Charles Burden Brett, MD, passed away at home on November 19, 2021, at the age of 77. Son of the late Hampton Fleming Brett and Bertha Spivey Brett, Charles grew up in Windsor, NC, and was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He went on to graduate from the UNC School of Medicine in 1971. He served in the United States Navy for eight years, completing his residency and serving as a pediatrician at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia.
In 1978, Charles joined the Sam Ravenel Clinic in Greensboro, now Carolina Pediatrics of the Triad, where he worked until his retirement in 2019. Known by many of his patients as "Dr. Charles," he dedicated his life to taking care of countless generations of children and families in the community. In addition to his practice, he was on the staff of the pediatric hospitals in Greensboro where he cared for hospitalized infants, children, and teenagers. He served as Chief of Pediatrics at Wesley Long Hospital and was a member of numerous committees for pediatric medicine throughout his career.
Dr. Brett was recently recognized by the UNC School of Medicine for his 50th year in the field. Throughout those fifty years, he mentored numerous medical students, pediatric interns, and residents. He was loved by his patients for his instant smile, infectious laugh, and quick wit. He will be remembered as a superior pediatrician with excellent diagnostic and clinical skills and as a doctor who always put the concerns of his patients and parents first.
Outside of his fulfilling medical career, Charles was a self-taught master gardener with limitless energy for sharing his passion for gardening and landscape architecture. His spirit will live on in the gardens of many, as he encouraged the new gardener with gifts from his own shade garden, designed backyard gardens for friends, and created and implemented the landscape design for Carolina Pediatrics of the Triad.
Dr. Brett is survived by his daughter, Maggie Brett Kennedy (Hunter) of Charleston, South Carolina, his son, Taylor Brett (Karen) of Greensboro and two beloved grandchildren, Hampton Kennedy and Noah Brett. The family thanks Albert Horne for his incredible friendship and caregiving over the last several years. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Children's Home Society of North Carolina at https://www.chsnc.org/donate/. A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com.
