Dr. Harry Jack Metropol

COLUMBIA Harry Jack Metropol, M.D., 86, passed away suddenly on Friday, May 27, 2016. He was born on November 20, 1929 in Manning, S.C., to Central Coffee Shop proprietors, Jack George Metropol and Jennie Vaka Metropol, both natives of Skoura, Greece. He graduated Manning High School as Class Valedictorian in 1949. Harry completed his undergraduate education at Duke University in 3 years. Honors received included Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to complete his medical degree at Duke in 1956. While in medical school he met and married Phyllis Constantinides, a bacteriology graduate student at the rival campus of UNC. After graduation, he completed his internship at Albany Medical Center and entered military service as a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, serving for 2 years. Subsequently, he was appointed to a surgery residency at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. After his residency, Harry opened up a private practice in thoracic and general surgery in Columbia, to be near his beloved family in Manning. During over 40 years of practice in Columbia, he served the community as Chief of Staff of Providence Hospital, as well as being on the boards for Providence, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina and Three Rivers Health Service Agency. He also served as the Chief of Surgery of Baptist Medical Center for 12 years. Harry was proud of his Spartan heritage. He also enjoyed many hobbies, including collecting all manner of movies, gardening and travel. He was a highly competitive board game player. In later years, he enjoyed keeping in touch with classmates and friends via email, organizing class reunions for his high school class and writing his autobiography. His passion was for traveling the world, through Europe, Asia, North America and South America, whether by plane, train or ship. Harry was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Phyllis; his parents; his brothers, George and James; and his sister, Helen, all of Manning. Surviving him are his sons, John H. Metropol (Mary) and Stephen H. Metropol (Rebekah) of Columbia, S.C.; a daughter, Jeanne M. Haight (Rick) of Hilton Head Island, S.C.; a godson, Arthur P. Bambalis of Charlottesville, Va.; nine grandchildren, Elizabeth, Harry (JoAnn), Emily, Alexandra (Nick), Phyllis, Nick, Ehrick, Gabby and James; one great-granddaughter, Aida; and loyal, compassionate companion of three years, Denise Sally VanPutten. The family will receive visitors from 5:30 until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 6, 2016, with Trisagion Prayers recited at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Columbia. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 7, 2016, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, with interment at 4:00 p.m. in the family plot in Manning Cemetery, Manning, S.C. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 1931 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.