Prominent ophthalmologist, James Elliott Blaydes, III M.D., peacefully passed away on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, in Bluefield, W.Va., surrounded by his loving family. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Elliott Blaydes, M.D. and Mabel Hill Blaydes; sisters, Elizabeth Blaydes, Nancy Pride and Boyd Sawyer; and two sons, James Elliott IV and William Mitchell Blaydes.Elliott was born February 26, 1927 in his beloved Bluefield, W.Va., where he spent his early years and developed his love for the community and its people. He attended high school at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tenn., becoming the only two-time recipient of the school's highest honor, the Grayson Medal. Upon graduation, he entered the United States Navy, where as an outstanding leader and athlete, served in the Naval Recruit Swim Training program. After World War II, he attended Princeton University obtaining his undergraduate degree and then continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia where he was elected president of the Undergraduate Medical Society. Upon receiving his medical doctorate, he was selected for a one year internship at the Pennsylvania Hospital and completed his ophthalmology training at New York University and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, serving as a chief resident physician.In 1958, he returned to Bluefield to join his father in the field of ophthalmology. His practice focused on bringing the latest advances in eye care to his patients. His professional milestones included the development of new and improved suture materials, surgical instruments and techniques for cataract surgery. Most significant was his use of a small incision for cataract removal and intraocular lens implants which allowed the patient faster physical and visual recovery. For these innovations, research and his educational seminars, he was recognized as a Phaco Pioneer for cataract surgery by the Congress of the United States.As an active leader in national and international eye societies, Dr. Blaydes authored many publications and lectured worldwide. His humanitarian focus included a medical mission to Honduras, the China Vision Project and coordination of the Rural Health Care Symposia in Appalachia.He was past president of the West Virginia Academy of Ophthalmology, an associate examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology, served on many editorial boards for ophthalmic periodicals and had clinical faculty appointments at WVU and Marshall University. He was also involved in many civic organizations and served on numerous boards on the local, national and international level.For his distinguished career, Dr. Blaydes was recognized with numerous honors and awards within his profession, most notably the American Academy of Ophthalmology Senior Achievement Award and the Lions Club Leonard Jarrett and Melvin Jones Fellow awards. St. Luke's Hospital, where Dr. Blaydes operated, was designated Humana's first Center of Excellence in Ophthalmology in 1982.The Blaydes family commitment to ophthalmology since 1921 continues today with the work of his son, Stephen Blaydes, M.D. The Blaydes Clinic has proudly served the people of our area from a heartfelt desire to bring the best available eye care to the region. Many of the milestones Elliott reached are advancements that could have been reached anywhere in the world, but they were achieved in Bluefield. He chose to live and conduct his life's work in the mountains where his father had come so many years before.In his personal life, Elliott was dedicated to the love of his family and loyalty to his friends. Fun loving with a quick sense of humor and a generous spirit, his charm was that of a true Southern Gentleman. He had a love for the outdoors and was an avid sportsman primarily hunting, fishing, golf and tennis. He authored two books, a biography, "Bringing It Home" and a hunting memoir, "Dogs, Fields and Friends." His interests and passions were wide ranging from WWII history to hunting dogs, musicals to westerns, The Greenbrier to East River Mountain, dancing to rhododendrons, butter and bacon to champagne! Elliott was always eager to learn new things. As a fierce competitor, he pushed himself towards excellence in everything he undertook.Elliott always had a strong faith that sustained him in his personal and professional life. He was a longtime member, former Deacon and Elder of Westminster Presbyterian Church.Left to cherish his memory, are his loving and devoted wife of 38 years, Anita Shrader Blaydes; son, Stephen Hill Blaydes, M.D. and wife, Kathleen of Bluefield, W.Va.; Elizabeth Blaydes Lewis and husband, Andrew of Flowery Branch, Ga., and daughter, Jaime Blaydes Gilliam and husband, Randy of Greensboro, N.C. He was Poppy and Granddaddy to grandchildren, Jennifer and husband, David Brooks, Susanna and husband, Kenny McMillan, Rebecca Lewis, Abby Lewis and Charles Blaydes. He was great-grandfather to, Judah and Willa McMillan; and is also survived by his mother-in-law, Audrey Gibson Shrader.In his final years, Elliott was blessed to be attended by his faithful caregivers for whom his family is forever grateful, Tyrone Murray, Darrell Neal, Dashi Sho-Johnson, Mashi Sho-Johnson, Edmond Johnson and Michael Barnes. Elliott was also fortunate to have other special people in his daily life: Kaki Roach, Linda Caywood, Deborah Wooley, Remona Robinson and Mel Thomas. Over the years he had the opportunity to work alongside so many wonderful employees of the Blaydes Clinic, who he dearly treasured. He also greatly respected and admired his fellow professional colleagues throughout his career.A visitation will be held on Friday, May 22, 2015, at Mercer Funeral Home, 1231 W. Cumberland Road, Bluefield, WV from 4 to 6 p.m. A funeral service conducted by Pastor Jonathan Rockness will take place on Saturday, May 23, 2015, at 11 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2005 Washington Street, Bluefield, WV. Burial will follow at Monte Vista Park Cemetery in Green Valley. All are welcome to attend and celebrate a life well lived by J. Elliott Blaydes. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church or the Blaydes Eye Foundation.Those wishing to share memories or condolence messages with the family may do so by visiting www.MercerFuneralHome.com Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the family of J. Elliott Blaydes, M.D. Posted in Obituaries on Thursday, May 21, 2015 12:00 am.
Prominent ophthalmologist, James Elliott Blaydes, III M.D., peacefully passed away on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, in Bluefield, W.Va., surrounded by his loving family. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Elliott Blaydes, M.D. and Mabel Hill Blaydes; sisters, Elizabeth Blaydes, Nancy Pride and Boyd Sawyer; and two sons, James Elliott IV and William Mitchell Blaydes.Elliott was born February 26, 1927 in his beloved Bluefield, W.Va., where he spent his early years and developed his love for the community and its people. He attended high school at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tenn., becoming the only two-time recipient of the school's highest honor, the Grayson Medal. Upon graduation, he entered the United States Navy, where as an outstanding leader and athlete, served in the Naval Recruit Swim Training program. After World War II, he attended Princeton University obtaining his undergraduate degree and then continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia where he was elected president of the Undergraduate Medical Society. Upon receiving his medical doctorate, he was selected for a one year internship at the Pennsylvania Hospital and completed his ophthalmology training at New York University and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, serving as a chief resident physician.In 1958, he returned to Bluefield to join his father in the field of ophthalmology. His practice focused on bringing the latest advances in eye care to his patients. His professional milestones included the development of new and improved suture materials, surgical instruments and techniques for cataract surgery. Most significant was his use of a small incision for cataract removal and intraocular lens implants which allowed the patient faster physical and visual recovery. For these innovations, research and his educational seminars, he was recognized as a Phaco Pioneer for cataract surgery by the Congress of the United States.As an active leader in national and international eye societies, Dr. Blaydes authored many publications and lectured worldwide. His humanitarian focus included a medical mission to Honduras, the China Vision Project and coordination of the Rural Health Care Symposia in Appalachia.He was past president of the West Virginia Academy of Ophthalmology, an associate examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology, served on many editorial boards for ophthalmic periodicals and had clinical faculty appointments at WVU and Marshall University. He was also involved in many civic organizations and served on numerous boards on the local, national and international level.For his distinguished career, Dr. Blaydes was recognized with numerous honors and awards within his profession, most notably the American Academy of Ophthalmology Senior Achievement Award and the Lions Club Leonard Jarrett and Melvin Jones Fellow awards. St. Luke's Hospital, where Dr. Blaydes operated, was designated Humana's first Center of Excellence in Ophthalmology in 1982.The Blaydes family commitment to ophthalmology since 1921 continues today with the work of his son, Stephen Blaydes, M.D. The Blaydes Clinic has proudly served the people of our area from a heartfelt desire to bring the best available eye care to the region. Many of the milestones Elliott reached are advancements that could have been reached anywhere in the world, but they were achieved in Bluefield. He chose to live and conduct his life's work in the mountains where his father had come so many years before.In his personal life, Elliott was dedicated to the love of his family and loyalty to his friends. Fun loving with a quick sense of humor and a generous spirit, his charm was that of a true Southern Gentleman. He had a love for the outdoors and was an avid sportsman primarily hunting, fishing, golf and tennis. He authored two books, a biography, "Bringing It Home" and a hunting memoir, "Dogs, Fields and Friends." His interests and passions were wide ranging from WWII history to hunting dogs, musicals to westerns, The Greenbrier to East River Mountain, dancing to rhododendrons, butter and bacon to champagne! Elliott was always eager to learn new things. As a fierce competitor, he pushed himself towards excellence in everything he undertook.Elliott always had a strong faith that sustained him in his personal and professional life. He was a longtime member, former Deacon and Elder of Westminster Presbyterian Church.Left to cherish his memory, are his loving and devoted wife of 38 years, Anita Shrader Blaydes; son, Stephen Hill Blaydes, M.D. and wife, Kathleen of Bluefield, W.Va.; Elizabeth Blaydes Lewis and husband, Andrew of Flowery Branch, Ga., and daughter, Jaime Blaydes Gilliam and husband, Randy of Greensboro, N.C. He was Poppy and Granddaddy to grandchildren, Jennifer and husband, David Brooks, Susanna and husband, Kenny McMillan, Rebecca Lewis, Abby Lewis and Charles Blaydes. He was great-grandfather to, Judah and Willa McMillan; and is also survived by his mother-in-law, Audrey Gibson Shrader.In his final years, Elliott was blessed to be attended by his faithful caregivers for whom his family is forever grateful, Tyrone Murray, Darrell Neal, Dashi Sho-Johnson, Mashi Sho-Johnson, Edmond Johnson and Michael Barnes. Elliott was also fortunate to have other special people in his daily life: Kaki Roach, Linda Caywood, Deborah Wooley, Remona Robinson and Mel Thomas. Over the years he had the opportunity to work alongside so many wonderful employees of the Blaydes Clinic, who he dearly treasured. He also greatly respected and admired his fellow professional colleagues throughout his career.A visitation will be held on Friday, May 22, 2015, at Mercer Funeral Home, 1231 W. Cumberland Road, Bluefield, WV from 4 to 6 p.m. A funeral service conducted by Pastor Jonathan Rockness will take place on Saturday, May 23, 2015, at 11 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2005 Washington Street, Bluefield, WV. Burial will follow at Monte Vista Park Cemetery in Green Valley. All are welcome to attend and celebrate a life well lived by J. Elliott Blaydes. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church or the Blaydes Eye Foundation.Those wishing to share memories or condolence messages with the family may do so by visiting www.MercerFuneralHome.com Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the family of J. Elliott Blaydes, M.D. Posted in Obituaries on Thursday, May 21, 2015 12:00 am.
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/146765489/james_elliott-blaydes: accessed
), memorial page for Dr. James Elliott Blaydes III (26 Feb 1927–19 May 2015), Find a Grave Memorial ID 146765489, citing Monte Vista Park Cemetery, Bluefield,
Mercer County,
West Virginia,
USA;
Maintained by Hugh C. Wood (contributor 48306233).
Add Photos for Dr. James Elliott Blaydes III
Fulfill Photo Request for Dr. James Elliott Blaydes III
Photo Request Fulfilled
Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request
There is an open photo request for this memorial
Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request?
Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s).
Oops, something didn't work. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again.
Make sure that the file is a photo. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced.
All photos uploaded successfully, click on the <b>Done button</b> to see the photos in the gallery.
General photo guidelines:
Photos larger than 8.0 MB will be optimized and reduced.
Each contributor can upload a maximum of 5 photos for a memorial.
A memorial can have a maximum of 20 photos from all contributors.
The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional 10 photos (for a total of 30 on the memorial).
Include gps location with grave photos where possible.
No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments.)
There is no plot information for this memorial. Your photo request is more likely to be fulfilled if you contact the cemetery to get the plot information and include it with your request.
You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial.
Memorial Photos
This is a carousel with slides. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel.
Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried.
Show Map
If the memorial includes GPS coordinates, simply click 'Show Map' to view the gravesite location within the cemetery. If no GPS coordinates are available, you can contribute by adding them if you know the precise location.
Photos
For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab.
Photos Tab
All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer.
Flowers
Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button.
Family Members
Family members linked to this person will appear here.
Related searches
Use the links under See more… to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc.
Sponsor This Memorial
Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option.
Share
Share this memorial using social media sites or email.
Save to
Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print.
Edit or Suggest Edit
Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager.
Have Feedback
Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you.
You may not upload any more photos to this memorial
"Unsupported file type"
Uploading...
Waiting...
Success
Failed
This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has photos
This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded photos to this memorial
This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has photos
This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded photos to this memorial
Invalid File Type
Uploading 1 Photo
Uploading 2 Photos
1 Photo Uploaded
2 Photos Uploaded
Added by
GREAT NEWS! There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery.
Sorry! There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request.
Enter numeric value
Enter memorial Id
Year should not be greater than current year
Invalid memorial
Duplicate entry for memorial
You have chosen this person to be their own family member.
Reported!
This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates.
0% Complete
Saved
Sign in or Register
Sign in to Find a Grave
Sign-in to link to existing account
There is a problem with your email/password.
There is a problem with your email/password.
There is a problem with your email/password.
We encountered an unknown problem. Please wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem persists contact Find a Grave.
We’ve updated the security on the site. Please reset your password.
Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Please contact Find a Grave at [email protected] if you need help resetting your password.
This account has been disabled. If you have questions, please contact [email protected]
This account has been disabled. If you have questions, please contact [email protected]
Email not found
Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person.
Sign in to your existing Find a Grave account. You’ll only have to do this once—after your accounts are connected, you can sign in using your Ancestry sign in or your Find a Grave sign in.
We found an existing Find a Grave account associated with your email address. Sign in below with your Find a Grave credentials to link your Ancestry account. After your accounts are connected you can sign in using either account.
Please enter your email to sign in.
Please enter your password to sign in.
Please enter your email and password to sign in.
There is a problem with your email/password.
A system error has occurred. Please try again later.
A password reset email has been sent to EmailID. If you don't see an email, please check your spam folder.
We encountered an unknown problem. Please wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem persists contact Find a Grave.
Password Reset
Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code.
Registration Options
Welcome to Find a Grave
Create your free account by choosing an option below.
or
Ancestry account link
To create your account, Ancestry will share your name and email address with Find a Grave. To continue choose an option below.
or
If you already have a Find a Grave account, please sign in to link to Ancestry®.
New Member Registration
Email is mandatory
Email and Password are mandatory
This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Resend Activation Email
Your password is not strong enough
Invalid Email
You must agree to Terms and Conditions
Account already exists
Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox
Internal Server error occurred
If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map
You must select an email preference
We have sent you an activation email
Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters.
We just emailed an activation code to
Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account.
cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list.
cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list.
cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list.
Within 5 miles of your location.
Within 5 kilometers of your location.
0 cemeteries found in .
0 cemeteries found.
Add a cemetery to fulfill photo requests
You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below.
Search above to list available cemeteries.
Getting location…
Loading...
Loading...
No cemeteries found
Find a Grave Video Tutorials
Default Language
Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [email protected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Thanks for your help!
Preferred Language
We have set your language to based on information from your browser.