The Pinecone
|
October 2013
• 7 •
George
George was born in Memphis, TN in
1917
toWilliamHarrisonLovejoy,M.D.
and Bernice Swearengen. When he was
9
years old, he borrowed a brother’s
bicycle, peddled into the street and ran
into a moving vehicle. Not good news.
His left leg was severely damaged;
and multiple surgeries left him with a
shortened leg. A cane became his new
best friend. His career in medicine
began at the U. of Tennessee; followed
by an Internship at the Grady Memorial
Hospital in Atlanta, GA; and a Pediatric
Residency at UT. With the USA entry
into WWII, the newly-minted physician
came to the attention of the U.S. Army.
He completed his basic training, was
promoted to 1st Lieutenant, assigned
to the 150th Hospital Battalion, and
sent to Georgia to await shipping out to
the European Theater. A second check
of his first physical exam highlighted
the shortened leg, so rather than going
overseas he was sent to an Army
Hospital on the West Coast. When
released from military duty, George
opened a private pediatric practice
which rapidly grew. He soon faced the
need to relocate when the State paid him
to move because the land was needed for
the expressway. He moved his growing
practice to a larger building and paid
his 2 nurses $100 each per month; life
was good. Ten years into his practice
he accepted the position of Chairman,
Memphis and Shelby County Public
Health Department where he started
the first Nurse Practioner Program
in Shelby County; and retired from
medicine when he was 80 years old.
Dorothy
Dorothy Sue was born in Meridian,
MS in 1918 to Alvaratta McKey and
Joseph Anderson Smith. She had two
brothers, Stuart and Warren. Her father
was a Minister at the United Methodist
Church; her mother was a homemaker.
Dorothy graduated from the Mississippi
State College for Woman with a degree
in elementary education; and taught
third-grade students for four years. She
says that “she’s had a most wonderful
life”. Growing up, she had three main
goals: (a) teach grade school (b) marry
and have a family; and (c) be of service
to the community in volunteer work.
She met her goals – taught elementary
school for four years; married her
special love, and they have a son and
two daughters, 5 grandchildren and 5
great grandchildren; and has served
the community in variety of volunteer
efforts, such as (a) Pink Lady at
Methodist Hospital; (b) art teacher and
advisor at the Locke Public School; (c)
President of Garden Chaplains of the
TN State Federation of Garden Clubs.
She also developed programs for senior
members in the church, which for 40
years from inception has been known
as the Joy Club.
The Lovejoys
In 1940, Dorothy Sue met George
Lovejoy. He said it was love at first
sight for him. They married in 1943,
and May 2013 was their 70th wedding
anniversary. In 2005, they moved to
Kirby Pines. Looking back over those
years, they continue to be thankful
for the blessings of their life together,
and their love and respect for each
other is strong and quite evident. They
have lived a life of service and, while
physical limitations have curbed their
outreach efforts, they remain open to
being useful. Kirby Pines salutes the
Lovejoys and wish them continued
peace and contentment.
–
Jacqueline Besteman,
Resident
Re s i de n t
Spo t l i gh t
Dr. and Mrs.
George S Lovejoy
.
