Dr. Irvin Durant Fleming's Obituary
IRVIN DURANT FLEMING, MD of Memphis, TN, prominent physician and surgical oncologist, died August 8th, 2011. The family will receive friends at Independent Presbyterian Church at 9:00 am with services at 10:30 am. Internment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. He was the son of the late Jacob Waggoner Partee Fleming and the late Frances Abernethy Fleming. He leaves a wife of 58 years, Anne Talley Fleming; sons James Hunter Fleming RA (Elise), Talley Durant Fleming D.Div (Sharon), Martin Douglas Fleming MD (Christine), and Jason Bates Fleming MD (Alison); sister Gail Fleming Pattat, brothers John Stewart Fleming MD (Elaine) of Clermont Florida, James Christian Fleming MD (Anne), Richard Michael Fleming MD (Joye) of Annapolis Maryland and sister Victoria Fleming Eader (Wesley) of Kalama Washington. He leaves thirteen grandchildren: Elizabeth, Grace, Ross, Lillian, Caroline, Carson, Jacob, Margaret, Andrew, Parker, Hunter, Mary Frances, and Henry. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee at the Methodist Hospital on December 28th 1931. He was a graduate of Christian Brothers High School in 1949 and was later elected to the Christian Brothers Hall of Fame. He was a premedical student at Vanderbilt University and received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He served in the US Army Medical Corps. from 1956–1959. He did his post graduate work at Sloan Kettering in New York City. He was a professor of surgery at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. He was a surgeon on staff at St. Jude Children’s Hospital for over 35 years. He gave over fifty years of his life volunteering for the American Cancer Society. Early in his medical career he received a research grant from the Society and he spent a career of commitment to the war on cancer. He held eight appointments within the American Cancer Society including his service as the National President 1993-1994. He has been active in the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. In 1997 he was elected chairman of the American Joint Committees on Cancer (AJCC). He introduced major changes in cancer staging by establishing a landmark collaboration between the AJCC and the National Cancer Institute SEER Program, the National Program for Cancer Registries at the CDC, the Commission on Cancer, the National Cancer Registrars Association and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. He was the editor of the Fifth Edition of the AJCC Staging Manual on Cancer and the Seventh Edition of this publication was dedicated to him. His influence on cancer care, and his commitment to his patients extended well beyond the AJCC as evidenced by his leadership in many organizations. He was the Medical Director of the Methodist Healthcare Cancer Center. He received the 2004 Crystal Award as an Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser for his work with the American Cancer Society. It was resolved by the Memphis City Council that he be recognized on April 29, 2006 by Dr Irvin Fleming Appreciation Day to encourage others to emulate his commitment and dedication to ACS. He was a strong advocate of the Reach to Recovery Program and was the Chairman of The Memphis Cancer Action Team (MCAT). He had over 138 published works including a recent detailed history of the ACS entitled The American Cancer Society – A History of Saving Lives featuring a forward by President George H. W. Bush. He was the driving force behind the American Cancer Society Harrah’s Hope Lodge. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society Harrah’s Hope Lodge. Memorial Park Funeral Home, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38119, (901)767-8930, “Behind the Stone Wall”.
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