Roland Parker “Butch” Guest
NOVEMBER 2, 1945 ~ NOVEMBER 6, 2018 (AGE 73)
Butch was born November 2, 1945 in Memphis TN. to Roland and Bernice (Jones) Guest and grew up in Greenville, MS. He graduated from Greenville High School in 1963. He then briefly attended Mississippi State University before returning home to serve as a medic attached to an armory unit of the Mississippi National Guard. This led him to pursue a medical career and he enrolled at Delta State University before attending medical school at the University of Mississippi. He excelled within his class and was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) honor society.
After finishing his cardiology fellowship in 1980, he moved to Tupelo and was the first cardiologist at North Mississippi Medical Center. He performed the first heart catheterization at NMMC in 1981. He pioneered the heart program and served as the only interventional cardiologist in Tupelo until Dr. Jack Foster joined him in 1983. In 1983, he went to St. Luke Mid America Heart Institute and did a further specialization in interventional cardiology, He performed the first percutaneous angioplasty at NMMC in 1984.
As the pioneer in his field, Dr. Guest was one of the only three cardiologists in North Mississippi doing interventions at the time. Under his leadership, the cardiology practice expanded to become the leading and largest program in the Northern part of the state.
He loved to travel and did so extensively before and after his retirement in 2010. He was an avid hunter and fisherman as well as a lover of fine art, food, music, and wine. One of his favorite places to be and travel to was New Orleans. Butch organized “the retired Physicians Coffee Group” which meets every Wednesday morning for a time of fellowship at Hilton Garden Inn. He was an active member of The Orchard.
He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his life partner and guardian angel, Carol Etheridge of Tupelo; his brother, Charles Guest (Rubye) of Starkville; his three daughters, Mary Alice Cafiero of Dallas, TX, Sarah Grace (John) of Belden, MS, and Noel Cameron (Jacob) of Saltillo, MS. He is also survived by his six grandchildren, Caitlin, Matty, and Joe Cafiero; Ellis Watts; and Riley and Peyton Cameron as well as a host of nieces and nephews.
A service celebrating his spectacular life and times will be held at 5 PM Thursday, November 9, 2018 at the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors with Dr. Bryan Collier and Rev. Will Rambo officiating. Visitation will be from 3 PM-service time Thursday only at Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo Chapel which is honored to be serving their friends. The service may be viewed via www.hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Livestreaming at 5 PM Thursday and for 60 days thereafter.
Honorary pallbearers will be Former partners of Internal Medicine Associates and Cardiology of North Mississippi, the Retired Physicans Coffee group, nephews, Charlie, Daryl and Scott Guest, Jerry Lee Clayton, Richard New and George Lotterhos.
Dr. Guest’s family is especially thankful for the nursing staff at NMMC and the Sanctuary Hospice House for their patience and care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sanctuary Hospice House, P. O. Box 2177, Tupelo, MS. 38802 or The Palmer Home for Children, P. O. Box 746, Columbus, MS. 39701.
