Dr. Lawrence Stone McGee, Jr. – passed away in his home on August 18, 2020, one week shy of his 92nd birthday. Dr. McGee was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was president of his high school class, and attended Tulane University under graduate and medical school. He finished third in his medical school class, and was invited to be an intern in surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital under Dr. Alfred Blaylock. After completion, he enlisted in the Navy, and was the surgeon for the Sixth Fleet. They patrolled the Mediterranean aboard the USS Arcadia. He completed his surgical training at Vanderbilt University Hospital under Dr. Bill Scott, and moved to Mobile to begin his 40 year career as a board-certified thoracic, general, and vascular surgeon.
Dr. McGee was preceded in death by his parents, Gussie Lee and Lawrence Stone McGee, and by his wife of over 50 years Evelina Gregory. He is survived by his sister, Mary Boggs (Peter), his three sons, Dr. Gregory McGee (Gina), Dr. Stoney McGee (Marie), and Dr. Thomas McGee (Laura); his eight grandchildren, Colin McGee (Gillian), Brenna Radin (Dave), Dr. Andrew McGee (Keeley), Emeline McGee, Soline McGee, Martha Weidman (Bobby), Dr. Cory McGee (Meg), Rev. Molly McGee (Michael); and 12 great grandchildren. Loving nieces and other relatives.
Dr. McGee's professional accomplishments included his design and creation of the first surgical ICU at the Mobile Infirmary with Marvelle Fullerton, RN, and Lerma Lim, RN; the first pacemaker placement in Mobile; the creation of the first vascular lab at the Mobile Infirmary with Shirley Bryan RN; and the establishment of the direct arterial blood gas monitoring. A typical day for him during his prime often included a lung resection , an abdominal aneurysm repair, a gallbladder removal, and a hernia operation. His rounds list was often pages long, and his days were kept organized by his remarkable nurse of over 40 years, Jackie Strickland, RN. He belonged to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Society for Vascular Surgery, and the Southern Vascular Society. He was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. McGee loved his church, Dauphin Way Methodist, and devoted a great deal of time and effort to their program Meals on Wheels. Dr. McGee had many interests outside of medicine, including trips hunting and fishing with his family, golf and tennis. But tennis became his love, and he was an Alabama state tennis champion many times over. His tennis "buddies" were his best friends and they often spent more time spinning tall tales than tennis balls. Towards the latter years of his life, his late wife's sweet dog Frostie became his inseparable companion, as was his loving caregiver Re.
Services will be held as graveside services at Pinecrest Cemetery Monday; August 24th, at 12:30 pm. Masks and social distancing will be required, and the service will be somewhat abbreviated due to Covid-19. Dr. McGee will be remembered for the love and comfort he provided to many.
