Julian T. Buxton Jr. ’50

The mayor of Charleston described Julie as "one of the finest people ever to live in Charleston." A friend called Julie "a doctor who treated people, not patients." Julie died in Charleston Oct. 3, 2003, from cancer.

Born in Sumter, S.C., he became an outstanding student-athlete at Woodberry Forest. Known to many at Princeton as "Bux," he was a class officer, rock-hard tackle, heavyweight wrestler, and honors history graduate. He attended Johns Hopkins after Doc McPhee suggested medicine instead of law. His tour as a Navy officer led to the Medical U. of South Carolina, where he met and married Louise Anne Wallace.

After entering private practice in 1964, Julie broke the racial barrier at Roper Hospital in Charleston by admitting a black orderly. In 1971 he performed more than 600 surgeries on civilians in Vietnam. He conducted medical missions in Kenya, Siberia, and the Dominican Republic. He was chief of surgery at all the Charleston-area hospitals. A legend in the Charleston medical community, Julie was the doctor medical students wanted to work with. He was a Princeton trustee, National YMCA Council member, and recipient of the Athletic Dept.'s Citizen-Athlete Award and South Carolina's top civilian honor, the Order of the Palmetto.

We share Julie's loss with Anne, his seven children, and greater family.

The Class of 1950