Page created by: Calley McCray Pavlovich

After 27 years of living with Parkinson’s disease, Dr. David S. McCray passed away on February 2, 2023, surrounded by love and compassion. The last four years of his life were progressively more difficult, but his 82 years of life were not defined by the disease. He worked hard to slow the progression of Parkinson’s by exercising daily, swimming in the ocean or the pool, going to the gym, participating in the Parkinson’s movement classes at Holy Cross in Fort Lauderdale, and always walking. With the support of his ever-present partner Danny, he was diligent about taking his medicine, participated in drug trials, collaborated with his doctors and caregivers, and even attended the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s conference at the international center in Fort Lauderdale, FL in 2016. He never complained and instead lived with dignity, grace and respect of his diagnosis.
More importantly, he lived beyond his Parkinson's. He grew up in the small town of Malvern, Arkansas and his early life was filled with a love of nature and adventure. His first glimpse at the world beyond was when he traveled to Berlin, Germany in 1957 and spent a year abroad as a foreign exchange student. He visited many countries in Europe and thus began his love of travel. In his lifetime, he visited over 15 countries around the world. In 1958, he returned home and earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology at Hendrix College, then went on to medical school at the University of Arkansas, obtaining his Doctorate of Medicine in 1966. He then served in the United States Air Force as a flight surgeon from 1967 to 1971 and was a proud veteran of the Vietnam War. Once he returned to civilian life, he completed his residency in General Psychiatry at Boston University hospitals and completed a Fellowship in Child Psychiatry at Harvard Unversity hospitals. He embarked on a 25-year career in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry starting at the Child Study Center and Children’s Hospital in Little Rock Arkansas, to private practice in Little Rock, and then moved to Beaufort, South Carolina and joined the Coastal Empire Community Mental Health Center. His practice centered on the belief that children and their families deserved to enjoy life through the understanding of themselves and their abilities.
Throughout his 82 years of life, he was a wonderful son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather. He taught us all to be patient and kind, to treat others with respect and empathy, to enjoy your life, to choose your attitude and to be in control of your response to the path our life takes.
His beautiful soul, his shining light, and his smiling eyes will be missed by all of us.
May we endeavor to deserve the belief he showed in us.