[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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