Dr. Alexander Sloan Townes

Alexander Sloan Townes, MD, born June 19,1929 in Birmingham, Alabama, son of McKellar and Margurite Briggs Townes, passed away peacefully at his home on October 15,2024. He is survived by his wife Emily Manchester Townes, their children Alexander (Alex) Townes Jr, Emily (Emmy) Townes Roland, Mary Catherine (Molly) Townes O’Brien, John Townes, and Anne Townes Daw, grandchildren Sarah Tevis-Townes, David Townes, Chris Townes Durham, Cyrus O’Brien, Joseph O’Brien, McKellar Townes, Molly Townes, Charles Townes, Georgia Daw, Eli Daw, step-granddaughter Apryl Leonard and great-grandchildren Charlotte, Henry, Daniel, and Anna Townes.

After graduating from Ramsay High School in Birmingham, Alex enrolled at Vanderbilt University at the age of 17. There he met fellow student Emily Manchester, and they graduated together in 1950. They were married in 1951 and were inseparable for the next 73 years.

Alex received his M.D. from Vanderbilt in 1953 and spent a year of internship at Vanderbilt Hospital before joining the US Air Force as a Captain in 1954. He served for two years at Palm Beach AFB in Florida, then returned for more medical training in internal medicine at Vanderbilt. During his second year of residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, he became intrigued with the then newly emerging field of autoimmunity and its role in rheumatic diseases. This was the spark that ignited his long and distinguished career as a clinician, medical educator, and pioneer researcher in the field of rheumatology. He completed residency at Vanderbilt in 1959, followed by 3 years of fellowship training in rheumatology at Johns Hopkins before joining the faculty in 1961.

Alex joined the faculty of University of Tennessee at Memphis as Professor, Associate Chair of Medicine, and Chief of Rheumatology in 1972. He earned a reputation as an expert and caring clinician, a deep-thinking and insightful researcher, a generous and patient teacher and mentor, and a calm, effective administrator. In 1985, Alex was appointed Chief of Medicine at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Memphis and Associate Director of the residency training program at the University of Tennessee.

In 1987 he returned to Nashville as Professor and Associate Dean for Veterans Affairs and Chief of Staff for the Nashville VA Hospital. In 1999, the Association of Military Surgeons presented him with the prestigious Phillip Hench Award for Excellence in the field of rheumatology and sustained contributions to the Veterans Administration. Over his almost 50 years as a physician, he received innumerable other awards and accolades. He was honored as a Master of both the American College of Physicians and the American College of Rheumatology. He taught countless medical students and residents, mentored over a dozen postdoctoral fellows, authored over 60 scientific journal publications, over two dozen book sections, and presented numerous papers at scientific meetings. He retired in 2000 and was appointed Professor Emeritus, continuing his research and studies at his office on the Vanderbilt campus.

He had a love of music and spent 20 years as a member of the West End Methodist Church Choir. He was also an avid runner, winning road races well into his 70s. He and Emily spent many years together on their farm in Leiper’s Fork raising chickens, loving dogs, growing vegetables, and picking blackberries.

He was adored by his children and forever loved by Emily. The quiet equanimity, generosity, modesty, intelligence, tenacity, and love were hallmarks of his persona that made him such a successful physician and a wonderful husband, father and friend. He will be missed deeply by all who knew him.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Vanderbilt School of Medicine scholarships at vu.edu/medgift.

A a gathering of family and friends for Alexander will be held Thursday, October 24, 2024 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM at West End United Methodist Church, 2200 W End Ave, Nashville, Tennessee. A funeral service will occur Thursday, October 24, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, 2200 W End Ave, Nashville, Tennessee. A reception will occur Thursday, October 24, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, 2200 W End Ave, Nashville, Tennessee. A committal service will occur Thursday, October 24, 2024 from 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM at Mount Olivet Funeral Home & Cemetery, 1101 Lebanon Pike, Nashville, Tennessee 37210.