Dr. Charles Suggs
Dr. Charles Suggs Jr. died on Feb. 2, 2009, at the age of 89, in his home of 54 years, where he lived with his wife Mary and raised their six children.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, on September 29, 2008, and his three sisters.
He is survived by his children and their spouses, Charles Suggs III, M.D. (Dorothy), Loretta Comfort (Dave), Jeanne Suggs, Ethel Frese (Robert), Sharon Suggs and Bill Suggs (Susan Olson); 14 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; three nieces and one nephew.
Dr. Suggs was born and grew up in the Chattanooga area. He came from a family of railroad men, but his own father owned a small grocery store in Rossville. As a young boy, he used to ride his pony from home to his dad’s store and walk from there to school.
He graduated from Chattanooga City High School and the University of Chattanooga. He spent his life here in Chattanooga, except for medical school at Vanderbilt University and his medical training.
He did his internship at Roper Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina and met his future wife, Mary, while doing his residency at Gallinger Municipal Hospital in Washington D.C.
Dr. Suggs, the second fully trained obstetrician and gynecologist to establish a practice in Chattanooga, opened his doors in 1946 with his wife Mary as his nurse. He soon joined with Drs. Harry Jones and Bob Demos to form a career-long partnership which delivered thousands of Chattanooga’s growing population.
The practice eventually expanded to Suggs, Demos, Jones, Portera, Davis and Suggs. He served the community until he retired at the age of 80.
Dr. Suggs became board certified in obstetrics and gynecology in 1951 and was elected as a Founding Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on Feb. 14, 1952.
He was a charter member of the Chattanooga Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, which was founded October 22, 1957 and was a charter member of the Tennessee State Obstetrical and Gynecological Society which was founded April 21, 1958.
On note, he administered the first dose of penicillin in Chattanooga at Erlanger in 1944. He was very involved at Erlanger Medical Center and Memorial Hospital for many years and was elected Chief of Staff at Memorial Hospital serving from 1961 – 1962.
He was a member of the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club and was usually seen on Wednesdays on the golf course, regardless of the weather. He enjoyed fishing trips with his sons and grandson down in Homosassa, Florida and cross country trips with the whole family piled into their station wagon.
He was also a member of the First Christian Church. He said his happiest days were when he was busy delivering babies and had six children running around the house.
Visitation will be on Friday, from 6–8 p.m. at Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace. A memorial service on Saturday, will be celebrated at the funeral home at 11 a.m., followed by a private family burial.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Chattanooga, Ladies of Charity, the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, or the First Christian Church.
Please visit our guestbook at www.lane-coulterchapel.com to send condolences.