1960s
John S. Sergent, BA’63, MD’66, HO’70, who first came to Vanderbilt as an undergraduate student in 1959 and has left an indelible imprint on the University and Medical Center as a student, resident, faculty physician and leader every decade since, retired April 30.
1970s
William W. Culbertson IV, MD, HO’71, has been named a Health Care Hero and received the 2025 Equitable Advisors Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce for the extraordinary impact he has had on the South Florida health care community.
1980s
C. Wright Pinson, MD’80, was honored with the Martin E. Simmons Award at the 50th Anniversary Middle Tennessee Heart Gala on Feb. 17.
Henry Geoffrey Watson, MD’82, HO’82, announced the launch of the Dr. Henry Geoffrey Watson Scholarship for Future Doctors. The Dr. Henry Geoffrey Watson Scholarship provides $1,000 to a deserving undergraduate pursuing a health care-related program.
Ronald F. Taylor, MD, HO’82, FE’86, was named director of West Tennessee Medical Group North Jackson Sleep Disorders Center in April.
John V. Marymont, MD’86, was named the next Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and provost at the Medical University of South Carolina, effective Dec. 1. He will serve as MUSC’s chief academic officer and lead strategic efforts to advance the university’s mission in education and research across its six colleges.
1990s
Michael Chi-Ming Chang, BS’83, MD, HO’92, has been selected by Becker’s Hospital Review for its 2025 list of Chief Medical Officers to Know. He is USA Health’s Chief Medical Officer and Associate Vice President for Medical Affairs.
Todd Smith, MD’91, HO’91, HO’92, has been appointed Senior Vice President and chief physician executive at Sutter Health. In this role, he helps lead the system’s clinical transformation in providing consumer-centric, integrated care by setting clinical standards and building strong physician partnerships.
Glen Charles Balch, MD, HO’98, was appointed director of The University of Tennessee Medical Center Cancer Institute in January.
Stephen Michael Parodi, MD, HO’98, joined the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) board of directors. AMGA is an association representing more than 400 medical groups and integrated systems of care.
Timothy (Eric) Bowen, MD, FE’99, has joined Baxter Health Cardiovascular Clinic in Arkansas. He has over 25 years of experience in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
2000s
Austin Garza, BS’96, MD’00, HO’00, is entering his sixth year as President of his practice, Associates in Gastroenterology of Colorado Springs. He is also chair of the Department of Medicine at Penrose-St. Francis Health System in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he currently serves on the board of trustees.
Derek Christopher Welch, MD’00, HO’00, has been appointed to the board of directors at MUSE Microscopy Inc. He will serve as chair of the Science & Technology Committee.
Natalie Curcio, BA’00, MD’04, MPH’07, MMHC’21, has joined the Vanderbilt Alumni Association Board as one of its newest board members.
Guy Travis Clifton, MD’06, has joined Calidi Biotherapeutics as Chief Medical Officer, consultant and adviser. Calidi Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new generation of targeted antitumor virotherapies.
Aaron Wesley Eckhauser, MD, MSCI’07, has been named chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, chair of Cardiovascular Medicine and executive director of the Nemours Children’s Health Cardiac Center in Wilmington, Delaware.
Jessica Sparks Lilley, MD’07, FE’10, has joined Insulet Corporation as senior manager of Field Medical Affairs. In this role, she will engage other health care professionals in understanding the latest research and outcomes for patients treated with automated insulin delivery and will lead a team of medical science liaisons.
Michael D. Warren, MD, MPH’09, has recently been appointed Chief Medical and Health Officer at March of Dimes.
2010s
Ravi Patel, BA’09, MD’13, HO’13, has been named Chief Health Informatics Officer for health care delivery at CVS Health.
Christen Lennon Caloway, MD, HO’13, has joined ENT and Allergy Associates (ENTA) in the West Nyack, New York, office and will transition to the Paramus office of ENTA.
Adam S. Brinkman, MD, FE’15, was recently named chair of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Juan Pablo Arroyo Ornelas, MD, PhD, HO’15-’19, FAC, and David Patrick, MD, PhD, HO’13, FAC, both Vanderbilt University Medical Center faculty, are among 50 physician-scientists nationwide who received the Young Physician-Scientist Award this year from the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI), one of the nation’s oldest and most respected medical honor societies. The award recognizes “notable achievements” by researchers who are within five years of their first faculty appointment.
Thomas James (T.J.) Utset-Ward, BA’11, MBA’17, MD’17, has joined the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Orthopedic, Sports Medicine and Spine Institute as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric orthopedic oncology.
Megan Shroder, MD’19, HO’19, MPH’24, received her Master of Public Health degree from Vanderbilt University with a concentration in epidemiology. For her thesis, Shroder studied “Patient Reported Outcome Measures in Recurrent Diverticulitis” and completed her practicum with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System in Nashville.
2020s
Yufei Long, MPH’23, has put her PhD studies on hold to pursue a career in professional pickleball. She was accepted into the new United Pickleball Association’s Asia Trailblazers Program, which includes three months of training in the United States and a chance to join the UPA Asia Pro team.
William Pao, MD, PhD, FAC, former Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice President for Pfizer, has been appointed to the Obsidian Therapeutics board of directors as an independent member. Pao is a former professor of Medicine and past director of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Anne Marie Tharpe, MS’80, PhD’94, FAC, has stepped down as chair of the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Tharpe earned a master’s degree in audiology at Vanderbilt in 1980. She practiced at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center for Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, before taking a leave of absence to serve as chief of Audiology Services at King Fahad Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After returning to Vanderbilt to practice and earning her PhD, she accepted a faculty position at what was then Louisiana State University Medical Center. She returned to Vanderbilt as faculty in 1996. She was named chair in 2009.
Melissa Duff, PhD, FAC, professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences and vice chair for Research, has been named chair of the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Losses
James W. (Jim) Ayers died April 1. He was 81. In honor of Jim and Janet Ayers’ philanthropy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center named its new 495,000-square-foot expansion tower after Ayers. The first floor of the Jim Ayers Tower opened in October. Ayers was the founder of FirstBank and had decades of business leadership and community service across Tennessee. He is survived by his wife and partner, Janet Snodgrass Ayers; son and daughter in law, J. Jonathan (Jon) and Kristy Ayers; stepdaughter, Katie Givens Bryant; grandson, Jay Ayers; granddaughters, Eloise and Elodie Bryant; sister and brother-in-law, JoAnn and Mike Lynn; and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins, including cousins Jay McPherson and Jessie Ruth Tiller.
Robert O. (Bob) Baratta, MD, HO’70, died Sept. 15, 2024. He was 83. He is survived by Carol, his wife of 59 years; his three children; eight grandchildren; and their families.
Earle Wray Baughman Jr., BA’58, MD’62, HO’63, died Dec. 4, 2024. He was 87. Dr. Baughman is survived by two daughters and six grandchildren.
Richard Ocie Bessent, BA’75, MD’79, died May 22. He was 71. He is survived by his wife, Susan Macaluso Bessent; two children; a sister; and his mother, Vonnie Bessent.
Margaret Ann Upton Blackshear, PhD, FE’80, died June 10. She was 80. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Julian (Jody) Blackshear Jr.; two children; three grandchildren; two siblings; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
George C. Bolian II, MD, FAC, professor emeritus of Psychiatry, died Feb. 8. He was 94. Dr. Bolian served as a member of the Medical Admissions Committee, chaired the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee for 16 years and was elected to chair the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Medical Board. He is survived by his wife, Trish; four sons; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.
James K. Burks, MD, HO’71, died Jan. 22. He was 79. Dr. Burks is survived by his five children; one brother; twelve grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
James Miller Callaway, MD’56, HO’60, died June 29, 2024. He was 93. He is survived by his four children; four grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and one brother.
James Ray Callison, MD’58, HO’58, valedictorian of his MD class, died March 27, 2024. He was 91. Dr. Callison is survived by his wife, Barbara; seven children; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Milton Philip Caster, MD’49, died March 21. He was 101. Dr. Castor is survived by his three sons; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a large extended family; and his companion, Sharon Walters.
James (Jim) Robert Cato, BA’75, MD’79, HO’79, died Feb. 9. He was 71. Dr. Cato is survived by his wife, Linda Gonzales Cato; two children; four grandchildren; two siblings; and many nieces, nephews and close friends.
Moon Y. Chung, MD’58, HO’58, died Sept. 13, 2024, three days shy of his 95th birthday. Dr. Chung is survived by four children and six grandchildren.
Richard Paul Clodfelder, MD’61, died July 16, 2024. He was 88. Dr. Clodfelder is survived by his wife, Nancy; five children; thirteen grandchildren; and one brother.
Edward (Ned) Fowler Cole, MD’60, died March 2. He was 94. Dr. Cole is survived by his wife of 71 years, Jane; six children; twenty-two grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
David M. Conkle, MD, HO’67, HO’74, died June 25. He was 84. Dr. Conkle is survived by his wife, Babs; their three sons; seven grandchildren; and his sister.
Oscar Weir Conner III, MD’53, HO’53, died July 24, 2024. He was 95. Dr. Conner is survived by his four daughters; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
John Wesley Dorman, MD’67, died May 18. He was 83. Dr. Dorman is survived by his two children and two grandchildren.
William (Bill) Downey, BA’60, MD’63, HO’63, HO’65, died July 30, 2024. He was 86. Dr. Downey is survived by his wife of 65 years, Danya Kendall Downey, and five sons. He was “Bubba” to his thirteen grandchildren; as well as a great-grandson; and one sister.
Wallace Duffin, MD’64, died June 10. He was 91. Dr. Duffin is survived by his five children and their spouses; and one brother.
Eldon Steven Dummit, MD’59, HO’59, died March 10. He was 91 and loved by many.
Joe Michael Edwards, MD, HO’69, FAC, died July 29, 2024. He was 84. Dr. Edwards is survived by his wife, Charlotte Ann Eckel Edwards; two children; three grandchildren; and one brother.
Scott Lee Faulkner, MD, HO’71, HO’75, died Oct. 9, 2024. He was 81. Dr. Faulkner is survived by his wife, Katie Louise Faulkner; four children; and four grandchildren.
Oscar Thomas (Tom) Feagin, MD, HO’64, FE’67, died May 27. He was 86. Dr. Feagin is survived by two sons and three grandchildren.
Rev. Don D. Flickinger, SOM’62, died Dec. 3, 2024. He was 89.
Abe Fosson Jr., MD’64, HO’64, died July 8, 2024. He was 85. Dr. Fosson is survived by his wife, Sue Fosson, and four children.
Jerry M. Foster, MD, HO’79, FE’79, died May 27, 2024. He was 70. Dr. Foster is survived by his wife of 39 years, Patty, and two daughters.
Milton (Butch) Frank III, MD’64, HO’64, died Jan. 13. He was 86. Dr. Frank is survived by several children; his grandchildren; and great grandson.
Todd Frank Jr., MD, HO’65, died March 1, 2024. Dr. Frank is survived by his wife, Sylvia; two daughters; four granddaughters; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Denis Michael Gilmore, BS’02, MD, HO’15, died Dec. 23, 2024. He was 44. Dr. Gilmore is survived by his wife, Erin; two sons; one brother; and his mother, Anita. He is also survived by additional family members who loved him deeply.
Melvin Lester Goldin, MD, HO’76, HO’80, FE’80, died Feb. 7. He was 75. He is survived by his wife, Ronna; children; stepchildren; nine grandchildren; four siblings; many nieces and nephews; and his mother, Florence Goldin.
Gerald S. Gotterer, MD, PhD, FAC, professor emeritus of Medical Education and Administration, died June 20, 2024. He was 90. Dr. Gotterer was a longtime Vanderbilt faculty member and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine leader. He established the Office of Minority Student Affairs at the Medical School. He is survived by his wife, Shelley; four children; and eight granddaughters. He also leaves behind his sister; nieces, a nephew and their families; and dear friend, Anna Jaap.
David Warren Gray, MD’58, died March 21. He was 90. He is survived by his wife, Nada; his three sons and their wives; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Richard Rex Harris, MD, HO’65, died Jan. 13, 2024. He was 84. He is survived by his wife, Sara; two children; and one grandson.
James Hugh Haynes, MD, HO’72, FE’72, died March 28, 2024. He was 88. He is survived by his wife, Mary Alice Templeton; four children; and eight grandchildren.
Irvin Leroy (Irv) Heimburger, MD ’57, HO ’57, died Oct. 9, 2024. He was 93. Dr. Heimburger is survived by his wife, Marcia; three children; and seven grandchildren.
William Carroll Heird, MD, HO’64, died Nov. 24, 2022. He was 86. Dr. Heird is survived by his wife, Jane; additional family; and friends.
Richard (Dick) Moss Heller Jr., MD, FAC, professor emeritus of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Knight 1st Class, Order of the Dannebrog, died Feb. 3. He was 86. Knighted by the Queen of Denmark, Dr. Heller was the first chief of Pediatric Radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 1975 and served as the program director of the radiology residency for two decades. He is survived by his wife, Toni; two children; and four grandchildren.
Julie Cleek Hibbard, MS’96, MD’00, died Dec. 3, 2024. She was 56. Dr. Hibbard is survived by her husband, Bruce; stepdaughter and son-in-law; granddaughter; parents; and sisters.
Daniel Kayun (Dan) Hoh, MD’05, died Oct. 11, 2024. He was 45. Dr. Hoh is survived by his wife, Deborah; son; parents; and brother.
King K. Holmes, MD, HO’63, died March 9. He was 87. He is credited with being the father of sexually transmitted infection research, and his work led to great improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of STIs. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Gonzales, MSW, MPH, EdD, two children; three grandchildren; and two brothers.
Robert Michael Huddle, MD, HO’73, died June 23. He was 84. He is survived by his wife, Brenda; four sons; eight grandchildren; and a sister.
Joseph Wilson Huston III, MD’71, HO’71, FE’77, died Oct. 20, 2024. He was 78. Dr. Huston is survived by his wife, Sally; two sons; and two grandsons.
William David Jack II, MD, HO’69, HO’72, died May 24. He was 84. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Janis Graham Jack; one daughter; two grandsons; and nieces and grand nephews.
J. Kenneth Jacobs, BA’54, MD, HO’54, FAC, professor emeritus of Surgery and former chair of the Department of Endocrine Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, died April 12. Dr. Jacobs was 93. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ellen; three children; eight grandchildren; one sister; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Robert Larry Jetton, MA’61, MD’65, HO’65, died Oct. 24, 2024. He was 86. Dr. Jetton is survived by his three sisters; four sons; and eight grandchildren.
John C. Johnson Jr., BA’66, MD’69 and HO/FE’69 and ’70, died June 27, 2024. He was 79. Dr. Johnson is survived by his wife, Vivian; two children; and four grandchildren.
Mahlon D. Johnson, MD, PhD, HO’85, died Feb. 3. He was 70. Dr. Johnson’s survivors include his sister and two half-brothers.
Harold Jordan, MD, HO’64, died Dec. 26, 2024. He was 87. Dr. Jordan made history as the first Black resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Tennessee’s first Black commissioner of mental health. Dr. Jordan is survived by his wife of 62 years, Geraldine; four children; three grandchildren; and one great grandchild.
Simeon Floyd King, MD’15, died May 21. He was 37. Dr. King is survived by his beloved wife, Madison; daughter; mother; two sisters; and brother.
John Chapin Koomen, MD, HO’79, HO’82, died Jan. 30. He was 79. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Betsy; three siblings; three sons; and one grandson.
Kent Kyger, MD’58, HO’63, died July 4, 2024. He was 92. Dr. Kyger is survived by his wife of 66 years, Patricia; four daughters; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Louis Ira Levy, BA’63, MD’66, HO’66, died July 28, 2024. He was 83. Dr. Levy is survived by his wife of 34 years, Laura; five children; seven grandchildren; and his sister.
James BD Mark, BA’50, MD’53, died Feb. 7. He was 95. Dr. Mark is survived by his wife, Jean (Maxie); five children; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Zell A. McGee, MD, HO’66, FE’67, died Sept. 20, 2024. He was 88. He is survived by three children and two grandchildren.
Read Flournoy McGehee Jr., MD, HO’62, died July 3, 2024. He was 87. Dr. McGehee is survived by his wife, Virginia Withers McGehee; four children; and nine grandchildren.
John Bruce Neeld Jr., BA’62, MD’66, HO’66, died June 6, 2024. He was 84. Dr. Neeld is survived by his wife of almost 50 years, Miriam Gail Wix B. Neeld; son; grandson; and his feline friend, Smoke.
Warren Richardson Patterson, BA’60, MD, HO ’71, died Nov. 17, 2024. He was 87. Dr. Patterson is survived by his wife, Theresa; two children; and one grandson.
Donald R. Pettit, MD, HO ’68, died July 18, 2024. He was 85. Dr. Pettit is survived by a cousin, Sr. Mary Rogers, SNJM, and many dear friends.
Clovis Hiram Pierce, BA’55, MD’58, died Sept. 21, 2024. He was 91. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jo DeVore Pierce; three daughters; two sons; ten grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.
Robert E. Richie, MD’59, HO’59, FAC, professor emeritus of Surgery, a surgeon who performed thousands of kidney transplants at Vanderbilt and, through his research, was a pioneer in the field of kidney transplantation worldwide, died Jan. 13. He was 91. Dr. Richie is survived by his wife, Mary Fern Richie, DSN, APRN-BS; three children; and several grandchildren.
Berkley (Buck) Lamont Rish, MD, HO’63, died Dec. 27, 2023, at age 89. Dr. Rish is survived by his wife, Mary Rish; son; two stepsons; sister; and six grandchildren.
Stephen Edwin Rostan, MD’70, died July 10, 2024. He was 79. Dr. Rostan is survived by his wife, Wendy Brown Rostan; two sons; two grandsons; three stepdaughters; two step-grandchildren; and two grandsons.
Mitchell K. Sanders, MD, HO’75, died Feb. 12. He was 83. He is survived by his longtime partner, Karen Cacioppo; two siblings; nieces and nephews; three cousins; and many friends.
Thomas C. Schultz, MD, HO’69, died Nov. 21, 2024. He was 83. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sally Ouimet Schultz; son; three granddaughters; and two great granddaughters.
William (Bill) Johnson Shasteen, MD’66, HO’66, died Aug. 20, 2024. He was 83. Dr. Shasteen is survived by three daughters; six grandchildren; two sisters; one sister-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Burton Silbert, MD’58, died Aug. 24, 2024. He was 90. Dr. Silbert performed Nashville’s first mammogram in 1973 and was dubbed “the father of mammography” by his peers. Dr. Silbert is survived by his wife of 70 years, Estelle; four children; and four grandchildren.
Col. (Ret.) Terrence Allen (T.A.) Smith, MD, FE’00, died April 7. He was 68. He is survived by his wife, Michele Smith; son; two grandchildren; two brothers; and a large extended family.
Alfredo L. Soyangco, MD, HO’65, died Jan. 10. He was 92. Dr. Soyangco is survived by four children; two sisters; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
Harold F. Vann, MD, HO’75, died April 30. He was 95. Dr. Vann is survived by three sons, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Ross L. Vaughan Jr., MD, HO’73, FE’76, died Jan. 4. He was 80. He is survived by three children; two grandchildren; a niece; and his sister.
John Warner, MD’56, HO’56, FAC, professor emeritus of Neurology and devoted supporter of VUMC, died May 13. He was 93. Dr. Warner is survived by three children, two of whom are VUSM graduates, and six grandchildren, one of whom is a current VUSM student.
John Jeffrey Warner, MD, HO’76, HO’78, died Jan. 2 2025. He was 75. Dr. Warner is survived by his wife, Judy; two children; seven grandchildren; and two brothers.
Michael Brady (Mick) Wilhoit, MD’63, died March 20. He was 86. Dr. Wilhoit is survived by his wife, Patricia (Trish) Donohue Wilhoit; two sons; two grandsons; and several nieces and nephews.
Ridley Wills II, BA’56, philanthropist, Vanderbilt Board of Trust Emeritus member and longtime benefactor of VUSM and VUMC, died January 16. He was 90. He is survived by siblings; three sons; and six grandchildren.
Eugene (Gene) Anthony Woltering, MD, HO’75, HO’77, HO’79, died Sept. 6, 2024. He was 75. He is survived by his partner, Debra Godsey; three children; and three grandchildren.
Stephen Cotter Woodward, MD, FAC, professor emeritus of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, died March 19. He was 89. Dr. Woodward’s career included leadership roles at VUSM and serving as chief of Pathology at the VA Medical Center in Nashville. He is survived by two children.
Keith D. Wrenn, MD, FAC, professor emeritus of Emergency Medicine, died June 12, 2024. He was 73. He was the first residency program director in the Department of Emergency Medicine, remaining in the role for 25 years. He is survived by his wife, Melissa; four children; and seven grandchildren.
Roy Wright, BA’56, MD’63, HO’63, died Dec. 22, 2023. He was 89. Dr. Wright is survived by two sisters; his first wife, Elizabeth Turrentine; four children; six grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren.
Thomas Harris Wyatt, MD, HO’65, died Aug. 31, 2024. He was 85. Dr. Wyatt is survived by his wife, Mary; three sons; and seven grandchildren.
Walter (Murray) Yarbrough III, BA’53, MD’56, HO’56 died Sept. 12, 2024. He was 93. He is survived by his wife of over 70 years, the former Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Nelson; five children; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. He is also survived by one sister; three nieces; and cousins.
