Dr. Ray Guilford Silverthorne | Eastern North Carolina Now

Born: March 13, 1920, Died: May 09, 2014

    Dr. Ray Guilford Silverthorne, age 94, a resident of Shady Banks Beach Road in Washington, NC died Friday, May 9, 2014 at his home.

    Funeral services will be at held 11:00 AM Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at the First United Methodist Church in Washington, conducted by Rev. Ray Gooch and Rev. Chad Penhorwood. Burial will follow in Oakdale Cemetery.

    The following will serve as pallbearers: Milton Dail, Gary Lammers, Tom Tanner, Jesse Dail, Milton Dail Jr., and Robert Dail.

    Dr. Silverthorne was born in Washington on March 13, 1920. He was the son of the late James Monroe Silverthorne and Willie Gurganus Silverthorne. Dr. Silverthorne graduated from Atlantic Christian College in 1941, as well as from Lexington Theological Seminary. He pursued the ministry full-time from 1942-1945, serving several churches in Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia. While he wanted to be both a minister and a doctor, he decided he could do more for humanity as a physician and he enrolled at Wake Forest University. Dr. Silverthorne graduated from Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1951 and moved to Washington, D.C. where he completed his internship at Gallinger Municipal Hospital. Following his internship, he returned to North Carolina, completing his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Bowman Gray. He then served as a Captain in the Army Medical Corps, with duty at West Point, NY.

    Dr. Silverthorne came to Washington in 1958 and opened his office at 408 East 12th street. As an obstetrician and gynecologist, he practiced medicine for 34 years and delivered 10,279 babies, including his two oldest grandsons.

    Dr. Silverthorne is a past Trustee of Atlantic Christian College, a member and elder emeritus of the First Christian Church in Washington and member of Tau Tribe #18, Improved Order of Redmen. He was instrumental in establishing the Tideland Mental Health Center, and for his efforts the Ray G. Silverthorne Crisis Center bears his name.

    In 1951, Dr. Silverthorne married the former Lell Gooch, who preceded him in death in 1997. Later he married the former Hilda Pinkham, who died in 2013.

    Dr. Silverthorne is survived by his children, Betty Faye Dail and husband, Milton of Washington, Patricia S. Lammers and husband, Gary of Cincinnati, OH, Ray G. Silverthorne Jr. and wife, Courtney of Vanceboro, and Connie S. Tanner and husband, Tom of King George, VA; 11 grandchildren, Jesse Dail and wife Casey, Milton Dail, Jr., Robert Dail, Rebecca Dail, Lell Lammers, Ruth Lammers, Mary Grace Lammers, Erin Tanner, Gil Tanner, Ray Celeste Tanner, and Anna Beth Tanner and numerous nieces and nephews.

    In addition to his parents and his spouses, Dr. Silverthorne was preceded in death by a son, Frank Allen Silverthorne; a brother, Jimmy Silverthorne; and two sisters, Winifred Buchheit and Elizabeth Lynch.

    The family would like to thank the care givers who helped care for Dr. Silverthorne over the past years: Teresa Cobb, Janice Pittman, Syreeta Johnson, Gail Asby, and Samantha Riffert.

    The family will receive friends from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM Monday, May 12, 2014 at Paul Funeral Home & Crematory in Washington and other times at the Silverthorne home at Shady Banks.

    In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Christian Church, 401 East Second Street, Washington, N.C. 27889.

    Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com

    Paul Funeral Home & Crematory in Washington is honored to serve the Silverthorne family.