Dr. David G. Fluharty Jr.

Dr. David Garrison Fluharty, Jr. passed away peacefully on May 3, 2015. He was born February 25, 1931 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to the late David Garrison Fluharty II and the late Martha Schnoor Fluharty.

Dr. Fluharty graduated from both Lehigh University and Temple University Medical School and completed his residency at the University of Pennsylvania. He began his medical career in the US Air Force as Chief of Medicine at Langley Air Force Base, Hampton, VA. He later moved to Newport News where he joined an Internal Medicine practice with a focus on heart disease. He served as Director of Medicine at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News. While David was respected by his peers as a remarkable diagnostician, his true passion for healing was most evident in the area of Chemical Dependency treatment and was one of the first physicians in the area to specialize in this disease. He was regarded as an expert on the topic, and made numerous speeches throughout the nation. He served as the Medical Director of the Impaired Physicians Program of the Medical Society of Virginia, President of Mid-Atlantic Teen Challenge, and was the co-founder of New Foundations Outpatient Treatment Center. He was dearly loved by many people in the recovery community.

As a young man, David enjoyed the art of fencing and was selected as an alternate for the US Olympic Fencing Team. He loved the arts, education and horticulture. He served on the Board of Visitors for Christopher Newport College, and was President of the Peninsula Ballet Company. He was a member of the Mid-Atlantic American Rhododendron Society as well as the Tidewater Orchid Society.

David was an avid explorer and traveled extensively throughout South and Central America with his family. He had a great love of hiking as well as fishing and ultimately retired in Taxco, Mexico.

David is survived by his wife of 53 years Margaret Graham Fluharty, his sons David Garrison Fluharty IV, William Graham Fluharty and his wife Stephanie, Mathew Day Fluharty and his wife Doris, and daughters Donna Fluharty Black and her husband Bob and Elizabeth Temple Fluharty. He is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends 10:00 am to 11:00 am, Thursday, May 7 at Parklawn-Wood Funeral Home. A celebration of life service will follow at 11:00 am in the funeral home with burial in Parklawn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the "Hole in the Wall Gang Camp" founded by Paul Newman for children with cancer and disabilities, 555 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven, CT 06511. (http://www.holeinthewallgang.org/get-involved/)

Friends are encouraged to visit www.parklawn-woodfh.com to share memories and words of condolence with the family.

Arrangements are under the care of Parklawn-Wood Funeral Home, 2551 N. Armistead Ave., Hampton, Virginia 23666.