Dr. David ONeal

David Medford ONeal departed this life, Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, at his home in Chattanooga. He was born on Sept. 5, 1933 to Medford and Angalee Elms ONeal of Batesville, Ark. After three years at Arkansas State College in Jonesboro, he was admitted to the University of Tennessee Medical School and graduated at the age of 23. He served as an orthopedic surgeon and commander in the United State Navy. After a tour of duty as chief of orthopaedics aboard the U.S.S. Repose in Vietnam waters, he resigned his naval commission in 1971 to enter private practice with the Chattanooga Orthopaedic Group. He also served as a Colonel in the Tennessee Army National Guard. For 24 years, he held various staff positions at area hospitals. He also served as associate clinical professor of orthopaedics at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga. He actively participated in the hand clinic and children's clinic at Erlanger and ran the amputee clinic with Siskin Hospital. Upon his retirement in 1994, he served on the state of Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners and was active with the Volunteers in Medicine as long as his health permitted. Survivors include his wife, Jan; his children and their families, David and Susan ONeal, of Waterbury Center, Vt., Alec and Leigh O'Neal Fernandez and children, Elise Olivia and Sofia, of Durham, N.C., Rick Reachard, of Ringgold, Ga.; Danny and Le Reachard and children, Ponmali and Soemi, of Reston, Va.; and his beloved 16-year-old Baby Kitty, who never left his side for the past two years. He was a member of East Brainerd Church of Christ. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, in the chapel of Heritage Funeral Home with Ministers Frank Ford and David Mellor officiating. Burial will be private at Chattanooga National Cemetery. Visit www.heritagefhcom to share words of comfort to the family. Memorial contributions may be made to Wallys Friends, P.O. Box 16100, Chattanooga, TN 37416, or Volunteers in Medicine, 5705 Marlin Road, Chattanooga, TN 37411. The family will receive friends from noon to 1:30 p.m. Friday at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road.