[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 131 (Tuesday, October 8, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DR. CLEON A. FLOWERS, SR., NOTED AFRICAN-AMERICAN PHYSICIAN AND
COMMUNITY LEADER
______
HON. MIKE ROSS
of arkansas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, October 8, 2002
Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a highly regarded
Arkansan, Dr. Cleon A. Flowers, Sr. Dr. Flowers passed away in Pine
Bluff, Arkansas on his 89th birthday after spending more than six
decades caring for the health needs of Pine Bluff and Southeastern
Arkansas. With Dr. Flowers' passing, Arkansas and the state's medical
community lost an icon in medicine.
Dr. Flowers, described as the Godfather of Arkansas Medicine, was
born in Stamps, Arkansas, a small rural town in the Southwest region of
the state. After earning his undergraduate degree from Arkansas AM&N
College, now the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, Dr. Flowers
received his medical degree from Meharry Medical College, a
historically black academic health center and preeminent medical
school. Upon returning to Pine Bluff with a medical degree and after
service in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a major, Dr. Flowers began
practicing medicine with an emphasis on putting the patient's needs
first. He would often accept chickens, pigs, or homegrown vegetables as
payment and open his office after hours to accommodate the odd hours
his patients worked. Living in the segregated South Dr. Flowers
realized the challenges that African Americans faced and wanted to
ensure African Americans received quality health care, regardless of
income and ``normal'' business hours. During his private practice, Dr.
Flowers owned and operated the United Links Hospital, a medical
facility for Blacks. The hospital has since been renamed the Flowers
Professional Building.
In addition to his professional milestones, Dr. Flowers was a
community leader, becoming one of the first Black doctors on staff at
what is now Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, serving on
the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and
being a member of the National Medical Association and the National
Association for Advancement of Colored People. Dr. Cleon A. Flowers,
Sr. was an excellent physician and community leader. His presence in
Pine Bluff and Arkansas will be missed.
In addition to my Congressional Record statement, I have also
submitted an article from Jet magazine's September 16, 2002 issue,
which discusses Dr. Flowers' life.
Dr. Cleon A. Flowers Sr., 89, Noted Pine Bluff, AR, Physician, Succumbs
Praised as an old-fashioned physician more interested in
serving his patients than filling his pockets, Dr. Cleon A.
Flowers Sr. recently was remembered by family and friends
during services at New St. Hurricane Baptist Church in Pine
Bluff, AR.
Flowers, born in Stamps, AR died at his home in Pine Bluff
on his 89th birthday, ending a nearly 60-year career that
began in 1943 after he graduated from Meharry Medical
College.
``It did not matter to him if a person had money to pay for
his service or not. He only wanted to be sure the needs of
his patients were met,'' his son, Clifford Flowers, told the
Pine Bluff Commercial newspaper, which interviewed Dr.
Flowers in 1999.
During that interview the popular physician fondly recalled
his early days as a doctor, citing his fees: Two dollars for
an office visit, $3 for a house call and $35 for a home baby
delivery. ``I even got paid with pigs, chickens, homegrown
vegetables and wild game. Those were the good old days,'' he
said.
Dr. Flowers made national news in 1954 when he delivered
the first Siamese twins born at home. But he did not rest on
his laurels.
Retired Jefferson County Coroner Havis Hester told the
newspaper: ``I remember him opening his office until 3 a.m.
in the morning just to accommodate his patients who had to
work and could not get there during normal office hours. I
never knew any other doctor to do that...''
The second son of three born to Alonzo and Beulah Flowers,
Flowers, borne in 1913, graduated from Arkansas AM&N College
(now University of Arkansas Pine Bluff) in 1939. He completed
studies at Meharry Medical School in 1943. During his
internship at Meharry he was drafted by the U.S. Army Air
Corps and later was commissioned as a major.
Dr. Flowers opened his private practice in Pine Bluff in
1945 and in 1946 he bought the building occupied by the
United Links Hospital, a medical facility for Blacks, which
he continued to operate until 1950. Today it is the site of
the Flowers Professional Building.
In 1950, Dr. Flowers became one of the first Black doctors
on the staff of what is now the Jefferson Regional Medical
Center in Pine Bluff.
His numerous medical and civic affiliations included
service on the Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal
College/University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Board of
Trustees, the Arkansas Medical, Dental and Pharmaceutical
Assn., where he served as president, and memberships in the
National Medical Assn., Prince Hall Masons and NAACP.
``Most doctors retire after 20 or 30 years, after they
think they've gotten rich. I've seen fellows quit and then
they go home and shut down. They just wasted away. I'm going
to keep chugging along,'' he told the Commercial. Dr. Flowers
did just that. He worked well into the his 80s.
In addition to his wife, Martha, he is survived by six
children: sons Dr. Cleon A. Flowers Jr., Dr. John A. Flowers,
Clifford Flowers Sr., Clyde Flowers, and Randall Flowers, and
daughter Dr. Martha Flowers.
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