John O’Brien McGuire passed away on Thursday morning, October 12, 2017.
Born and raised in Charlotte, NC, he came with his wife and three sons to Asheville in July of 1978 to open a private practice of his own in general surgery from which he became a most beloved and successful physician for the next 27 years.
He graduated from Davidson College in Davidson, NC and then went on to Durham and entered Duke Medical School for four years. He completed his internship and residency in General Surgery and a fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. He spent two years as a Major in the Air Force in Myrtle Beach, SC where he was the chief surgeon.
After beginning his practice in Asheville he became a fellow in the American College of Surgeons, and proving his worth he helped form one of the first general surgical partnerships (Regional Surgical Specialists) in Asheville that has since grown and continues to employ exemplary surgeons for this community.
He was a board member of the Buncombe County Medical Society, Chief of Surgery at Mission and St. Joseph’s Hospitals, Board Chairman of Buncombe County Heart Association , member of the North Carolina Surgical Society, Chief of General Surgery Section at Mission and St. Joseph Hospitals.
John’s medicine was bold, and one of his biggest and extremely important accomplishments was the initiation of Laparoscopic Surgery here in Asheville. He designed and brought online an advanced Laparoscopic training suite at Mission Hospital and taught advanced Laparoscopic techniques to surgeons from all over the U.S.
He was then a founding board member of the newly formed Asheville Surgery Center (ASC) and acting Executive Director for a year. If that was not enough, he initiated, organized and established funding for the Mission Comprehensive Regional Breast Cancer Program.
In his retirement, his love of learning new endeavors continued unabated. After all that he had accomplished in his career, he became a certified private pilot, obtained an instrument license and flew all over the country and down to the Bahamas and Mexico. He also began to blow glass, especially at the Penland School of Craft in Penland, NC.
From being a student of glass blowing, he became a board of Trustees member at the school for five years. He was also a member of the Board of Directors at Deerfield Retirement Center in Asheville.
John was an extremely brilliant person who could “fix” anything. He loved to fly. He loved to blow glass. He loved to garden. He loved rebuilding his little Austin Healy Bug Eyed Sprite. He loved to grow and admire his many trees, conifers and roses. He loved to fish. He loved to be with people and he loved to tell his stories (over and over). He loved his family very much.
John was a very talented man, a loving husband, a devoted father, a “favorite” grandfather, a dependable brother and a true friend.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Grace Moseley Robinson McGuire and William Bulgin McGuire and his youngest son, Malcolm Boyd McGuire.
Surviving are his wife, Christine (Tina) McArdle McGuire of 49 years; two sons, John O’Brien McGuire, Jr. (Elizabeth Pagano McGuire) and Peter Buckley McGuire (Jennifer Deuel McGuire); six lovely grandchildren, Larisa Michelle McGuire, Cullen O’Brien McGuire, James William McGuire, Lucy Mei McGuire, Connor Douglas McGuire, Jack Booth McGuire; one sister, Elizabeth McGuire Petty; two brothers William Bulgin McGuire, Jr. and Robert Boyd McGuire plus nieces and nephews and cousins.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, October 17 at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Asheville.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Penland School of Crafts, P.O. Box 37, Penland, NC 28765; Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St. Asheville, NC 28801 and / or the charity of one’s choice .
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family and a guest register is available online at www.grocefuneralhome.com.
Published in the Asheville Citizen-Times from Oct. 15 to Oct. 17, 2017