William T. "Humphrey, Sr."

October 13, 1936 - April 1, 2013

As submitted by family: Dr. William T. Humphrey, age 76, died on April 1, 2013. He was born in Milledgeville, Georgia and was the son of the late John and Alta Martin Humphrey. He graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1954, receiving the Earl Carr Gragg Award for the outstanding student. Bill graduated from Emory University, class of 1958 and Emory University School of Medicine with a Medical Degree in 1962. He entered the United States Navy and served with the United States Marine Corps. Residency was served in Ophthalmology at Emory. He attended Harvard Medical School at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary where he completed a fellowship in Vitreous-Retina Surgery. He joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School in 1971 and taught Retina surgery until his establishment of the first Ophthalmology Subspecialty practice in Retina-Vitreous Surgery in the Tidewater area in 1972. He remained active in private practice until 2003. Dr. Humphrey helped co-found, along with many devoted colleagues, the Department of Ophthalmology at EVMS and was the first chairman from 1975 to 1982. He remained an active faculty member until his retirement. He also co-founded the Lions Eye Bank and was an active board member until 1995. He was co-founder of the Tidewater Virginia Eye Foundation. He was formerly a member of the staff at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Dr. Humphrey was a member and former vestryman of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. He was a recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellow, and the Lions Club recognition of Public Service Award, and was a member of the AM, VMS, VA., Society of Ophthalmology, ACS, AAO, Norfolk Medical Society and the Retina Society. Survivors include his sons, Dr. William T. Humphrey, Jr. and his wife Diane of Kaneohe, Hawaii, and John Douglas Humphrey of Atlanta, Georgia; and his sister, Jane Humphrey Highland of Pensacola, Florida. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, April 6, 2013 in the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd by the Reverend Robert Davenport. Interment will be in Oak City Cemetery, Bainbridge, Georgia. The family will receive friends in the Norfolk chapel of H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Friday evening from 6 to 8 P.M. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Lions Eye Bank or Eastern Virginia Medical School. Online condolences may be sent to the family at hdoliver.com. A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 2013, at 10:00 am at Oak City Cemetery. On-line condolences may be sent at www.coxfuneral.net.