Nelson S. Carswell, Jr., M.D.

Nelson S. Carswell, Jr., M.D., age 92, of Dublin, passed away on November 15, 2022, surrounded by his loving family.

Dr. Carswell was born on May 19, 1930, in Bibb County, to the late Nelson Carswell, Sr., and the late Hazel Rutherford Carswell. He was a graduate of Dublin High School, was educated at Emory University in Atlanta, and received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He served in the United States Air Force from 1957-1959 stationed in Roswell, NM, where he served as a pediatrician for the 4036 US Hospital. After the Air Force, he completed a Pediatric Residency at MCG and then returned to Dublin where he opened his private practice, The Children’s Clinic, in 1961. He was one of only seven physicians in Dublin at that time and was the sole pediatrician in the Middle Georgia area for many years. Known as “Laurens County’s baby doctor” he would often fly in his private plane to surrounding hospitals to provide pediatric consults. He served many years as Chief of Pediatrics for Laurens Memorial Hospital and was on the Board of Directors when it was sold to HCA and became Fairview Park Hospital in 1980. In recognition of his longstanding service, Fairview Park Hospital named the Pediatric Unit in his honor on December 5, 2013.

Affectionately called “Doc” by his friends and “Golf Daddy” by his grandchildren, his love of children is what kept him actively practicing for almost 60 years. He served on the Board of Directors with Farmers and Merchants Bank for many years and other than his family and medical practice, his passion for golf was outstanding. Many times he was called from the golf course to treat an injured child. He played golf tournaments on many courses but none was so loved as Hilton Head, S.C., where he was honored to play 5o years in the Heritage Pro-Am.

Dr. Carswell was an active and devoted member of the First United Methodist Church. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Warren “Tunk” Carswell, and daughter-in-law, Jodie H. Carswell.

Survivors include his devoted and loving wife of 69 years, Betty Ann Carswell; children: Nelson Carswell, III (Katrina Brantley), Chris Carswell (Kathy), Karen Carswell, Ken Carswell, and Edyie Carswell Webb (Sean), all of Dublin, Ga.; grandchildren: Nelson Carswell, IV of Dublin, Ga., Hudson Carswell of the Netherlands, Grayson Carswell of St. Pete Beach, FL, Erica Beasley of Fortson, Ga., Morgan Hitchcock (Joey) of Gray, Ga., Valerie Dahlke (PD) of Commerce, Ga.,  Blair Mitchell of Macon, Ga., Blake Mitchell of Macon, Ga., Brett Mitchell of Macon, Ga., McKenzie Carswell of Dublin, Ga., Bryan Hutto of Dublin, Ga., and Zach Hutto of Perry, Ga.;  great-grandchildren, Sam, Julia, and Brayden Hutto, Hannah and Eli Beasley, Cash Keith, and Wyatt, Raleigh Jo, and Sawyer Hitchcock; sister-in-law, Glenn Carswell of Dublin, Ga.; niece, Laura Carswell Brantley (Chris) of Dublin, Ga., and nephew, Rev. Warren Carswell (Carrie) of Roanoke, Va.

A celebration of Dr. Carswell’s life will be held on Friday, November 18, 2022, at 2:00 PM at the First United Methodist Church of Dublin. Rev. Warren R. Carswell, Jr. and Rev. Thad Haygood will officiate.

The family will receive friends on Friday from 1:00 PM until the service hour at the church.

Honorary pallbearers will be Jimmy Allgood, Chuck Bass, Ray Battle, Dr. Carl Bedingfield, Billy Brown, Dr. Joe Carruth, Bobby Clark, Greg Crabb, Mike Cummings, Roger Folsom, Billy Frost, Todd Gay, Dennis Holley, McGrath Keene, Wallace Miller, Mark Moody, Krather Nelson, Lee Newsome, Dr. Monty Shuman, and Mike Smith.

The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to Home Instead and Agape Hospice for their tender care and assistance. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Dublin, P.O. Box 665, Dublin, GA 31040, or to the Alzheimer’s Association at www. alz.org. 

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