(Editor’s note: The following is the eulogy given at the funeral service of Dr. James A Bedingfield by Cathy Cain Atkins. Dr. Bedingfield is considered a legend in Appling for his care of many.)
Born in 1921, James A. Bedingfield was raised in Cadwell, GA. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and went on to earn his Doctorate of Medicine from the Medical College of Georgia. He served in the Army as a doctor for two years before coming to Appling County to open his practice in 1948. He was the father of five children: Kay, Andy, Amy, Barbara and Drew. He also had eleven grandchildren. He was very proud of all of them and kept numerous pictures of them on and above the cluttered desk in his office.
A Legend In Appling County: Dr. Bedingfield
His family had to share him with a larger “family” in Appling County – those who depended upon him for years for their medical care. Many of those feel that he was a part of their families, too. I had the great pleasure of nominating Dr. B. as Citizen of the Year in 1995, and it was unthinkable that anyone else could have won that year regardless of what the nomination letter held. It was to be his award regardless of the letter, as everyone reading the nomination would have had numerous memories of their own to add to what was actually written. His dedication to his patients was above all that he would have stated in taking the Hippocratic oath. And the people of Appling and surrounding counties loved him for it.
Dr. James Andrew Bedingfield was a living legend in Appling and surrounding counties. He was a fixture in town as surely as the courthouse is. You knew where he could be found during his office hours Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday morning hours were only slightly less fixed. His routine was so reliable that you could almost set your clock by the time he would be seen driving through town and when he would be parked on Tippins Street . Though patients knew they were early, it was common to see several cars parked in front of his office before opening time. If the weather was decent, people were standing on the sidewalk or in the front entrance, keeping up with what order each one came in. People who worked out of town all week knew that they could see “Doc” if they could just hold on until Saturday or Sunday. An after-hours injury or sudden sickness meant locating him to meet you at his office for emergency treatment. We all dreaded calling him, it because it was not something he encouraged. But if the injury was serious or he was convinced that you couldn’t wait until his office opened again, you would not get in too much trouble for bothering him. He made house calls early in his practice when the elderly and confined were unable to get to his office. Though his ever-present cigar gave a constant mumble to his voice, his patients could understand his standard questions: How is your mama? (or your daddy?) How is your spouse? (and children?) How long have you been sick? and, Can you take penicillin? Anything else was just not that important. If there was time, he’d catch up on what you were up to. During the years he practiced he probably knew more people by name, their family situations and what school or work they were in than any other person in the county. When I had completed requirements to become a CPA, I had to have 3 people to testify to my credibility as a person of good standing. He, of course, was one of my choices since he had known me since I was 4 years old. He knew all about me as he did about so many others.
We all have individual memories of him as well as many memories that are common to all. He was truly the nicest, and at the same time, the grumpiest man I have known. If you had the audacity to show up at his office right before noon or as he was getting ready to leave at 5 PM, you were in for a scolding. Once, I was bold with him and told him that it did not matter that I had not sat and waited through his seeing all those other patients, but he looked at it differently. His small office was sufficient for his practice and his yellow pad sign-in sheet was all the paperwork that had to be filled out before he would see you. The filing system looked like an accident about to happen, but they always had just what they needed at their fingertips. My earliest memories are that his charges for an office visit were $5 - or $7 if you got a shot. Later, it was $10 and $15. $30 is the last office visit charge I remember. Delivery of a baby was $50 at least through the early 70’s. He knew just who had paid him and who never did. He could name the babies around town that still “belonged “ to him due to nonpayment, but I doubt that anyone ever received a bill. He knew that most people would pay him as soon as they could. I know he waited a year at the time for many payments – as soon as the crop came in, he’d get his overdue fees. He kept up with everything. If you had the nerve to go to another doctor and then back to him, you could expect him to let you know how he felt about that. He never held anything back.
He was the team physician for the football team for many years. He could quote particular plays from games as well as most players. He remembered scores and individual player actions from many years back. He would “doctor up” the players on game days so they would not miss a game. He was still attending Friday night games in 2002 when my youngest son graduated. Always a fixture, right in the same seat, year after year.
Appling General Hospital opened in 1951, but he made many baby deliveries at home before that time. He delivered over 3,500 babies with as many as 4 in one night during his days of baby delivery, which ended in the mid 80’s. His largest delivery was a boy of 12 pounds and his smallest was a boy of 2 pounds. He delivered 199 babies in one year. Not only did he deliver them, he treated many of them right through adulthood. He did not deliver me, even though I was born in Appling County after he started practice here. He knew that, too, and begrudged it of me and my parents. I told him that I really did not have any say in it. I think I more than made up for it in going to him in later years. He practiced pediatrics, neurology, gastroenterology, nephrology, and many other “ologys”! He did it all and always with an ending smile to make sure you knew that he really cared about you, and he always said to come back if you weren’t better in a few days. During a time when he was in fair health just before he closed his practice, I went to see him one day just to visit. I sat and waited my turn and then just visited with him. I don’t think he made me pay and for once in my life, I did not get a shot of anything! He was full of wisdom about so many things and full of advice. We could never repay him for all that he meant to so many people. And to his family, we say “Thank You” for sharing him with us. He stood tall before us for most of his 90 years of life, and we thank the Lord for having sent him our way.
- Cathy Cain Atkins
Dr. James Andrew Bedingfield was a living legend in Appling and surrounding counties. He was a fixture in town as surely as the courthouse is. You knew where he could be found during his office hours Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday morning hours were only slightly less fixed. His routine was so reliable that you could almost set your clock by the time he would be seen driving through town and when he would be parked on Tippins Street . Though patients knew they were early, it was common to see several cars parked in front of his office before opening time. If the weather was decent, people were standing on the sidewalk or in the front entrance, keeping up with what order each one came in. People who worked out of town all week knew that they could see “Doc” if they could just hold on until Saturday or Sunday. An after-hours injury or sudden sickness meant locating him to meet you at his office for emergency treatment. We all dreaded calling him, it because it was not something he encouraged. But if the injury was serious or he was convinced that you couldn’t wait until his office opened again, you would not get in too much trouble for bothering him. He made house calls early in his practice when the elderly and confined were unable to get to his office. Though his ever-present cigar gave a constant mumble to his voice, his patients could understand his standard questions: How is your mama? (or your daddy?) How is your spouse? (and children?) How long have you been sick? and, Can you take penicillin? Anything else was just not that important. If there was time, he’d catch up on what you were up to. During the years he practiced he probably knew more people by name, their family situations and what school or work they were in than any other person in the county. When I had completed requirements to become a CPA, I had to have 3 people to testify to my credibility as a person of good standing. He, of course, was one of my choices since he had known me since I was 4 years old. He knew all about me as he did about so many others.
We all have individual memories of him as well as many memories that are common to all. He was truly the nicest, and at the same time, the grumpiest man I have known. If you had the audacity to show up at his office right before noon or as he was getting ready to leave at 5 PM, you were in for a scolding. Once, I was bold with him and told him that it did not matter that I had not sat and waited through his seeing all those other patients, but he looked at it differently. His small office was sufficient for his practice and his yellow pad sign-in sheet was all the paperwork that had to be filled out before he would see you. The filing system looked like an accident about to happen, but they always had just what they needed at their fingertips. My earliest memories are that his charges for an office visit were $5 - or $7 if you got a shot. Later, it was $10 and $15. $30 is the last office visit charge I remember. Delivery of a baby was $50 at least through the early 70’s. He knew just who had paid him and who never did. He could name the babies around town that still “belonged “ to him due to nonpayment, but I doubt that anyone ever received a bill. He knew that most people would pay him as soon as they could. I know he waited a year at the time for many payments – as soon as the crop came in, he’d get his overdue fees. He kept up with everything. If you had the nerve to go to another doctor and then back to him, you could expect him to let you know how he felt about that. He never held anything back.
He was the team physician for the football team for many years. He could quote particular plays from games as well as most players. He remembered scores and individual player actions from many years back. He would “doctor up” the players on game days so they would not miss a game. He was still attending Friday night games in 2002 when my youngest son graduated. Always a fixture, right in the same seat, year after year.
Appling General Hospital opened in 1951, but he made many baby deliveries at home before that time. He delivered over 3,500 babies with as many as 4 in one night during his days of baby delivery, which ended in the mid 80’s. His largest delivery was a boy of 12 pounds and his smallest was a boy of 2 pounds. He delivered 199 babies in one year. Not only did he deliver them, he treated many of them right through adulthood. He did not deliver me, even though I was born in Appling County after he started practice here. He knew that, too, and begrudged it of me and my parents. I told him that I really did not have any say in it. I think I more than made up for it in going to him in later years. He practiced pediatrics, neurology, gastroenterology, nephrology, and many other “ologys”! He did it all and always with an ending smile to make sure you knew that he really cared about you, and he always said to come back if you weren’t better in a few days. During a time when he was in fair health just before he closed his practice, I went to see him one day just to visit. I sat and waited my turn and then just visited with him. I don’t think he made me pay and for once in my life, I did not get a shot of anything! He was full of wisdom about so many things and full of advice. We could never repay him for all that he meant to so many people. And to his family, we say “Thank You” for sharing him with us. He stood tall before us for most of his 90 years of life, and we thank the Lord for having sent him our way.
- Cathy Cain Atkins
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#1
jimmy ketterer fayettevile nc
on
10/11/11 at 09:23 AM
[Reply]
DR bedingfield delivered me oct 22 1959, he always joked with me & i think i was that 12pd baby.