James Alston's Obituary
Dr. James Louis Alston, Jr., 91, a life-long Memphian, was called to his eternal heavenly home from the Baptist Reynolds Hospice House by his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 26, 2014 after a long battle with cancer. A dedicated Christian, and a loving, devoted family man, he was the son of James L. Alston, Sr. and Willietta Carpenter Alston of Memphis. He is survived by his loving wife Marie Smith Alston, five children, James L. Alston III (Frances) of Hattiesburg, MS, Barbara Green RN (Paul) of Somerville, TN, Dr. G. Phillip Alston MD (Mary) of Memphis, Cindy Johnston RN of Bartlett, and Mary Hargrove RN (Kevin) of Cordova. In addition he leaves 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren (including James Louis Alston V), sister, Virginia Dollahite (Harry) of Richardson, TX, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Forty-three years of family reunions at “Up Yonder” (his Pickwick lake house) demonstrated his love for his large and extended family, especially the many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who knew him affectionately as “Papa Doc.” Dr. Alston graduated from Central High School, received his pre-med training at Memphis State University, and his medical degree at the University of Tennessee Medical Units. He was trained in both general and gynecological surgery at UT, Baptist Memorial and Veterans Hospitals before joining Sanders Clinic in the Baptist Hospital. Later he began his own surgical practice with his office in the Baptist Hospital and shortly thereafter, opened an outpatient medical clinic at the Memphis Union Mission providing medical care for the poor and disabled, and for training Christian medical students. Dr. Alston enjoyed a large and fruitful practice in Memphis for over half a century, especially after his son, Phil, joined the practice. He was a member of the Memphis and Shelby County and Tennessee Medical Societies, the Memphis Surgical Society, a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery and the American College of Surgeons, the Southeastern Surgical Congress, and a charter member of the American Society of Bariatric (obesity) Surgeons. Dr. Alston, a Navy lieutenant in the medical corp., was called to active duty with the U.S. Marines in the Korean War. He was first a battalion-aide doctor, then made Chief Surgeon of the entire First Marine Division, during which time he was awarded the Presidential Citation Medal. There were two men that he often spoke about which had a profound and lasting effect on his life. They were R.L. Sanders, a long-time associate of both Mayo brothers at the Mayo clinic and master surgeon himself, and Dr. T. Stanley Soltau, a noted theologian, missionary to Korea and pastor of First Evangelical Church. Dr. Alston was a member of Independent Presbyterian Church, PCA, and strongly embraced the Reformed Doctrines of the faith with its emphasis on the Covenants of God in the Bible. In the 1960s, he organized the Memphis Chapter of the National Christian Medical Society, serving as its president for years. He served on the board of Covenant College atop Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, and as a teaching/ ruling elder for over 25 years when a member of First Evangelical Church. From the 1970s and on into the 1990s, he was the Administrator and Regional Director of the six night Christian Seminar known as “The Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts” (better known as the Bill Gothard Seminar). In 1986 for three months he served as a medical missionary in Nigeria helping Dr. Louis Carter with his many surgical cases. Papa Doc was a sportsman, an ardent tennis player from childhood. He had a passion for classical music, and even though he had no formal training, was very good at playing the piano by ear. Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge. Visitation is at 12 o’clock pm and service is at 2 o’clock pm on Saturday, May 31, 2014 at Independent Presbyterian Church, with interment at Memorial Park Cemetery to follow. The funeral services will be officiated by the Rev. John Sartelle. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials are made to the Wilberforce Foundation at Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, GA, 30750, Independent Presbyterian Church, 4738 Walnut Grove Rd., Memphis, 38117, or the charity of the donor’s choice.Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38119, 901-767-8930, “Behind the Stone Wall”.
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