Dr. Edward Franklin Shaver Jr.

He was born in Tampa, Florida on February 23, 1929, the only son of Edward Franklin Shaver M.D. and Faye O'Neal Shaver. At the age of two, after the death of his mother, he lived with his aunt and uncle in Bonifay, Florida, and always looked back on those days with great pleasure. It was an idyllic childhood.

He was a graduate of Staunton Military Academy, Staunton, Virginia and from Florida State University, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. After graduating from college he joined the United States Air Force, obtaining a commission through the O.C.S. program. He flew forty combat missions in his B-29 heavy bombardment group over North Korea. After the war, he helped set up the B-57 Canberra flight school program and wrote a booklet on flight mission planning which was later adopted and published by the US Air Force.

When he was released from active duty, he entered Tulane University School of Medicine and was a member of Phi Chi Medical fraternity. He completed his internship at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana and did his residency at Harvard University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass., training as a head and neck surgeon, and then received a teaching and research fellowship in Otology-Neurology at Baylor School of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

He opened his practice in Charlotte in 1964. His primary interest was in Neurotology, and he became one of the pioneers in this field in the Southeast. He served on the boards of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society, the Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center, and was President of the Mercy Hospital medical staff and the Mecklenburg chapter of the American Cancer Society. He was active in the Triological and Neurological Societies, both of which consist of a small number of academic and clinical practitioners from all parts of the world. He also volunteered at MedAssist for many years.

He was a man of great strength of character and of deep Christian faith, an elder, deacon and Sunday School teacher at Myers Park Presbyterian Church and a long-time member of the Rhodes-Johnston Bible Class. He loved God, his country and his family. A true son of the South, he was happiest on a trout stream, or working his dog on a quail hunt or duck hunt at the coast. He also enjoyed competing at field trials with his Labrador retrievers. He never lost his love of flying and happily piloted his own plane for years. At different times in his life he played tennis and a weekly frustrating game of golf at the Charlotte Country Club. He never met a stranger.

He is survived by his wife, the former Beverly Parker King and their children: Edward Franklin Shaver III, Bradley O'Neal Shaver, Read Carson Van de Water and her husband Mark Edward Carson Van de Water, Christina Carson Evans and her husband Bruce McKay Evans, James Weston Shaver and Page Carson Rogers; grandchildren, Parker Christina Carson Van de Water, Mary Hunter O'Neal Shaver, John Edward Carson Van de Water, Anne Pierson Shaver, Logan Elizabeth Carson Van de Water, Elizabeth McKay Evans, Liam Stribling Shaver, Andrew King Evans and John Jackson Evans.

The family is deeply appreciative of the kindness and excellent care from Novant Hospital professionals Jackie Spann and Nancy Miller, and many others at Hospice who have offered help when needed. We will always be thankful for the skill, dedication and friendship of Dr. Stuart Garner and Dr. William Bock.

The funeral services will be held at Myers Park Presbyterian Church on Friday, Feb. 21st at 2:00 pm. In case of inclement weather, valet parking will be available at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to: MedAssist of Mecklenburg, 601 E. 5th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202; Tulane School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112; or Myers Park Presbyterian Church, 2501 Oxford Place, Charlotte, NC 28207.