Dr. J. Willis Hurst

Hurst, the only son of J. M. Hurst and Verna Bell Hurst was born October 21, 1920 in Cooper, Kentucky, a village near Monticello, Kentucky. The family moved to Georgia when he was one year old.

He grew up in Carrollton, Georgia where he graduated from Carrollton High School and attended West Georgia College (now The University of West Georgia). He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1941. He graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 1944 at the age of 23. He was first in his class and President of the honor society. He remained at the University Hospital in Augusta for his internship and first year of residency under Dr. V. P. Sydenstricker.

World War II was raging and he was called to active duty in the army. He served his first tour of military service at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Dr. James Waring, who was Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Colorado observed Hurst’s work while serving as a consultant to the hospital and, because he was also Chairman of the American Board of Internal Medicine, gave Hurst full credit toward his board in Medicine. Hurst’s work at Fitzsimmons included teaching physicians who were returning to civilian life after years of military service. He was discharged as a Captain earlier than expected because of a family tragedy.

After several months, Hurst was able to move to Boston, Massachusetts. In January 1948, he began his Cardiology training with Dr. Paul White. Dr. White had offered Hurst a cardiology fellowship during a visit to the Medical College of Georgia in 1946 when Hurst was a resident there. Hurst and Dr. Addison Messer were the last fellows to be trained by White at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. White was world-renowned and was the father of American Academic Cardiology. White’s work at the Massachusetts General Hospital, which is one of Harvard’s’ teaching hospitals, created the profession of cardiology in the United States. White influenced Hurst to take care of patients with heart disease, teach, engage in clinical research and write. Hurst wrote five scientific articles during this period and was a member of the team that developed the cardiac catheterization laboratory at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Hurst was asked to give the memorial address when White died.

Hurst moved to Atlanta in July 1949 to practice cardiology. At that time there were less than six cardiologists in Atlanta. During that year, Hurst found himself drawn to Emory Medical School and spent much of his time teaching Emory Medical students and house officers at Grady Hospital. He was greatly honored when, in 1950, Dr. Bruce Logue, one of the best cardiologists in the country, and Dr. Paul Beeson, Chairman of the Department of Medicine, asked Hurst to join the Emory faculty. This was the beginning of his long association with his friend Bruce Logue.

Hurst’s career at Emory was interrupted during the Korean War when, in 1954, he was drafted as a cardiologist by the Navy to serve at the Navy’s prestigious U.S. Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland which is located in the outskirts of Washington, D.C. Dr. Henry Cooper was Chief of Cardiology there and he and Hurst were responsible for the cardiology care of the senators and representatives who were admitted to the cardiology service. Dr. Cooper entered private practice and Hurst became Chief of Cardiology. Hurst became responsible for the care of Lyndon Johnson who was admitted to the hospital with his first heart attack. He was majority leader of the Senate at that time. This encounter led to the 18-year friendship with Johnson and the Johnson family as Hurst became his cardiologist. Hurst was discharged as a Commander and was given a commendation for his teaching and patient care. He retuned to Emory to rejoin Bruce Logue in 1955. Hurst traveled with Johnson to about 15 countries during the time Johnson was Vice President. He was with Johnson the night of the Kennedy assassination, and attended him during all of his illnesses as President and afterwards. Hurst turned down Johnson’s offer to return to Washington to be the White House physician because he truly loved his work as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Emory and he believed he could serve Johnson best as a consultant.

Hurst was appointed Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Emory in the fall of 1956 when he was 35 years of age. He began work in February 1957 at the age of 36. He remained in that position until the fall of 1986. During that period he not only created an excellent Department of Medicine but also developed the Physicians Assistant Program and Continuing Medical Education Program. Following that date he became a consultant to the division of Cardiology, taught eight sessions each week and continued writing until his death. Hurst, following Paul White’s advice, always continued a large consulting practice in cardiology until 1990. His patients came from across the nation and from overseas as well as locally.

During his career, Hurst wrote or created 68 medical books and over 461 scientific articles. The book The Heart, written and edited with his friend Bruce Logue and assisted by Dr. Robert Schlant and Nanette Wenger, became an international best seller and was rewritten every four years for seven editions. The book continues to be a leader in the field of cardiology and is know as Hurst’s The Heart. He wrote three books on teaching medicine and one book for children with his grandson, Stuart. He, along with his son Phil, wrote two novels, Prescription for Greed and Tarnished. His novel, The Last Leaf has Fallen, described his life following the death of his beloved wife, Nelie. It includes a story of the lives of two former trainees, one good and one bad. The next book was titled Short, Short Stories and Random Thoughts. His last book is titled The Bald-Headed Man with the Long Gray Hair. The book Fred and Mike is in progress.

Hurst received hundreds of awards for his work. He greatly appreciated the teaching and leadership awards he received from Emory Medical students, House Officers and Fellows. He received the Herick Award and the Gold Heart Award from the American Heart Association, the Gifted Teacher award twice from the American College of Cardiology, the Master Teacher Award from the American College of Cardiology and the Distinguished Teacher award and Mastership from the American College of Physicians. President Reagan and Mrs. Cummings gave him the Cummings Award for his life long contribution to medicine. He was especially proud to receive the Evangeline Pappageorge award for excellent teaching at Emory. He also received the Crystal Apple award for excellence in teaching from the seven professional schools at Emory. Because he created the Residency Program for Internal Medicine at Emory, it was named for him in 2004 as was the new Cardiology Teaching Conference room at Emory Hospital.

Hurst remained at Emory until January 1, 2009. He was rewarded greatly when the members of the house staff requested teaching sessions with Hurst at Lenbrook where he lived in retirement. They meet once a month on Tuesday.

His patients came from Georgia, and from many states and countries. When someone mentioned that, he would point out that he also supervised the care of the indigent Grady patients for 30 years and that he liked and learned from all of his patients and hopefully he helped a few.

Hurst served as President of the American Heart Association in 1971–1972 and President of the American Society of Professors of Medicine in 1985–1986. He was a member of the Subspecialty Board of Cardiovascular Disease from 1965 to 1970 and served as Chairman of the Board from 1967 to 1970. He served on the Council of the National Heart Institute from 1967 to 1971. He was a founding father and President of the Paul Dudley White Society in 1974. He was one of the founding members of The Emory Clinic. He served on three Presidential Commissions.

During his 30 years as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Emory, the number of full-time faculty grew enormously and the house staff program became larger and larger and gained a national and international reputation as a center of excellent teaching. Therefore young trainees came from every state and many foreign countries to become interns, residents, and fellows at Emory. The patient care services became internationally appreciated and research developed rapidly as space became available. Hurst recorded the history of the Department of Medicine in his book entitled The Quest for Excellence.

Nelie Hurst, his wife for 61 years, died on April 26, 2004. They were a devoted couple. He always insisted that the success that came his way was due to her. He claimed that she improved everything around her and was now improving heaven. He wrote in every book – No Nelie – No Book.

Hurst is survived by his three sons Dr. John W. Hurst, Jr. and his wife Deborah, J. Stephen Hurst and his wife Leslie, and Philip W. Hurst and his wife Tamara, all of Atlanta; six grandchildren Carter Deaderick (Michael), John Hurst III (Heather), Dee Johnson (Gavin), Dr. Stuart Hurst (Mary Stuart), Willis Hurst, and Jessica Jackson; five great-grandchildren David, Anderson & Johnny Deaderick, Maggie Johnson, and Hannah Jackson; and special friend Mimi Jones.

The family will receive friends Friday, October 7, 2011 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at H.M. Patterson & Son-Spring Hill Chapel, 1020 Spring Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 8, 2011, at Northside United Methodist Church, 2799 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA 30305. There will be a reception for family and friends immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the J. Willis Hurst Internal Medicine Residency Program, Emory University, 1440 Clifton Road NE, WHSCAB 170, Atlanta, GA 30322.