David French Apple Jr.

Dr. David F. Apple, Jr. passed away peacefully at home on Monday, March 23rd. Dr. Apple was a devoted and beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was also widely recognized as a pioneering orthopedic surgeon and physician, leaving behind a legacy of service, innovation, compassion, and positive community impact.

Born on April 16, 1936, in Huntington, West Virginia, to Bernice Stewart and David French Apple, Sr., he moved with his parents and brother Jim to Fort Thomas, Kentucky, in 1939. A standout student and athlete, he graduated as valedictorian and president of his class at Highlands High School in 1954, earning varsity letters in basketball, football, and track.

Dr. Apple attended the University of Virginia as a Dupont Honor Scholar. In a reflection of his independent spirit, he ran as a protest candidate and was elected student body president. He also served as Chair of the Honor Committee and President of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He earned his bachelor's degree in biology before attending the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine as a Noble Scholar. While there, he met the love of his life, Jane Wier, and one year later they were married.

Following his medical training, David and Jane moved to Atlanta where he completed a rotating internship at Grady Memorial Hospital and a year in general surgery before being drafted into the United States Air Force, where he rose to serve as Chief of Surgery. He then completed his orthopedic residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and pursued fellowships in orthopedic rehabilitation at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital in California and in hand surgery in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1970, David and Jane returned to Atlanta and he joined the Peachtree Orthopedic Clinic, where he practiced hand surgery and sports medicine for five years. During this time he also became team physician for the Atlanta Hawks — a role he held for 30 years.

In 1975, with the full support of Jane, he left private practice to co-found Shepherd Center alongside Alana and Harold Shepherd and their son James, becoming its founding Medical Director and serving in that role for three decades. From that point forward, Dr. Apple, together with the Shepherd family and the Center's remarkable leadership and staff, helped grow Shepherd Center into the industry-leading spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation hospital it is today. He was a founding member of both the Shepherd Center Board of Directors and the Shepherd Center Foundation Board of Trustees, serving as treasurer of the latter. He was also instrumental in founding related professional organizations, including the American Spinal Injury Association, and contributed to establishing an orthopedic medical journal and the Orthopedic Rehabilitation Association.

Dr. Apple shared a deep passion for athletics and patient care for athletes. In addition to his long tenure with the Atlanta Hawks, he served as a leading physician for Atlanta's 1996 Paralympic Games, a landmark event that was then the largest Paralympic Games ever staged, welcoming 3,200 athletes from over 100 countries. He also provided medical care for the AJC Peachtree Road Race and the Tour Championship.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Apple received numerous honors. He was named Humanitarian of the Year by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Georgia Hospital Association, the F.J. Funk Award for outstanding service to the Georgia Orthopedic Society, and the American Spinal Injury Association Lifetime Achievement Award. He was a member of Twentieth Century Orthopaedic Association, the Spinal Cord Injury Hall of Fame and served as president of several professional societies, including the Atlanta Clinical Society, the Atlanta Orthopedic Society, the Georgia Orthopedic Society, and the Society of NBA Physicians.

Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Apple was deeply committed to giving back. He served on numerous boards, including the Lovett School, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Day One Ministries, the Southeastern Council of Medshare, and the medical board of Childspring International. He was also a longtime member of the Cathedral of St. Philip, where he worshipped for over 55 years.

David Apple embraced life fully, enjoying basketball, tennis, squash, and golf with friends. He loved farming and he and Jane bought an apple orchard in Rabun County, Georgia in 1993, adding a vineyard several years later. David and Jane shared a love of exploring the world and spent 63 joyful married years together. He cherished time with his family, celebrating every birthday with dinner at a favorite restaurant and attending his children's and grandchildren's sporting events, with summer vacations often spent at Hilton Head Island.

David Apple's life, marked by dedication to his family, patients and community, stands as an inspiration to all those he touched throughout his career and leaves an enduring impact on everyone who knew him.

He is survived by his wife, Jane; his children, Stephanie (John Kiser), Karen (George Mathews), David (Virginia) and Megan (John Stephenson); twelve grandchildren, John (Marissa), Matthew and Jennifer (Bob Pierson) Kiser; Virginia, Jane and George Mathews; Annesley, Sydney, Ford and Travis Apple; May and Jack Stephenson; and one great-grandchild, Emmy Kiser. Other survivors include a niece, Meredith Apple Lamb (Tom) and nephew, Miles Stewart Apple (Sandy). David was preceded in death by his parents and beloved bother, James G. Apple.

The family would like acknowledge the loyal and loving care that Dr. Apple received in the last 15 months of his life from Ruth Adepoju and Israel Adepoju.

A memorial service in honor of Dr. Apple will take place on Friday, April 17 at 10:00 a.m. at The Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. A reception will follow the service at the Capital City Club, 53 West Brookhaven Drive, Atlanta.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Shepherd Center, the Lovett School, or the Cathedral of St. Philip.