John Harold Hartley

John Harold Hartley, Jr., M.D., age 87, passed away peacefully August 30, 2022. He was born November 27, 1934, in Atlanta, Georgia, to John H. and Corinne Scott Hartley. He was preceded in death by his brother, Ronald Winfield Hartley, in 2013.

Growing up, John lived in the country, near Niskey Lake, Georgia. He and his brother played in the

woods, and he learned to play backgammon at seven years old. He began helping his father in the

family-owned insurance and construction company, where he learned how to build and the benefits of

hard work. His family eventually moved to Atlanta, so the boys could have a better education that would prepare John for his desired medical career.

John studied at Emory University, where he earned his undergraduate and medical degrees. Prior to his medical career, John served in the United States Air Force and served as the Assistant Chief of Surgery at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona.

Before moving to Charlotte with his beloved wife, Kathleen Middleton Hartley, John resided in Atlanta,

where he built Atlanta Aesthetic Surgery Center into a thriving plastic surgery career. He was nationally recognized for his surgical expertise for secondary plastic and reconstructive surgery and frequently sought for his proficiency in rhinoplasty. He was admired by friends, staff, and peers and well-known for his compassionate bedside manner, which put his patients at ease before and after surgeries.

He was a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of

Surgeons, a Member of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and served as president of the Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in 1989.

Community and service was always important to John. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta and led the organization from 2004 to 2005. He was also a member of the Piedmont Driving Club.

John was a true aesthete, a lover of all things beautiful. He enjoyed sculpting in his studio, and his love of music guided his feet on the dance floor. He admired fine art and collected Tobacco Leaf porcelain.

He was athletic, posting low scores on the golf course and never backing away from a challenge on the tennis court. He loved to ski year-round—on the water in the summer and on the snow in winter.

He was a connoisseur of great food and drink. He led the Atlanta Sous-Commanderie of the Confrérie

des Chevaliers du Tastevin, owned an extensive wine collection, and traveled to France to cook with

French chef Julia Child.

John was an adventurer. While in the Air Force, he took every advantage to jump in a cockpit and fly.

When on the ground, he enjoyed and collected fast cars.

He was a collector too. Besides wine, art, and cars, he enjoyed collecting intricate and unique walking

canes and military memorabilia.

After retirement, life slowed down for John. He moved to Cashiers, North Carolina, and enjoyed the

beauty of the Appalachian Mountains with his wife Kathy and their dogs Ben, Journey, and Bandit. John continued to sculpt and enjoyed reading and watching his favorite movies.

John is survived by his wife Kathy; daughters Allyson Hartley (Charles Oliveria) and Meredith Hartley;

stepson Bruce Walker (Vicki); step-daughter Heather Youskauskas (John); grandchildren Hunter Dodd Hartley Higgins and Layton Oliveria; and step-grandchildren William Lari, Rachel Walker, Robin Youskauskas, and Jacob Walker.

His family held a celebration of life on September 2, 2022, at Southminster in Charlotte, where he lived for the past several years.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Rotary International in John’s name: www.rotary.org/donate