Citadel Alumni Deaths

James Granbery Ward, Jr MT. PLEASANT – “A man’s reputation does not
belong only to himself, but to the family, friends, his profession and
the public,” (Bowen, BF, 1904). We all own a piece of James G. Ward,
Jr., MD. We know who he was, what he was involved in, his passions and
his energies, and we cannot count the many ways he has influenced our
lives. James Granbery Ward, Jr., age 74, passed away on Thursday, May
28, at Hospice of Charleston. A Charlotte, NC native, Dr. Ward was Mt.
Pleasant’s first pediatrician and is as well known for being a gifted
educator as for being a physician. He has cared for and taught a
generation of children who grew up, married, and now bring their own
children to his office. While listed as a pediatrician, he continued to
have a family practice, treating the parents as well as the children.
Dr. Ward is a sought-after lecturer and expert in the area of
ADHD/Dyslexia, and has a number of published articles on the subject. He
was on the National Board of Directors of the International Dyslexia
Association and just recently returned from presenting a paper at the
Annual Spring Conference of the Carolinas Branch of The Orton Dyslexia
Society. Dr. Ward was a perpetual student. Having graduated from Wake
Forest University with a BS in Biology and Chemistry, he went on to
Phillips University in Oklahoma to earn a Medical Technology degree
(MT/ASCP). He then earned a MS in Microbiology and Genetics at the
University of New Hampshire, finally graduating from the Medical
University of South Carolina with his MD. Later, he continued his
interest in all things medical by earning a MS degree in Counseling
Psychology from Southern Illinois University and a MEd in Special
Education from the Citadel in Charleston. He served as the Chief of
Pediatrics and Chief of Professional Services, with the rank of Lt.
Col.(USAF) from 1971-1973. He completed his internship and residency in
Pediatrics, a second residency in Pathology, and a residency in
Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at MUSC. Following his residencies, he
became a Teaching Fellow in Pathology at MUSC. A dedicated physician and
educator, he had many teaching appointments over the years including the
University of New Hampshire, Furman University, Anderson College,
Anderson Memorial Hospital Medical Technology Program, East Cooper
School in Mt. Pleasant, First Baptist Church School, the College of
Charleston, and the Citadel. He was currently a Clinical Assistant
Professor at MUSC. Dr. Ward was a member of the South Carolina Academy
of Pediatrics, Charleston County Medical Society, South Carolina Medical
Association, the Charleston County Pediatric Society, the Society of
American Biologists, South Carolina Academy of Science, Robert Wilson
Medical History Club, and was also a Board Member of the International
Association and Carolinas Branch of the Orton Dyslexia Society. He was a
member of Phi Sigma (honorary Biology fraternity), Beta Beta Beta
(honorary Bacteriology fraternity) and was recently inducted into the
AOA, medical honor fraternity. Dr. Ward was a gifted teacher and a
voracious reader. He even studied the medical history of the Hawaiian
monarchy while he was attending a medical conference and presenting a
paper on ADHD in Hawaii, several years ago. He returned to Charleston
and presented his research on the Hawaiian monarchy to the Student
Medical History Club and the Robert Wilson Medical History Club. As an
active member of the Waring Historical Library Society at the Medical
University of South Carolina, he supported the many students who came to
the weekly medical student history club, where a variety of physicians
speak on topics in medical history. He was a regular speaker at these
weekly luncheon meetings and also one of the faculty for the Topics in
the History of the Health Sciences, a survey course held in the Spring
semester which was open to students at MUSC and the College of
Charleston. Whenever Dr. Ward was listed as the speaker, the room was
overflowing with students, faculty, and the public. He would personally
go to the student clubs and explain the need for the students to learn
about the humanities as well as the sciences, inviting them to attend
the luncheon meetings or the Topics class. He is the Immediate Past
President of the Waring Historical Library, the special collections and
rare book library of MUSC. As Chair of the Awards Committee, he was the
originator of the W. Curtis Worthington Research Paper Competition, and
designed two medals which are presented each year for the best two
papers from those submitted from international health sciences students.
He obtained funding for these medals and was a strong supporter of young
students learning the history of the medical sciences. Dr. Ward was a
preceptor for the “Introduction to Doctoring” course at MUSC, in which
medical students rotated through the various local physician offices,
and he delighted in showing these future medical professionals his love
for the art and the practice of medicine. Every Tuesday when his office
was closed, for over 16 years, Dr. Ward was one of the Staff Physicians
at the Student Health Service at the College of Charleston. He attended
and spoke at a number of national student health conferences, and loved
caring for the adolescent and young adults he encountered at the Student
Health Clinic. On either Tuesday or Thursday evenings (and sometimes on
both), he would head to the Mt. Pleasant CARES Clinic (Community Aid,
Relief, Education, and Support), serving as one of the physicians who
supervised the medical, nursing, pharmacy, or allied health students
from MUSC who provided care for those without insurance. On the
weekends, you often found him at the Roper St Francis Healthcare’s
unique after-hours urgent care program, PedsPlus. For over 15 years he
cared for children at nights and weekends when their physician was not
available. A passionate supporter of PedsPlus, Dr. Ward “became a member
of our families, attending weddings, graduations, and happy
celebrations, yet standing with us during illness and sorrow,” said Gene
Glave, Pediatrics Services Manager at Roper St. Francis. Through
PedsPlus, Dr. Ward also helped educate over 1500 paramedic students.
Roberta Patrick, EMS Clinical Director said that every student “learned,
loved, and respected him. He added real strength to the pediatric aspect
of their training, learning how to handle a child, talk to a family,
recognize symptoms of potential problems, and increasing their skills
and comfort level for treating a child in the field.” The students
selected Dr. Ward to be the speaker at eight of their graduation
programs. A special award has been established in his name to be given
at each graduation, recognizing the student who is as passionate and
caring as Dr. Ward was. The PedsPlus staff considered him a wonderful
diagnostician who “brought joy to all of the staff as well as his
patients.” In addition to all the medical activities, Dr. Ward was an
avid supporter of the arts in Charleston. He was past president of the
Charleston Symphony, a regular patron of the Concert Association, member
of the Gibbes Art Museum, Charleston Museum, regularly attended local
plays (was official physician for the student actors who were interning
at Dock Street Theatre who needed medical care while living in
Charleston), and looked forward each year to the two weeks of
Spoleto/Piccolo Spoleto activities. Dr. Ward was a classically trained
vocalist and pianist, often singing at local weddings and other public
performances. He was Chair of the Music Committee at First Baptist
Church in Charleston, and sang in the choir. He was instrumental in
bringing David Redd (now deceased) to First Baptist Church as their
organist. In 1981, the News and Courier interviewed Dr. Ward about his
teaching at East Cooper School in Mt. Pleasant. He first was a guest
lecturer in the science classes about genetics and then was persuaded to
provide a full semester course on genetics. His deep love for educating
these students evidenced itself by the fact that he grabbed a bag lunch
and a Coke and headed out the door of his office in the Old Village
during his lunch hour and taught the classes. In the afternoon he
returned to a full office schedule. Both his oldest daughter and son
were in his classes and gave the highest praise for his ability to make
these difficult concepts understandable to all the students. They often
said that no one could fail his courses, because he would work with them
individually until they understood the concepts. He was an active Board
Member at East Cooper School. He was a strong supporter of Wingate
College in Wingate, NC and often recommended some of his patients to
attend that college. His son, Rush graduated from Wingate and his
daughter graduated from the Certified Medical Assistant Program there.
He was Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Medical Assistant Program
for many years. When his children returned to work in his office, he
became a strong supporter of the South Carolina Society of Medical
Assistants (an affiliate of the AAMA), and was the longest serving
medical advisor to the Charleston Chapter of Medical Assistants. He
often spoke at the local and state meetings on ADHD and genetics. His
paper presentations are too numerous to mention, as he loved to share
his knowledge about science, but his love of humanity in general, and
his ability to engage you in laughter and service to others, was
unmatched. When he entered a room, the room took on an electric charge
and he was smiling and hugging everyone in sight. As a young boy, he
spent summers in rural North Carolina and he regularly attended church
there in the black community. He became interested in the Gullah
language and he was sought after to speak about his deep appreciation
for the work ethic and the spiritual values of his Gullah-speaking
neighbors who are among his best friends. John Roberts wrote an
editorial in the Baptist Courier in 1992 about Dr. Ward’s love for these
people and his appreciation of their history and language. He was
invited to speak to the Southern Baptist Editors, as well as to read
some of the poems he could read in Gullah. He often said that Pearl
McKenzie, who worked in the Ward home and helped raise his four
children, had become his teacher. He enrolled in several courses at the
College of Charleston under the master Gullah teacher, Virginia M.
Geraty, becoming a close friend to her until her death. To hear him read
these Gullah poems, you knew he loved these people. Dr. Ward was chosen
to be in the “Guide to America’s Top Pediatricians” and was listed in
Who’s Who in Education, International Who’s Who, and was voted one of
the”Best Doctors in America” in 1996, 1999, 2007 and 2008 (the top 5% of
doctors are listed.) Dr. Ward was instrumental in organizing a 100th
Birthday Celebration for Margot Freudenberg and served as co-chair of
the event held at the Riveria in 2007, to help raise funds for The Hope
Lodge, and the American Cancer Society. Dr. Ward’s wife, Louise,
predeceased him, and he is survived by his four children, Thomas Rush
(Rush) Ward, Elizabeth Ward Paddock of Raleigh, NC, William McIlwain
(Mack) Ward, and Judith Chaworth Ward, as well as three grandchildren,
Ainslie Chaworth Paddock, Robert Bradford Paddock, and James William
Ward, and one sister, Joan Ward Moon of Sumter, SC. Funeral arrangements
are being handled by J. Henry Stuhr’s Mt. Pleasant Chapel. A memorial
service will be held Thursday, June 4, at 4 p.m. at the Mt. Pleasant
Municipal Complex, 100 Ann Edwards Lane, off Houston Northcutt. Burial
will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that
donations be made to The Waring Library Society at the Medical
University of South Carolina. The mailing address is MUSC 403,
Charleston, SC 29425-4030. Visit our guestbook at
www.postandcourier.com/deaths.

Tags: 1981