Charles Merritt Girard MD

Charles Merritt Girard, 67, of Tulsa, Dallas, and San Antonio, died on October 18, 2012. Dr. Girard was born at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX, in 1944, during the latter half of World War II. His father was the late Percy Merritt Girard, MD, a pioneering Orthopedic Surgeon in Dallas, TX; originally from Lafayette, LA. His mother was the late Keith Juanita Simms, a Surgical Nurse in the US Army; originally from Minneola, TX. His paternal grandfather was the late Percy Michel Girard, MD, a general practitioner from Lafayette, LA.

Dr. Girard grew up in Dallas, where he graduated from Hillcrest High School. His undergraduate education was at UT Austin, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon social fraternity.

He earned his MD at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio, a member of the first freshman class there. After a Straight Surgery Internship at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, San Antonio, he served mainly as an Aviation Medical Specialist (Senior Flight Surgeon) for 7 years. After a challenging year in Keflavik, Iceland, Dr. Girard was awarded the Air Force Flight Surgeon of the Year, 1978.

From 1980 to 85, Dr. Girard completed Residencies in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at Wilford Hall, and a portion at Bexar County Hospital. His final assignment before military retirement was in Wiesbaden Germany, USAF Hospital, near Frankfort. Tearing down the Berlin Wall (1989) and heavy support of the first Persian Gulf War patients (Desert Storm, 1991) were high points.

God’s guidance through job search sent Dr. Girard to a Tulsa private practice, Radiology Consultants, mainly in support of Saint Francis Hospital. There he revitalized the Nuclear Medicine section and participated in developing body & extremity MRI imaging.

Departing, he completed two years at Rhema Bible Training Center, majoring in Missions. He was previously born again in 1985 and received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in 1990. After 6 years with Fishermen’s House Church, he rejoined Rhema Bible Church in 2010, and was active in the Altar Care Group, ministering Salvation, Rededication, and Infilling with the Holy Spirit at the end of Church Services.

Dr. Girard’s largest secular interest was Aviation, having become a Private Pilot in 1965, and Instrument Rated in 1978. After a 25 year hiatus, he resumed intermittent training with Alpha Aviation Mission Outreach Center. In sports, he loved and excelled in snow skiing.

Dr. Girard is survived by his wife, Dr. Sundra Kaye (Rollins) Girard, EdD, Adjunct College Professor; along with three of her children.

Dr. Girard is also survived by two adult children from a former marriage, Matthew Merritt Girard, and Genae Michelle Girard, both of Lago Vista, TX, a suburb of Austin. Grandchildren, Ava and Gannon are from Matt and his wife Erika.

Two younger brothers also survive him, John Eloi Girard, a banker in Dallas; and Edward Crow Girard, a nurse in Little Rock, along with one nephew and six nieces. Also surviving is first cousin Patricia (Trish) Sims Norman and husband John of Dallas, TX.

Funeral Service will be Friday at 2:00 PM at Sparkman-Hillcrest Funeral Home Chapel, 7405 W. Northwest Highway, with interment to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery. Family visitation will be at the funeral home Thursday October 25, 2012 from 6-8 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial offerings to scholarship funds at Rhema Bible Training Center, or Oral Roberts University, both in Tulsa.