Marsh Arthur Nesmith

Marsh Arthur Nesmith, age 85, passed away peacefully October 16th 2018 at home surrounded by his loving family after a long battle with cancer. Art was born at home March 1, 1933 in Springhead, Florida to Marsh and Pearl Nesmith. He was the fourth of five children and the only boy. He grew up in a modest two bedroom farmhouse where hard work and education were important. It is a testament to Marsh and Pearl that although they were not well off, all of their children graduated from college. Art is survived by the love of his life, Carolyn Campbell Nesmith, five children, Rick (Connie Gruenwald), Patsy (Breck) Weingart, Susie (Larry) Smith, Marsha (Mac) Hall, and John (Kelly), 16 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his younger sister, Virginia (Gandy) Vaughn, his favorite sister-in-law, Mary Jo Campbell and many nieces and nephews. Growing up on a farm helped develop his strong work ethic and also led to his interest in raising cattle which gave him so much pleasure later in life. Art was a high school football star and received a football scholarship to the University of Florida. It was during college that Art married the beautiful Carolyn Campbell and they started a family. He graduated from the University of Florida elected into both Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies then completed medical school at Duke University where he was summa cum laude. This led him back to Gainesville, where he completed a General Surgery residency. In 1967, soon after beginning his General Surgery practice, he was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War. The family spent two years in Augusta, Georgia where he served at Fort Gordon. He was honorably discharged as a Major and then returned to his General Surgery practice in Sanford Florida. Two years later it was back to Gainesville for a Cardiothoracic fellowship. After completion of his fellowship, he joined Tom Bartley and Rudy Gertner and developed a very successful practice at the newly constructed North Florida Regional Hospital. Art practiced Cardiac and Vascular surgery at North Florida and Alachua General Hospital and served on the Board of Trustees at North Florida Regional Hospital for many years. He was much beloved by his patients and staff. It was a great source of pride that all three of his daughters went into the medical field. After retirement, Art loved traveling with Carolyn and their family. He particularly liked going to the coast of Maine with family and friends. He continued to enjoy raising cattle on his farm in Alachua. Cattle round-ups with his sons and grandsons were always entertaining and often hilarious misadventures. Hunting trips with his sons, sons-in-law and grandsons, playing golf and arguing over who got strokes and who won with his dear friends Jim Quincey, Frank Lentz, Luis Cintado and others were other sources of enjoyment for Art. His annoying little dance after making a putt to win a two dollar bet will always stick in our minds. And of course... cheering on the Gators! Art's passing leaves a large hole in our hearts and he will be missed by all but mostly by his loving family who has benefitted from his love, wisdom, advice and support for all these many years. Funeral Services will be held Monday, October 22, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel in the Meadows in Memorial Park Central, 4100 NW 39th Ave, with Dr. Orvin Jenkins officiating. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, or the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284.

Marsh Arthur Nesmith

March 1, 1933 - October 16, 2018