James Howard Elliott, M.D., first chairman Department of Ophthalmology Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, passed away Friday, April 17, 2015, at Blakeford Health Center.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ivy Jane Furman Elliott, his father, Arthur Elrod Elliott, and his brothers, Arthur Elliott and Sheldon Elliott.
He is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Roberta Hart Meyers Elliott.
He is survived by three sons and one daughter, and two stepchildren. Sons are Rick Elliott, of Florence, Alabama (partner, Rilley Winkle), Rick’s two daughters, Jacquline Wade Elliott and Ivy Louanne Elliott; daughter, Elaine (George) Hall, of Huntsville, Alabama, her sons, Andrew and Michael (Amy) Palmer, and her daughter, Maggie Palmer; son, Jack (Emily) Elliott, and children, Brandy (Herschel) Braden and Scott (Alexa) Elliott; and son, Steve Elliott, of Nashville, and his daughters, Casey Elliott and Anne Ward Elliott. Jim had six great-grandchildren. He left behind his stepdaughter, Tamara Hart (Frank) Simone, of Chantilly, Virginia, and their daughter, Sienna Hart Simone, and his devoted stepson, Robert Allen Meyers Jr. of Chicago, Illinois.
Jim will be greatly missed by all the ophthalmology residents and fellows he taught at Vanderbilt, his sister-in-law, Trudie Elliott, and many nieces and nephews.
Born in 1927, Dr. Elliott graduated from the University of Oklahoma Medical School in 1952 (Summa Cum Laude) following his undergraduate B.A. from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. He was active in many national ophthalmologic societies and authored over 100 published papers in ophthalmology journals as well as a textbook on ocular inflammation.
He was an avid tennis player and golfer (hole-in-one at Two Rivers Golf Course).
A celebration of life will be held at Benton Chapel at Vandy (2201 W. End Ave.) on Sunday, May 17, at noon, with visitation to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Elliott Fund, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Development and Alumni Relations, 2525 W. End Ave., Nashville, TN 37203-1738.
