Dr. R. H. Lafferty Succumbs At 72

Dr. Robert Hervey Lafferty, prominent radiologist and one of the pioneer workers with X-rays and radium in the South, died in a local hospital at 9:30 o'clock last night after 10 days of illness.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Dr. Lafferty is survived by Mrs. Lafferty, the former Edith Katherine Fry of Canton, Ohio, to whom he was married on December 20, 1913, two sons, Dr. Robert H. Lafferty, Jr., of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Dr. John O. Lafferty of Charlotte, three grandchildren, a brother, Parks M. Lafferty of Concord, two sisters, Mrs. Lindsay Ross, Sr., and Mrs. Jack Wadsworth of Concord, and a number of nephews and nieces.

Besides the practice of his profession and an active interest in many organizations connected with it, Dr. Lafferty was devoted to religious work and was for 30 years superintendent of the Sunday School of the Second church branch of Covenant Presbyterian church. He was an elder in this church. He also was for many years a director of the Charlotte Young Men's Christian association.

DAVIDSON NATIVE
A native of Davidson, he was the son of Dr. James Stewart Lafferty and Hattie Kerns Lafferty and the grandson of Rev. Robert H. Lafferty, who was for many years pastor of Sugaw Creek Presbyterian church. He was a direct descendant of Matthew McClure, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.

He was educated at Davidson college and received the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the North Carolina Medical college. He did graduate work at the University of Chicago.

For several years, he taught at Davidson college and at the North Carolina Medical college, and after the removal of the latter institution from Davidson to Charlotte served as its registrar and as professor of chemistry and physiology for several years.

He entered private practice in 1915, specializing in urology and radiology, and from that time devoted his entire time to the practice of radiology, being especially interested in the treatment of cancer.

He was a member of the consultant staffs of the Presbyterian, Mercy and Charlotte Memorial hospitals in Charlotte and of the Marion Sims Memorial hospital in Lancaster, S. C. For many years, he served as radiologist for the Presbyterian and Mercy hospitals.

He was a member of the Mecklenburg County Medical society, the North Carolina Medical society, the Southern Medical association, the American Roentgen Ray society, and the Radiological Society of North America, was a fellow of the American Medical association, and was a charter member and fellow of the American College of Radiology. He was one of the organizers of the Radiology section of the Southern Medical association. Through the years, he served as an officer in many of these organizations.

He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha and Omicron Delta Kappa fraternities and was the author of a number of scientific papers and of a recently published history of the North Carolina Medical college.

The family has requested that flowers be omitted.

The Charlotte Observer
Charlotte, NC
August 1, 1950

Dr. R. H. Lafferty Succumbs At 72

Dr. Robert Hervey Lafferty, prominent radiologist and one of the pioneer workers with X-rays and radium in the South, died in a local hospital at 9:30 o'clock last night after 10 days of illness.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Dr. Lafferty is survived by Mrs. Lafferty, the former Edith Katherine Fry of Canton, Ohio, to whom he was married on December 20, 1913, two sons, Dr. Robert H. Lafferty, Jr., of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Dr. John O. Lafferty of Charlotte, three grandchildren, a brother, Parks M. Lafferty of Concord, two sisters, Mrs. Lindsay Ross, Sr., and Mrs. Jack Wadsworth of Concord, and a number of nephews and nieces.

Besides the practice of his profession and an active interest in many organizations connected with it, Dr. Lafferty was devoted to religious work and was for 30 years superintendent of the Sunday School of the Second church branch of Covenant Presbyterian church. He was an elder in this church. He also was for many years a director of the Charlotte Young Men's Christian association.

DAVIDSON NATIVE
A native of Davidson, he was the son of Dr. James Stewart Lafferty and Hattie Kerns Lafferty and the grandson of Rev. Robert H. Lafferty, who was for many years pastor of Sugaw Creek Presbyterian church. He was a direct descendant of Matthew McClure, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.

He was educated at Davidson college and received the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the North Carolina Medical college. He did graduate work at the University of Chicago.

For several years, he taught at Davidson college and at the North Carolina Medical college, and after the removal of the latter institution from Davidson to Charlotte served as its registrar and as professor of chemistry and physiology for several years.

He entered private practice in 1915, specializing in urology and radiology, and from that time devoted his entire time to the practice of radiology, being especially interested in the treatment of cancer.

He was a member of the consultant staffs of the Presbyterian, Mercy and Charlotte Memorial hospitals in Charlotte and of the Marion Sims Memorial hospital in Lancaster, S. C. For many years, he served as radiologist for the Presbyterian and Mercy hospitals.

He was a member of the Mecklenburg County Medical society, the North Carolina Medical society, the Southern Medical association, the American Roentgen Ray society, and the Radiological Society of North America, was a fellow of the American Medical association, and was a charter member and fellow of the American College of Radiology. He was one of the organizers of the Radiology section of the Southern Medical association. Through the years, he served as an officer in many of these organizations.

He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha and Omicron Delta Kappa fraternities and was the author of a number of scientific papers and of a recently published history of the North Carolina Medical college.

The family has requested that flowers be omitted.

The Charlotte Observer
Charlotte, NC
August 1, 1950