surrounded by his loving family.
Henry was born on March 2, 1925 in Conover, North Carolina, youngest child of Anne and
Adrian Shuford. He went to grammar school in Conover and began high school in Newton. At 15
years old, he attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana. After one year at Culver, Henry was
accepted at age 16 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a pre-med program.
After 2 years at Chapel Hill, he was accepted at the University of Rochester, New York School of
Medicine, graduating in 1948. This was the first time Henry actually graduated from a school.
He next began a two year internship in Radiology at the University of Virginia.
Henry married Nancy Margaret Haslam of Providence, Rhode Island on April 17, 1950, one of
the happiest days of his life. They moved to St. Louis, Missouri where Henry did his residency at
Washington University School of Medicine at Barnes Hospital. While in Missouri, David and
Louise were born.
In 1953, Henry received a commission of First Lieutenant Medical Corps and was stationed in
New Brunswick, New Jersey at Camp Kilmer where he was the only radiologist. In 1955, the
family moved to Durham, North Carolina, and Henry served as a Full Professor of Radiology at
Duke Hospital. They welcomed their third child, William.
In 1957, the Shuford family moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he accepted a position on the
faculty at Emory University, teaching at Grady Memorial Hospital. In Atlanta, Jamie and Robert
were born completing their family. His speciality was Cardiothoracic and Vascular Imaging. He
published numerous medical articles and co-authored the book The Aortic Arch and its
Malformations. He achieved the title of Professor Emeritus in 1999. His family has been touched
by numerous doctors remarking on Henry’s influence on their medical practice and knowledge.
Henry was a man of many passions and interests. Nancy and Henry were avid bridge players
and became Life Masters. At age 40, he started playing tennis. Winning wasn’t important to him;
he just wanted to perfect his backhand. After watching home movies of Stein Eriksen, he took
the whole family on ski trips to Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. Henry and Nancy enjoyed
traveling, with trips to Russia, Israel, Alaska, Europe, South America, and Antarctica, one of his
favorite trips. Henry loved classical music, Frank Sinatra and big band music, setting up a music
room which brought him many hours of pleasure. He loved golf, whiskey sours, West-end
Burgers at Houstons, re-finishing furniture, German Shepherds, growing rhododendrons,
floating in the ocean, lying in the sand, and the movie Shane. He was a member of Cherokee
Town and Country Club and St. Philip’s Cathedral.
When asked what his greatest achievement was, Henry replied, “family”. For the past 33 years,
he took the entire family (the count this past June was 35) on an annual beach trip to South
Carolina, leading to the formation of lasting relationships of family members across the country.
Henry was extremely proud of his children and grandchildren and the contributions they are
making to their communities.
Henry was a devoted son, father, and husband. Henry is survived by “the love of my life”, Nancy
Haslam, wife of 69 years; his five children, David and his wife Helena of Atlanta, Louise Shuford
Rak and her husband Joseph of Dennis, Massachusetts, William (Billy) Shuford and his wife
Leslie of Atlanta, James (Jamie) Shuford and his wife Emily of Mountain Brook, Alabama,
Robert Shuford and his wife Margot of Atlanta; ten grandchildren, Parmelee Shuford Miller,
Lindsay Shuford Labrot, Emily Rak Nichols, David Shuford, Jr, Elijah Rak, Lia Shuford, Katie
Shuford, William Shuford, Jake Shuford, Anna Shuford, two step-grandchildren, Kate Amberson
and Lizzie Amberson; eight surviving great-grandchildren and one predeceased great-grandson.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Lenbrook, Live Oak Caregivers, and Longleaf Hospice for
all of their loving care.
A memorial celebration of Henry’s life and legacy will be held at St. Philip’s Cathedral at 2:00 on
Friday, August 16.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the charity or church of their choice.
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