Garfield D. Kington, M. D.

GARFIELD DOUGLAS KINGTON, M.D., of Baltimore, Maryland passed away peacefully at home of natural causes, surrounded by his family, on August 3, 2014, at the age of 91. He was born on May 9, 1923, in Mt. Airy, Jamaica, to Arriah and Enos (Bob) Kington. At the age of 9 months, he arrived on Ellis Island with his mother and entered the United States to join his father and other relatives in Harlem, New York. Garfield completed his early education in New York, and he and his parents returned to Jamaica during the depression. He completed high school at St. Simon's College in Kingston and later returned to the United States, where he graduated from New York University and Meharry Medical College, and completed his internship at Harlem Hospital. In October 1952, he was drafted out of his residency to serve in the U.S. Navy, where he was among the first African-American physicians sent to Camp Lejeune, N.C., as an officer after the desegregation of the military. He later completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Fort Howard Veterans Administration Hospital in Maryland. He married Mildred E. Shavers, a teacher from Texas, whose sister had married his medical school classmate, and with her raised five children. He joined the staff in the department of Internal Medicine at Provident Hospital in Baltimore and for forty years, six days a week, practiced Internal Medicine from the first floor of a converted row house on Harlem Avenue. He was known for his commitment to his patients and his willingness to treat anyone who needed medical help, without regard to ability to pay. In 1998, he retired to enjoy his extended family and his hobbies of calligraphy, philosophy, and music. He is survived by his five children: Gregory A. Kington and his spouse, Linda Bernard of Los Altos, California; Gail Kington-Lloyd of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Douglas R. Kington and his partner Wendy L. Blair of Baltimore, Maryland; Dr. Raynard S. Kington and his spouse Dr. Peter T. Daniolos of Grinnell, Iowa; Emerson A. Kington and his partner Rev. Albert Whitaker of Boston, Massachusetts; and five grandchildren: Justin Lloyd of Atlanta, Georgia; Jonathan Lloyd of Atlanta, Georgia; Alexis G. Kington of Baltimore, Maryland; and Emerson D. and Basil Garland Daniolos Kington of Grinnell, Iowa. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made in memory of Garfield D. Kington M. D. to one of the following funds: Division of Institutional Advancement ‘Garfield D. Kington Memorial Fund’ Meharry Medical College 1005 Dr. D. B. Todd, Jr. Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37208 Gifts can be made to support the “Preparatory Guitar Department” In Memory of Garfield D. Kington at the Peabody Institute 1 East Mount Vernon Place Baltimore, MD 21202

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Garfield D. Kington, M. D.

May 9, 1923 - August 3, 2014