GAFP leader and Past GAFP and Georgia Healthy Family Alliance President, George Shannon, MD, FAAFP passed away in June surrounded by his family. Dr. Shannon was a vibrant force and leader in the Georgia Academy for decades. Part of his obituary captured some of his family medicine career which includes the following:
After completing his training, he served two years in the U.S. Public Health Service in Parsons, Tennessee. Following his service, Dr. Shannon moved to Jackson, Tennessee to become the founding director of medical education at the University of Tennessee Family Medicine Residency Program until 1982 when he then moved to Columbus, Georgia to accept the position of director of medical education at The Medical Center. Dr. Shannon also served as an associate dean at Emory University and the Medical College of Georgia during this time.
In 1988, he left that position to enter private practice and was a founding member of the Horizons Physician Network/Horizons Diagnostics Group. In addition to his clinical practice and service as medical director, Dr. Shannon was an associate and assistant clinical professor at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Gwinnett Georgia campus, and University of Tennessee respectively.
He retired from his practice in 2015 to spend more time with family and friends, to enjoy the peace and serenity of his house on Lake Martin in Alabama, and to follow his beloved Auburn Tigers.
Among his extensive volunteer experience, Dr. Shannon served multiple roles in the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, including Chairman of the Board, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, including member of the Board of Directors. In recognition of his service, he was a two-time recipient of the President’s Award of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians. He was also recognized as the Family Physician of the Year in 1998 by the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians and Medical Association of Georgia.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be sent to the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance, the foundation of Georgia’s family physicians, which supports local community healthcare needs and the education of young people about the harms of tobacco and vaping: To date over $2,000 has been donated in his memory, and we have let the family know of these individual donations, including a $500 memorial gift from the GAFP Board of Directors.
https://www.georgiahealthyfamilyalliance.org/
https://www.georgiahealthyfamilyalliance.org/donate/
Obituary: https://www.mcmullenfuneralhome.com/obituary/DrGeorge-Shannon