Charles Amon Lanford MD

Dr. Lanford was born July 22, 1931, in Stone Mountain, Georgia, the son of Laudis and Lucile Almand Lanford. He graduated from Stone Mountain High School, graduating in the top 10% of his class. He was active in the Methodist Youth Fellowship at Stone Mountain Methodist Church and was an officer of the North Georgia Conference Methodist Youth Fellowship. He was active in the Boy Scouts, receiving his Eagle rank with Silver Palm and was also the first in the Atlanta Area Council to receive the God and Country Award in Scouting. Dr. Lanford was an avid hunter and fisherman.

Dr. Lanford attended Emory University 1948-1952, graduating with a BA Degree. He sang with the Glee Club and continued through college to be active in Scouting and the Methodist Youth Fellowship.

In 1952 he was accepted and attended The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, graduating in the top 10% of his 1956 class with an M.D. Degree. He was Secretary-Treasurer of his Medical Fraternity, Theta Kappa Psi. While in Augusta he was active at St. John’s United Methodist Church, singing in the choir and leading recreation for the Youth after church.

Upon graduation, in June 1956 he served a rotating internship at the Macon Hospital, which is now known as The Medical Center of Central Georgia. He continued to be a member of the Active Staff of the hospital until retirement.

Dr. Lanford was a Board Certified Family Physician who practiced Family Medicine for forty-five years in the Rutland Community. In the first fifteen years, he delivered babies and made frequent house calls. He was a charter member of the American Board of Family Practice. He was also eligible for the Board of Occupational Health and Geriatric Board.

Dr. Lanford was a Senior Attending Physician on the Staff of The Medical Center and on the Active Staff of the Middle Georgia Hospital, Coliseum Park Hospital, and Associate at Charter Northside Hospital. He was Chief of Staff at The Parkview Hospital.

He was Chairman of the Family Practice Department at The Medical Center and Secretary of the Medical Staff at The Coliseum Hospital, serving on the Executive Board, Chairman of the Medical Division, and member of the Pharmacy and Nursing Advisory Committees.

Dr. Lanford joined the Bibb County Medical Society immediately after beginning private practice and served as Vice President and President of the organization. He is a past member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Lanford served on the Insurance Committee for the Bibb County Medical Society and a past member of the Board of Directors of the Columbus Blue Shield Plan.

Dr. Lanford was a member of the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) and served on the board as MAG Director from the Bibb County Medical Society. He served as MAG Alternate Director and Director for many years. He attended the MAG’s Physician Involvement Program at the State Capitol since its establishment. He was also a life member of the American Medical Association serving as Vice-Speaker and Speaker of House of Delegates of MAG for 3 yrs. and was on numerous committees. He attended A.M.A. Annual and Interim Meetings and worked closely with the A.M.A. Delegation. He served on the Mercer Medical School Liaison Committee for the Bibb County Medical Society and Preceptor for the Medical School and Clinical Assistant Professor of the Department of Family and Community Medicine for 12 years.

Dr. Lanford was an active member of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, maintaining membership over 25 years. He served on the Membership Committee and as a Delegate several years and as Vice Speaker of the House of Delegates. He served on the Board of Directors for many years.

Dr. Lanford was honored by being presented with the Georgia Family Physician of the Year Award by Georgia Academy of Family Practice and the Medical Association of Georgia in 1989. He also was awarded Outstanding Physician of the Year in 1993 by Bibb County Medical Society. Dr. Lanford was a Diplomat and Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Dr. Lanford established an ongoing health care program with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Department, screening all the employees of the Sheriff’s Department each year and served with the rank of Major in the Sheriff’s Department. For approximately 10 years he was a Physician for the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center and continued as Medical Advisor to the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center for several years. He carried the rank of Major.

He donated time each year to the Boy Scout Program examining the Boy Scouts. He served as a member at large of the Executive Council and committee member of the local troop. Dr. Lanford donated time each year to examine local high school students for Athletic events. He was actively involved in community service projects: Ex.: Ad Hoc AIDS Committee for public information on AIDS. He was appointed Admiral of the Georgia Navy by Gov. Zell Miller.

After retiring, he studied and became a certified Master Gardener, an active and first male member of Porterfield Garden Club, and a life member of The Federated Garden Clubs of Macon. He was awarded The Stephanie Kunzelman Memorial Award in recognition of Outstanding Service and voted Garden Club Member of the Year 2012-2013. He applied his Master Gardener Certification to community projects, speaking to Garden Clubs on related subjects, working on the Blue Star Marker Memorial, Rutland Community Park, and the Jr. Master Gardener Program in Grammar schools.

He was a 32nd degree Mason and active member of Masonic Lodge #298, a past member of the Lions’ Club, and a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. He was a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He was a member of Idle Hour Country Club for over 50 years. He served on the Macon Symphony Board, was a life member of Historic Macon and Friends of the Library. The Library in the Rutland Community was named in his honor—The Charles A. Lanford, M.D. Public Library. He believed anyone could go anywhere in the world with a book!

Dr. Lanford was active in the church and Chairman of the Administrative Board at Liberty United Methodist Church and Chairman of the Administrative Board for seven years at Riverside United Methodist Church. He enjoyed singing in the Choir and membership in the Woodruff Sunday School Class. He served as Lay Leader for three years and Chairman of the Staff-Parish Committee.

He is survived by his wife of sixty-five years, Shirley Anne Hendrick “Shug” Lanford; son, Charles Amon Lanford, Jr., his wife Sherri Garst Lanford; son, Dr. Laudis Hendrick “Rick” Lanford, his wife, Kim Moody Lanford; daughter, Becky Lanford Candler and her husband, Charles Howard Candler, IV; daughter, Holly Boyd Lanford, and her husband, Michael Charles Polak; grandchildren, David Lanford, Joanna Lanford, Sara Beth Gillespie, Paxton Keegan, Rebecca Candler, Lucy Candler, Michael Charles Polak Jr., and Joshua Lanford Polak and great-grandchildren, Luke Gillespie, Levi Gillespie, Logan Gillespie, Callan Anne Keegan, and Candler Dean Keegan, his brother, Rev. Thomas C. Lanford, sister-in-law, Roberta Lanford, his sister, Renee Lanford Smith, brother-in-law, Clyde Smith, and sister-in-law, Mary Barton Lanford.

A private memorial and burial service will be held 2PM Sunday at Liberty United Methodist. The service will be available by joining www.facebook.com/SnowsMemorialChapelBass/ Rev. Tony G. Crosby, Dr. Derek McAleer and Dr. Laudis H. “Rick” Lanford will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Methodist Children’s Home, 304 Pierce Ave, Macon, GA 31204, Liberty United Methodist, 6511 Houston Rd, Macon, GA 31216, or Masonic Children’s Home, 1417 Nottingham Dr. Macon, GA 31211.

The family wants to give special thanks to the devoted staff from Homestead Hospice and from Pine Pointe Hospice.

Visit www.snowsmacon.com to express condolences.

Snow’s Memorial Chapel, Bass Road has charge of the arrangements.