Dr. Oakley Henry Saunders, Jr.
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(May 23, 2009) - Dr. Oakley Henry Saunders Jr. of Baltimore died May 19 at his home after a lengthy illness.
Born in Baltimore on June 9, 1927, he was the son of the late Oakley H. Saunders Sr. and the late Mary Sue Booker Lyles, both of Baltimore.
Educated in Baltimore public schools, he left school and joined the Armed Forces. Following his return to Maryland, he graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1942 and from Meharry Medical College in Nashville in 1957. He completed his internship at Provident Hospital and his residency at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
In 1960, he established a private pediatric practice on Madison Avenue where he served the citizens of Baltimore City for nearly 20 years. In 1972, he joined the staff of Provident Hospital as president of the medical staff, eventually giving up his private practice to become president of the hospital in 1984. He became a physician surveyor for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, traveling the globe as a health care consultant for the Joint Commission, as well as the World Health Organization. During his career, Dr. Saunders was active on the boards of directors for numerous organizations and committees, including Maryland State Board of Higher Education, Central Maryland Health Systems Agency, Community Health Council of Maryland, and Minority Biomedical Research Consortium. Dr. Saunders also served on the Advisory Sub-Committee for Minority Recruitment at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine and was instrumental in implementing Project Head Start in Baltimore City. He made numerous presentations to the National Institute of Health as well as the Maryland General Assembly.
An inveterate sailor, he used every opportunity to relax while exploring the Chesapeake, fishing on his boat, “Imhotep.” A true gardener, in later years, he participated in the Baltimore City Farms program at Leakin Park.
Dr. Saunders expressed his love and dedication to Jehovah God by undergoing water baptism as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1989 and was an active member of the Sequoia Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses until his death.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Saunders; four daughters, Stephanie Parker and Karen Clark, both of Baltimore; Lisa Saunders (Eli) and Fumie Collier (James), both of California; a son, Keith Saunders of Indianapolis; five grandchildren, Michelle Parker of Delaware; David and Rachel Clark of Baltimore, Maikai Suliemon and Oshea Drake, both of California; an aunt, Lorraine Calloway of Evington, Va.
The family will receive visits from friends and relatives on Tuesday, May 26, from 4-7 p.m. at March Funeral Home on 4300 Wabash Ave., Baltimore. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 27, at 12 noon at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses at 3404 Bateman Ave., Baltimore.