Brinton Bizzelle Gay

Dr. Brinton (Brit) B. Gay, Jr., former Director of Radiology at Egleston Children's Hospital from 1963-1985, died of natural causes on February 3rd in Nashville, Tennessee, where he moved in 2011 after spending nearly his entire life in the Emory area of Atlanta.

Born on August 25, 1921, Dr. Gay was the son of the late Dr. Brinton Bizzelle Gay, Sr. and Regina Daniel Gay of Atlanta. A graduate of Druid Hills Grammar and High Schools, he received his A.B. degree in Biology from Emory University, and his M.D. from Emory University School of Medicine in 1945. He was the third generation family member to graduate from Emory's medical school. Commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Medical Corps, he served a medical internship at the Sacramento (CA) County Hospital (now UC Davis). His service commitment also included 2 years with the Quarantine Service in the Panama Canal Zone, where he attained the rank of Captain.

Following his service, Dr. Gay completed a residency in Pediatrics at Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta and a Radiology residency at Lawson Veterans Hospital in Chamblee. He joined the Radiology department at Emory University Hospital in 1952 and subsequently established the first pediatric radiology department at Henrietta Egleston Children's Hospital (now part of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta). Dr. Gay was the first full-time pediatric radiologist in the state of Georgia, and served as director of the department until 1985. He continued as an attending radiologist until his retirement in 1992. His work at Emory didn't end there -- in retirement he was a consultant at Egleston to both physicians and residents until 2004, teaching every day from his files of more than 5000 images accumulated over the years.

Dr. Gay was on the faculty of Emory University School of Medicine from 1951-1992, advancing from assistant professor to professor to emeritus professor. He was considered a world-class diagnostician, educator, and clinical scientist who created one of the most valuable pediatric radiology libraries in the world. He was honored by the establishment of a teaching award in his name and that of James Luke Clements, MD still given yearly to a radiology faculty member elected as the Teacher of the Year. In recognition of his key role in the establishment of pediatric radiology at Emory, the Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging at Egleston was named in his honor in 1995. In 2003, he was awarded the Gold Medal by the Society for Pediatric Radiology for his contributions to the field.

In addition to his medical career, Dr. Gay was an accomplished musician. While still in high school, he was recruited to play trumpet for the Emory Aces big band and played throughout his college and medical school years. Later in life, he joined The Atlanta Seventeen orchestra, made up of lawyers, doctors and business professionals who played around Atlanta, writing musical arrangements for the group as well as playing trumpet. He donated all of his earnings from his musical endeavors to children's hospitals.

Dr. Gay was a member of many professional organizations, including the American Roentgen Ray Society, the American College of Radiology and the Society for Pediatric Radiology. He was also elected to membership in Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society. He is the author of over 100 scientific articles and a contributor to medical textbooks.

While in medical school, Dr. Gay married the former Evelyn Ward of Waynesboro, GA. They were married for 67 years until her death in 2011. In their retirement years they enjoyed worldwide travel visiting hospitals and participating in medical activities in many countries, from Russia to Monte Carlo to Australia and New Zealand.

After his wife's death, Dr. Gay moved to Nashville to be near his son, Jim. For the past two and a half years, he resided at the Woodcrest Health Center at the Blakeford at Green Hills. It was here - among the staff, residents and family members who had become his new extended family and friends - that he passed away peacefully on February 3rd.

Survivors include his 3 children, William and his wife Nora of Atlanta; Dr. James and his wife Dr. Elizabeth Pierce of Nashville, Tennessee; and Susan and her husband Jonathan Andrews of Radnor, Pennsylvania; 3 grandchildren, Emelia Gay of Nashville, Tennessee, Katherine and Paul Andrews of Radnor, PA and several nieces and a nephew. He was also predeceased by his sister, Mary Frances Gay Jackson.

The family is establishing a fund in Dr. Gay's name in the Department of Radiology at Emory. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be sent to the fund at: Emory University Dept. of Radiology, Attn: Jonathan Russell, 1440 Clifton Road, Suite 170, Atlanta, GA 30322.

Visitation will be at A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home on February 8, 2015 at 1pm followed by a service in the chapel at 2pm.


Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033