Damon King

Damon King passed away on Monday, November 16, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 20, 2015 at 11:00AM at Vineville Baptist Church, 2591 Vineville Ave., Macon, Georgia 31204. Dr. Richard Kremer, Reverend Joe McDaniel, Georgia Israel and Leon Jones will be officiating. A visitation will be held on Thursday, November 19, 2015 from 5:00PM-7:00PM at Hart's Mortuary at the Cupola, 6324 Peake Road, Macon, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Medcen Community Health Foundation, 858 High Street, Macon, GA 31201. Mr. King served as President and CEO of The Medical Center, Navicent Health - formerly The Medical Center of Central Georgia - from 1968 to 1997. Mr. King is credited with transforming the once troubled municipal hospital into a successful health system that now encompasses the continuum of care. Under his leadership, a number of healthcare services were added to serve the community and the region, including the second cardiac care unit in the state, a cancer care center, the only children's hospital to serve the region, a rehabilitation hospital, a continuing-care retirement community, and a hospital foundation tasked with raising funds to support community health initiatives. Mr. King also established the hospital's relationship with Mercer University, allowing The Medical Center to become the Mercer University School of Medicine's primary clinical medical education and residency site. Following his retirement in 1997, Mr. King remained active within the health system as a consultant, under which he was given the title "President Emeritus," until 2002. Among other accolades received during Mr. King's administration, The Medical Center was named one of the top 100 acute care hospitals in the United States in 1993. A pioneer in the field of healthcare administration, Mr. King set the standard for healthcare administrators throughout the industry. A fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of the Georgia General Assembly's Commission on Access to Healthcare, Mr. King served as President of the Georgia Hospital Association and was a member of the association's board of directors for many years. In 1983, he founded the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, a nonprofit association organized to be the voice of Georgia's not-for-profit hospitals. Three decades later, members of the alliance continue to work together to address issues faced by Georgia's public hospitals. Mr. King's contributions were not limited to healthcare. He was very active in community affairs, playing an active role in improving Macon's road and education systems. A former Chairman of the Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission, he also served as Chairman of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in 1995, and was integrally involved in economic development and improving quality of life in Macon. Mr. King is remembered as a natural leader, one who led by example and with a quiet grace. He commanded the respect of his employees long after his retirement. Many have recalled his quiet efforts to bring integration to Macon, both within and outside the walls of the hospital. With perseverance in the face of some criticism, he sought to ensure that all people were treated equally, regardless of their race or ethnicity. In 1998, Mr. King received the Georgia Hospital Association's Distinguished Service Award. He continued to serve his community well after his retirement, and in 2008, he was a recipient of The Salvation Army's Others Award, the organization's highest national civic award for service to others. He was a Distinguished Military Graduate of the University of Tennessee (Class of 1975) and a diehard Volunteer who was often overheard whistling "Rocky Top." Damon is survived by his daughters, DeAnn Hindman (Rusty) of Dadeville, Alabama and Robin Horton (Ben) of Weddington, North Carolina; grandchildren, Jannah Markham (Will) of Papillion, Nebraska, Carson Singletary of Charleston, West Virginia, Christiana Horton of Asheville, North Carolina and Olivia Horton of Weddington, North Carolina. The family wants to thank Damon's caregivers, Theresa Simmons, Diane Dumas, Valerie Harper, Ebony McCrary and Tamayo Gallemore, for their dedication and service. Employees and retirees of Navicent Health will celebrate the life of Mr. King at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 20 at The Medical Center, Navicent Health's Damon King Plaza, 777 Hemlock Street in Macon, Ga. Register online at www.hartsmort.com Hart's Mortuary at the Cupola has charge of arrangements.