John T. Elkins, Jr., MD

John T. Elkins, Jr., M.D., a retired Cardiologist and retired Captain in the U.S. Navy, entered into rest surrounded by his family on January 21, 2017 at his home in Tallahassee, Florida. He was born February 27, 1927 in Havana, Florida.

He was preceded in death by his parents John Thomas Elkins Sr. and Annie Lou Ferrell Elkins; sisters Mary Lenice Grantham and Nonnie Elkins Zeigler and his half brother Sam Vickers. John is survived by his sister Marjorie Elkins Underhill and his eight children, Walter Thomas Elkins (Janet), Samuel Taylor Elkins (Letitia), Marie Elkins-Hanes (David), Mary Elkins-Osborne (Jerry), Elizabeth Elkins-Weigand, Theodore James Elkins (Lauren), Jennifer Ann Elkins-Ciardo (Chris), Michelle Elkins-Walsh (Hank), eighteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He took great pride in his family and friends which he dearly loved.

Viewing services will be conducted by Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home located at 700 Timberlane Road, Tallahassee, Florida on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 from 6-8 pm. A funeral service will be held at the First Baptist Church of Havana at 11:00 am on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, located at 116 6th Avenue East, Havana, Florida. Burial with Military Honors will follow the church service at Woodland Cemetery, Havana.

CAPTAIN JOHN T. ELKINS, JR., UNITED STATES NAVY (Retired)

Captain John T. Elkins was born in Havana, Florida on 27 February 1927. At the age of 17, Captain Elkins joined the Merchant Marines and completed basic training in St. Petersburg, Florida. He qualified for Purcer Pharmacist School and was sent to Sheepshead Bay, New York for training. When Captain Elkins turned 18, he was drafted by the United States Army. After basic training, he completed heavy weapons infantry at Camp Livingston, Louisiana and then parachute training at Fort Benning, Georgia. In 1945, he was assigned to 1st Division European Theater of Operations, Germany and later to the 101st Airborne Division.

Captain Elkins returned home in 1946 and attended Florida State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology in only three years. While completing a fellowship in Bacteriology for a Masters Degree, Captain Elkins was recalled to active duty for the Korean Conflict. For two years he served as Laboratory Officer with the 5th US Army as a bacteriologist.

From 1953-1957, Captain Elkins attended the University of Miami School of Medicine, and, during his senior year, was on active duty with the United States Army Medical Corp under the Army Senior Medical Students Program. Upon graduation from medical school, Captain Elkins was accepted for internship, and subsequently residency, in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. During residency at Walter Reed, Dr. Elkins attended to such dignitaries as General Walter Bedell Smith and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In addition, he was selected to monitor astronaut Alan Shepard's suborbital space flight.

In 1962, Captain Elkins was assigned to 121st Evacuation Hospital, Ascom, Korea as Chief of Medicine and Cardiologist for the Far Eastern Command. After thirteen months, he was then assigned as assistant chief of Medicine, Walter Reed Army Hospital, Washington D.C., and Director of the Cardiovascular Renal Clinic.

One year later, Captain Elkins resigned his US Army regular army commission to go into private medical practice in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, in Boca Raton, Florida. Simultaneously, Captain Elkins pursued a commission in the United States Naval Reserve.

Captain Elkins had various assignments while serving as a reservist at United States Naval Reserve Center, Orlando, Florida, including Commanding Officer Naval Hospital in Orlando. His last Navy assignment was to the Naval Reserve Center, Riviera Beach, Florida, with attachment to the 4th Anglico Marine Airborne unit.

After serving 40 years in the Armed Forces, Captain Elkins retired on 1 September 1989. Subsequently, he was promoted on 12 July 1989 in the US Navy Reserve to the grade of Rear Admiral, and when assigned to the Marine Corps the grade of Major General. He retired from his private medical practice in 1992 and returned to Tallahassee, Florida.

His military decorations include Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Star, American Campaign Medal, European-African Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with Star, Army Service Medal with two Stars, and Army Overseas Service Medal with two Stars.

In addition to his military career, Dr. Elkins has worked extensively in the civilian sector. A few of the positions he has held include President of Medical Staff of Florida State Hospital, Board of Directors of Palm Beach County Heart Association, Adjunct Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Florida A&M University, Medical Director of Financial Benefit Group, Inc. Medical Advisor for Professional Review Organization of Florida, and Quality Assurance Medical Consultant for Office of Disability Determinations in Tallahassee, Florida. Additionally, he has produced numerous scientific articles and publications. Dr. Elkins has received many civilian honors, not the least of which was having a previously unknown strain of the St. Louis Encephalitis Virus named "The Elkins Virus" for its discoverer.