Dr. Gregory Carter, 80, Was Beloved Physician

Dr. Gregory P. Carter died on Jan. 29 at the age of 80 after a long illness.

Born and raised in Providence, R.I., Dr. Carter first came to Newport News, Va., "on the bus in 1948," as he loved to tell people. He served as school physician for Hampton Institute until he was called to serve in the Medical Corps during the Korean War in 1952. Upon his return from his tour of duty, he was stationed for a time at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, Calif., where he was chief of surgical services for the base hospital.

After military service, Dr. Carter returned to the East End of Newport News, where he lived and practiced family medicine until 2002. During an era when the medical field became increasingly specialized and impersonal, Dr. Carter never failed to state that he "specialized in diseases of men, women and children."

He was a graduate of Meharry medical School as well as Providence College. Dr. Carter was recently honored by Providence College as one of the school's earliest African-American graduates. He was a lifetime member of the NAACP, a brother of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, a founding member of the Boston chapter of the Guardsmen and a cherished elder in the HM Club.

Dr. Carter served on the national board of the Family Service Association, as well as the board of the Norfolk State School of Social Work. Early in his career, he served for a time as school physician at the Virginia School for the Deaf, Blind and Multi-Disabled.

For many years, he was a physician for the International Longshoremen's Association. In this capacity, he was once part of a small group that traveled to Rome and was received in private audience by the Pope.

Other travels throughout his lifetime took Dr. Carter to Brazil, Ireland and Japan, but a constant destination, since boyhood, was always Martha's Vineyard.

Dr. Carter was predeceased by his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Ulysses T. (Susan) Carter; a sister, Margaret Hough, and a niece, Tina Fox. He is survived by his devoted wife, Gloria F. Carter, and a daughter, Patricia. Also surviving him are a brother, Dr. Ulysses T. Carter Jr. and his wife, Barbara June; a brother in law, Dr. Paul Hough; two nieces, three nephews, five great-nieces and two great-nephews. He also leaves a host of close friends, colleagues and patients -- all of them dear to his heart -- to whom he will be forever remembered as Doc, Uncle Greg or just plain Greg.

Funeral services were held at the Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church in Newport News on Monday, Feb. 3. Interment was at the Oak Bluffs cemetery at noon on Thursday, Feb. 6. Island arrangements were by the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home.