Harold M.D.

Harold Edward Fleming, M.D., 69, of 314 Glendalyn Place, died peacefully at his home on Saturday, November 7, 2009. A Spartanburg native, Dr. Fleming was born on September 4, 1940, the son of Marie Williams Fleming and the late Cranford Harold Fleming. He is survived by his wife of forty-eight years, Elizabeth Burnett Fleming, and four children: Harold Edward Fleming, Jr., M.D. and wife Andrea Cook Fleming of Palo Alto, California; Nicholas Fred Fleming, M.D. and wife Lisa Weston Fleming of Spartanburg; Elizabeth Anne Fleming, Ph.D. of Spartanburg; and Melissa Jo Fleming of New York, New York. Dr. Fleming was a beloved grandfather to four grandchildren: Carson Edward Fleming, Caroline Elizabeth Fleming, Adelaide Elizabeth Fleming Selch and Beatrice Anne Fleming Selch. He is also survived by his sister, Candace Fleming Chazen. Dr. Fleming received a bachelor's degree from Wofford College in 1961 and was graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1965. Following advanced training and fellowships, he entered private practice as a cardiologist and internist in 1973. A leader in Spartanburg's medical community for over thirty-five years, Dr. Fleming worked tirelessly as a committed and compassionate physician, unswervingly dedicated to his patients' immediate care and long term well-being. Dr. Fleming was a former member of the Board of Trustees for Mary Black Hospital. In the late 1990s, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Spartanburg Hospital for Restorative Care and served as that institution's first chief of staff. In 1997, Dr. Fleming earned a M.B.A. from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. A longtime advocate of Spartanburg's economic development, he was the founding and managing partner of Carolina Medical Associates. Throughout his career, he developed a variety of health care enterprises that sought to advance medical care and accessibility across the Upstate. This vision came to full fruition in 2005 with the opening of North Grove Medical Park. As the originator and developer of this comprehensive medical complex, Dr. Fleming sought to streamline patient care by creating a centralized, multi-specialty facility with particular emphasis on coordinated diagnostic services and a patient-friendly environment. Dr. Fleming was also a founder and member of the Board of Directors of First South Bank, a leading regional bank launched in 1996. A lifelong learner with an innate curiosity and keen intellect, Dr. Fleming was honored in 2005 with the establishment of the Harold E. Fleming Chair of Philosophy at Converse College. With a focus on ethics, this endowment reflects Dr. Fleming's abiding belief in the power of global citizenship and personal responsibility. Dr. Fleming served as a member of the Spartanburg County Commission on Higher Education and was a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Spartanburg Day School and the Advisory Committee of the University of South Carolina-Upstate. A member of First Presbyterian Church, Dr. Fleming was an enthusiastic and generous supporter of Spartanburg's various civic and arts initiatives. He was a former member of the Downtown Rotary Club. Characterized by limitless energy and a quiet authority, Dr. Fleming is remembered not only as a man of broad vision, but "more poignantly" as a healer deeply devoted to his patients' wellness. He was an innovative thinker and quick wit, defined by an indomitable spirit and belief in the power of human potential. He was loved and admired by many, and his life leaves an indelible mark upon those he served, those he befriended and those he inspired. A service celebrating Dr. Fleming's life will be held on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, at 2:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 393 East Main Street, conducted by the Reverend Dr. David Renwick. Immediately following the service, the family will receive friends at a reception at the Piedmont Club. Honorary pallbearers will be Stanley Wayne Baker, William Barnet III, James Dewitt Bearden III, M.D., James Sidney Fulmer, M.D., Roger Adolf Ferdinand Habisreutinger, Thomas Edward Hannah, Ben C. Harrison, George Dean Johnson, Jr., William Brownlee Lowry, M.D., William Mendenhall Webster IV, John Belton White, Jr. Julian Lake Williams, M.D., and physicians and staff of Carolina Medical Associates. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Harold E. Fleming Chair of Philosophy, Converse College, 580 East Main Street, Spartanburg, South Carolina 29302; or to the Patients' Independence Fund of the Spartanburg Hospital for Restorative Care, in care of Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Foundation, 101 East Wood Street, Spartanburg, South Carolina 29303. Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Harold E. Fleming, M.D. please visit our Sympathy Store.