Queens University of Charlotte issued the following announcement on Nov. 19.
Queens University of Charlotte has lost a beloved advocate, advisor and friend. After many years of battling cancer, Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown, who served on the Queens University of Charlotte Board of Trustees from 2011-2019, passed away on Wednesday.
"This is a devastating loss for the Queens community, the city, and humankind," said Queens University President Dan Lugo. "Our trustee emerita quickly became one of my favorite advisors and friends. Her tireless work as a physician, minister, volunteer, advocate and community leader embodied the spirit of the Queens mantra, 'not to be served, but to serve.'"
Dr. Garmon-Brown has been recognized with numerous awards for her extraordinary accomplishments and contributions to the most marginalized citizens in the Charlotte region and around the globe, including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest honor a civilian can receive in North Carolina. In 2019, she was elected a Queens University trustee emerita. During the 2018 commencement ceremony, the university honored Dr. Garmon-Brown with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, presented to individuals who exemplify excellence of character and humanitarian service.
As the first African-American female resident in family medicine at Atrium Health, Dr. Garmon-Brown's career included practice with the prestigious Nalle Clinic, where she served as the medical director of the Nalle Clinic Urgent Care. In 2000, she co-founded the Charlotte Community Health Clinic. She also served as medical director for the health clinic at the Salvation Army Women’s and Children’s Shelter. As she continued to excel, she became the medical director for all Presbyterian Urgent Care Centers and, in 2012, was promoted to senior vice president of business and community wellness and education.
In addition to her professional responsibilities and medical practice, Dr. Garmon-Brown volunteered with numerous organizations and served on the boards of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, and the Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation. She also served as a volunteer at the Charlotte Pregnancy Care Center.
"We are incredibly grateful for the years of service and the valuable leadership she provided as an esteemed member of our board," Lugo said. "Her passion and advocacy will live on at Queens as we continue to celebrate the enduring impact she has had on our entire community."
Original source can be found here.
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