Dr. John Stephen Inman Jr.

John Stephen Inman, Jr. was born October 13, 1921, on the Slappey Dairy Farm in the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Slappey. He was the first son of John Stephen and Eloise Slappey Inman. He attended Albany public schools, graduating from Albany High School in 1938. Dr. Inman attended Emory College, first in Valdosta and then ‘Big Emory’ in Atlanta, Georgia. While at Emory, Dr. Inman was an active member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity along with fellow Albanians Stuart Watson and Paul Keenan who were lifelong friends. During World War II, Dr. Inman entered Emory University School of Medicine as a private in the United States Army after graduating from Emory College in 1942. In 1945, he graduated from Emory University School of Medicine and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps. After a nine-month surgical internship in Lexington, Kentucky at St. Joseph’s Hospital, he served two years in the United States Army Medical Corps, primarily at Randolph Field in San Antonio, Texas. While there, he graduated from the Air University School of Aviation Medicine and received his wings as a Flight Surgeon. In 1948, he returned to Lexington, Ky. for a year of general surgery residency; then in 1949 he began a three-year residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Crawford W. Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1952, he returned to Albany, Georgia and opened his office for the practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology and, after passing both the written and oral exams that same year, became the first board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist in South Georgia. In 1955 he married Willa Brickle and they were blessed with two sons, John Stephen Inman, III M.D., also an Obstetrician and Gynecologist in Albany, and Mark Ashley Inman, an attorney in Atlanta. Each year his practice became larger and in the 1970’s, Drs. William F. George and Frank F. Middleton joined the practice. Then his son John joined the practice in 1987 following his graduation from and residency at Emory University. When Dr. Inman stopped delivering babies in 1989, he had delivered 9,531 babies at Phoebe Putney Hospital alone. All told, in his career he helped birth over 10,000 children. Even after ending his obstetrical practice, he continued to practice gynecology for many years and often related one of the true pleasures in his life was assisting his oldest son John with surgeries. Dr. Inman was a lifelong member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church; his great-grandfather, Rev. Thomas Goulding Pond was rector in the 1870s. Dr. Inman served on the Vestry for three 3-year terms. He was Chairman of a successful Capital Fund Campaign in 2000. He was a member of the Dougherty County Kiwanis Club for over 50 years, serving as vice-president and board member. He was also a life member of Albany Lodge 713 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Dr. Inman had a passion for fitness. He joined the Albany YMCA in 1930, served on the Board of Directors for many years, was President in 2003, and was Chairman of the YMCA Endowment Committee. Having earned the honor, the YMCA dedicated their outdoor track to him in 1999. Dr. Inman was a founding Director of the Security Bank and Trust Co. which is now a part of Synovus Bank. He was President of the Dougherty County Medical Society in 1962. He sent two children to Deerfield-Windsor School and made possible the construction of the John S. Inman, Jr. M.D. Science and Media Center at Deerfield. Dr. Inman loved his profession and continually gave back of his time and energy. Dr. Inman was a member of the Albany/Dougherty County Hospital Authority and served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Phoebe Putney Hospital Foundation. He was a Life Member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and was a section chairman for the State of Georgia. In 1975, he was President of the Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society and in 1984 he became vice-president of the South Atlantic Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Phoebe Putney Hospital honored him in 1999 by naming the Labor and Delivery suite the John S. Inman, Jr. M.D. Pavilion for Women, perhaps the honor which he was most proud. Finally, in 2014, the Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society honored Dr. Inman with its Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Inman had a deep love for and gratitude to Emory University. Both his sons attended Emory. He was honored to be asked to be a member of the Advisory Council of Emory University School of Medicine and was a member of the Emory Legacy Society. His devotion to his alma mater was recognized in 2000 when he was awarded the J. Pollard Turman Alumni Service Award of Emory University. In 2008, Emory University School of Medicine awarded him the Arnold Patz, M.D. Lifetime Achievement Award. Finally, Dr. Inman loved Albany and cared deeply for its people. His love for his hometown was recognized in 2004 when the Thronoteeska Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution awarded him the DAR Community Service Award. The Rotary Club of Dougherty County awarded him the Service Above Self Award in 2004 as well. Dr. Inman is survived by his beloved wife of seventy-six years, Willa Brickle Inman of Albany and their two sons, John S. Inman, III M.D. also of Albany and his family: wife Vicki Lang Inman, son John S. Inman, IV and his wife Beverly Guillebeau Inman, and daughter Ivy Inman Clark and her husband, Martin B. Clark, DMD who recently blessed Dr. Inman with his first great grandchild, Carlyle Lynn Clark; and Mark Ashley Inman of Atlanta and his family: wife Jennifer Bandrowski Inman, daughters Mary Elise Inman and Meryl Ashley Inman and their son, Paul Jeffrey Inman. Dr. Inman is also survived by his sister, Eloise Inman Jackson and her husband Lawson of Richardson, Texas and predeceased by his younger brother, Robert Allen Inman and his wife Ann of Waycross, Georgia. Funeral services for family only are at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2:00 p.m. Sunday, September 5, 2021. Graveside service for friends and family follows at 3:00 p.m. at Riverside Cemetery. Suggested memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the Albany YMCA, the Phoebe Foundation and Emory University School of Medicine Scholarship Fund.

Dr. John Stephen Inman Jr.

September 1, 2021