Dr. John Russell Satterthwaite M.D.

Dr. John Russell Satterthwaite went home to be with his Lord on Monday, November 2, 2020 after an extended illness. He passed away at home, surrounded by loved ones. John was born on September 29, 1949 in Clarksburg, West Virginia to Walter and Frances Satterthwaite. He graduated from Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College) and continued his education at the Medical College of Georgia, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine with a specialty in anesthesiology. Throughout his life and career, John touched the lives of so many.

In 1978, he served as an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology for the Department of Anesthesiology at the Medical College of Georgia Hospitals and Clinics. John then worked briefly in private practice in Albany, Georgia before moving with his family to Greenville where he opened his private practice for anesthesiology and pain management. During that time, he simultaneously served as the Medical Director for the Center for Health and Occupational Services (formerly Pain Therapy Center of Greenville). In 1999, he joined the Carolinas Center for the Advanced Management of Pain, where he worked until his retirement in 2015.

John was always willing to give of his time to his family and to his community. He served as the Medical Director for Vistacare Hospice from 1997-1999, helping patients with end-of-life care. He served as both a Cub Scout leader and Boy Scout leader for Troop 260, served on the Board of Directors for the Foothills District of the Blue Ridge Council, and was a member of the Presbyterian Scouters. He attended four National Boy Scout Jamborees, serving as one of the staff physicians. He also coached his daughter’s church basketball team. John and his family were members of the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Greenville, where he served on the diaconate and as a session member. He served on the Missions and Outreach committee and a member and teacher for the Koinonia Sunday School class. He could frequently be seen as an usher at the early service.

Later in life, John was able to devote more time to researching his family history and genealogy. As the eldest son, he was careful to preserve the Satterthwaite Family history, ensuring century's worth of records, bibles, and photographs would be preserved and passed down to the next generation. He was diligent in his quest to document the lineage for each branch of his family, working his way back to the 1500s and the village of Satterthwaite in the Lake District in Northern England. He was most proud of his acceptance into the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He served as chaplain and then president of the Colonel Robert Anderson Chapter. He took great joy in sharing what he knew about his family heritage and spent time with his wife Sharon traveling to cemeteries up and down the east coast to locate and mark graves. He instilled in his children the importance of family and knowing who you are and where you come from. But most of all, John was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, and a friend. He always had time to talk to friends, loved hunting trips, fishing, and time with family. He was a cut-throat card player and was nearly impossible to beat on the Putt-Putt course. His happy place was the beach and he was amazing at body surfing. He cared for his family to the end and he will be missed terribly.

John is survived by his wife, Sharon; daughter, Jennifer; son, Joel; two grandchildren, Catherine and Cooper Revels; sisters, Barbara Mason and Nancy Reese; and brother-in-law, Tom Roe.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 13, 2020 at 1:00 pm at Mackey Funerals and Cremations at 311 Century Dr., Greenville, SC 29607.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in his name to the Duke University Pulmonary Research Fund or the Colonel Robert Anderson Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Duke web link: https://medicine.duke.edu/giving

SAR web link: https://www.colrobertandersonscssar.org