Charles Eldon Tommey MD

Dr. Charles Eldon Tommey, 98, passed away Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at his home in El Dorado, Arkansas surrounded by his family. Dr. Tommey was born on January 13, 1922 in Hempstead County, Arkansas to William Robert and America Ann (Compton) Tommey. After graduating medical school from UAMS, he received training as a captain of the Medical Corp of the U.S. Army during WWII. He met his wife of 67 years, Clara Blair Newman, while working at the Brook Army Hospital in San Antonio. They married August 26, 1948 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Dr. Tommey was a life-long member of First Baptist Church of El Dorado where he served as a deacon for many years. He lived out his faith through his practice of medicine, twice traveling to Nigeria to volunteer his surgical skills to the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

The embodiment of the Hippocratic Oath, Dr. Tommey spent 55 years caring for and healing the community as a respected surgeon at the Surgical Clinic of South Arkansas. After retiring from surgery, he continued to care for patients at the hyperbaric wound healing clinic until 2009. Dr. Tommey was a proud member of the American College of Surgeons and diplomat of the American Board of Surgery. He served for 16 years on the Arkansas State Medical Board and was a member of the American Medical Society, the Arkansas Medical Society, and the Union County Medical Society.

His prowess as a medical practitioner extended to delighting his grandchildren with reflex checks, creative “hiccup” remedies involving an unabridged dictionary, and on one occasion crafting a play-dough gall bladder. He enjoyed woodworking but stopped short of a serious avocation in order to retain all of his digits necessary to perform surgical procedures for his vocation.

A lover of classical music, he could often be found sitting in his music room taking in the angelic notes of Handel’s Messiah on Sunday afternoons. Dr. Tommey and his wife enjoyed traveling the world and capturing their experiences on film. His specialty was curating the perfect slideshow to showcase their epic adventures.

He inspired calm confidence to all.

Dr. Tommey was preceded in death by his parents, William Robert & America Ann (Compton) Tommey, his wife, Clara Blair (Newman) Tommey, and his siblings William Dean Tommey and Dr. James Richard Tommey. He is survived by his sister Patsy Ann Johnston of Panama City, FL; his children Dr. Robert C. Tommey (Lark) of El Dorado, AR, Jeanie Thomey (Gary) of Leesburg, VA, Phillip Tommey (Jim Huttenhower) of Chicago, IL, Dale Tommey (Olga) of El Dorado, AR and Dr. Scott Tommey (Bonnie) of Los Angeles, CA; his grandchildren Ashley (Unger) Menedez, Jennifer (Tommey) Zoellner, Adriana (Unger) Stacey, Whitney (Thomey) McKim, John Unger, Rebekah (Tommey) Ankney, Craig Tommey, Maria (Tommey) Sloan, Jake Tommey, Lizzy Tommey; and 12 great grandchildren.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Ella Lyons and Yashica Lyons. With their care and compassion Dr. Tommey was able to remain in the comfort of the home that he loved.

A visitation will be held at Young’s Funeral home on Friday, January 17th, 2020 from 6 - 8 in the evening. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, January 18th, 2020 at the First Baptist Church in El Dorado at 11 o’clock a.m., an interment service at Arlington Cemetery will follow the church service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to First Baptist Church Foundation or the Arkansas Baptist Children’s Home.

An online registry will be available at www.youngsfuneralhome.com.