He was a member of HOSA and the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce. An arts patron, he was a member of the Walter Anderson Museum Board of Directors and was a major contributor to the Walter Anderson Exhibit at the Smithsonian. He loved attending the Gulf Coast Symphony and performances at Center Stage, and played the villain in melodramas performed for fund-raising for St. John's Episcopal Church. He served on the vestry of both St. John's Episcopal Church and Church of the Redeemer. An avid sailor, he helped establish the Ocean Springs Yacht Club on the back harbor, sailed the first sunfish in Ocean Springs. For years he sailed a wooden catboat handmade for him by one of his patients in exchange for care and sailed often in the Wooden Boat Show and other regattas. As a doctor, he stressed the importance of exercise, backing up that advice by running or walking in the Crescent City Classic several times, even into his seventies and was a member of Treasure Oaks Country Club, playing league tennis also into his seventies. He served as the President of the Board of Trustees of Coast Episcopal School. He was active politically, helping start a two party system for Jackson County in Ocean Springs.

He believed in Ocean Springs as a wonderful place to live and work, helping kick off the revitalization of downtown in the nineties by building or renovating four major properties downtown and encouraged others to do the same. Earlier this month, he was graciously given the key to the city by Mayor Connie Moran, an honor he was truly proud of. "Keep exercising and choose happiness," the medical advice he often repeated, was even given from his hospital bed. He followed this advice himself, choosing to spend his final days at home with his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife and partner of 53 years, Rosemary and his six children and their spouses: Margaret and Larry Barnett of Missouri, Rebecca and Dr. Jules Ivester of South Carolina, Richard Theron, Jr. and Merileigh Furr of Ocean Springs, Sara and Jack Schatz of Georgia, Samuel and June Furr of South Carolina and Henry and Heather Furr of Ocean Springs; twelve grandchildren: Robin, Anna and Max Ivester, Richard and Alice Furr, Katherine Barnett, Sam Neill and Emily Furr, Rosemary and Eva Schatz, and Isabella and Campbell Furr. He is also survived by his brothers and sister-in-law, E.S. Furr and Hansell and Pearl Furr, all of Tupelo, several nieces, nephews, and his sister-in-law, Margaret Neill of Ocean Springs.

A memorial to Dr. Furr will be held on Monday, October 23, 2006, at St. John's Episcopal Church at 1:30 PM with Father Wayne Ray officiating. The family will receive visitors prior to the service beginning at 11:30 AM.

In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate memorial contributions to St. John's Episcopal Church Building Fund, 705 Rayburn, Ocean Springs, MS. 39564.

The Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com.