Dr. Nat Edens “Ed” Hyder Jr., M.D., 86, Johnson City, passed away Thursday, October 15, 2015, at Pine Ridge Care & Rehab Center. Dr. Hyder was born in Hampton on March 14, 1929. He started high school at Hampton High School and graduated from Elizabethton High School in 1946. He attended Milligan College before joining the Army in June of 1947. After serving as a clerk and medic in the Army he enrolled at East Tennessee State College to earn a B.S. degree in Chemistry. He also certified to teach at that time. He went on to attend and graduate from University of Tennessee College of Medicine with a Doctor of Medicine Degree in June of 1954.
Dr. Hyder practiced medicine until 2009. He served in Knoxville, TN, Tazewell, VA, Lallie Kemp Charity Hospital in Louisiana, worked in Medical Management of Radiation Accidents at Oak Ridge, also practicing in Chatom, AL, Erwin, TN, Johnson City, TN and with Rural Health Consortium at the Bluff City Clinic and his last several years at the Dry Creek Clinic in Erwin, TN.
During his career Dr. Hyder also served several communities, the State of Tennessee and his nation in many capacities. He was a longtime Railroad Physician with CSX. He served as a Nuclear Medical Consultant and Plant Physician at Nuclear Fuel Services at various times from 1970 until 1992.
He has served as president of the Erwin Civitan Club, the Erwin Community Chest and United Way, as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Erwin YMCA. He was a member of Mountain View Baptist Church and had also served as Deacon of the First Baptist Church of Chatom, AL; First Christian Church in Erwin; and the First Baptist Church in Erwin.
In 1968 Dr. Hyder volunteered through a program with the American Medical Association to go to Vietnam as a civilian doctor treating Vietnamese civilians alongside Vietnamese nurses. There he performed many surgeries as he also treated the wounded. It was also a common occurrence that at night he would have to leave his quarters and go to the bunkers because of mortar attacks.
Dr. Hyder has served in many other capacities. In 1971 he was appointed by the Governor to the Tennessee Public Health Council, serving as secretary in 1976 and 1977. He was president of the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians in 1972. In 1974 he was named Family Physician of the Year for the state of Tennessee. He was a past delegate to the AMA. He served as president of the Tennessee Medical Association in 1983.
Dr. Hyder had also served in various positions with the James H. Quillen College of Medicine through ETSU; he stood as Acting Director of the Johnson City Family Practice Residency Program, a member of the Dean’s Council and Admissions Committee, Associate Professor in the Department of Family Practice and assistant Dean and Director of Medical Education at the Johnson City Medical Center.
In addition to his community support Dr. Hyder had served his country through the military in several capacities. In 1975 he joined the Medical Corps in the United States Army Reserve. He was promoted to Colonel in 1978. He became Commander of the 912th Combat Support Hospital in 1982. In 1985 he became the Commander of the 332nd Medical Brigade, leading over 150 Army Reserve Units in the USA. Before retiring he served as commander over 377th Combat Support Hospital and then transferred to 662 Medical Detachment of the National Guard. Though he retired from the National Guard in 1995 he later joined the National Defense Force Service Command, a part of Homeland Security. Here he had served as Brigadier General, Major General and Lieutenant General.
In addition to his parents, Dr. Hyder was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth Hurst Hyder; one son, Paul Marshall Hyder; two grandsons, Nason Michael Hopkins and J. Keith Hyder; a daughter-in-law, Teresa Hyder; and a sister, June Evelyn Hyder Walsh.
Those left to cherish his memory include his daughter, Gretchen E. Byrd and her husband, Travis S. Byrd; sons, Nat E. Hyder III and his wife Sherri, Michael Allen Hyder and his wife Robin; grandchildren, Ashley Elizabeth Garst and her husband Chris, Nathaniel E. Hyder IV and his wife Tiffany, Heidi Leigh Sutphin, Heather Blackburn and her husband Nathan and Whitney K. Harris; granddaughter-in-law, Elka Hyder; great-grandchildren, Aubrey J. Sutphin, Autumn R. Hyder, Aaron C. Arnold, Zack R. Blackburn, Bryson L. Hyder, Kelton M. Hyder, N. Edens Hyder V, Noah E. Hyder, Blake T. Blackburn, Julianne K. Sutphin and Erik J. Sutphin; one sister, L. Gretchen Hyder Fortune; his angels and special caregivers, Lori Shepherd and Betty Fields; special friends, Jackie Ringersma and Becky Jones; and many numerous friends and colleagues.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to all of Dr. Hyder’s caregivers over the years, Courtyard Senior Living and Pine Ridge Rehab & Care for the loving care they provided to Dr. Hyder.
For those who prefer, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to ETSU Foundation, P.O. Box 70712, Johnson City, TN 37614 or to Mountain View Baptist Church, 4005 Bristol Highway, Johnson City, TN 37601 in memory of Dr. Hyder.
The family will greet friends to share memories from 4 until 6 p.m. Saturday, October 17, at Tetrick Funeral & Cremation Services and again from 1 p.m. until a Celebration of Life Service at 2 p.m. Sunday, October 18, in the Sunrise Chapel of Tetrick Funeral & Cremation Services, Johnson City, with Mr. James Cambron, minister, Mr. Jim Lindsey, minister, Mr. Sherrel Nave, minister, and his son, Mr. Michael Allen Hyder, minister, officiating. A graveside and committal service will be held immediately following at Happy Valley Memorial Park, Elizabethton. Pallbearers will be Teddy Walsh, Hudson Fortune, Mark Fortune, Nathan Blackburn, Chris Garst, Tim Walsh and Nick Walsh. Honorary pallbearers are Nathaniel Hyder IV. Memories and condolences may be shared and viewed online at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com.
Tetrick Funeral & Cremation Services, 3001 Peoples Street, Johnson City, (423) 610-7171, is honored to serve the Hyder family.