Robert James Eustice

Dr. Robert J. Eustice, 84, of Ocean Springs, MS went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, January 20, 2010. He founded his Family Practice Dental Clinic in Biloxi in 1955 and treated patients there for 55 years. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends,and patients. Robert James Eustice was born March 28, 1925 in Birmingham, AL. He was the only child born to Robert Richard Eustice, born July 7, 1899 in Galena, Illinois and his wife Ethel Mary Blades. Dr. Eustice grew up in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, AL and attended Edgewood Elementary School. He graduated from Phillips High School in Birmingham in 1943 and entered the Navy’s V-12 Program. After completion of the V-12 Program, he entered Midshipman’s school at Ft. Schuyler, NY from which he graduated as an Ensign in the United States Navy. He then attended the Naval Supply Corps Officer School at Harvard University. Ensign Eustice served at the Naval Air Base in Samar, Philippine Islands during World War II. After the war ended, he was awarded the Philippine’s Liberation Medal. Following World War II, Robert enrolled at the University of the South, Sewanee, where he received his B.S. degree. He then was accepted to the first class of the University Medical/Dental Center, University of Alabama, Birmingham. Following graduation in 1952 with a Doctor of Medical Dentistry (DMD) degree and the Korean War in progress, he went back into the US Navy and served a year of internship at the US Naval Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Later, he spent about three years at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. While there, he published his research on Refrigeration Anesthesia in the prestigious Journal of the American Dental Association. He married Marie Louise Burg,daughter of Jules Louis Burg and Caroline Carwile Mims on March 1, 1950 in a ceremony performed by the pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL. After release from the US Navy, he moved to Biloxi, MS and began his private dental practice in 1955. He was a member of the American Dental Association, a life member of the Mississippi Dental Association, a member of the Royal Health Society (London, England) and served as President of the Fifth District Mississippi Dental Society. He remained active in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community for many years. He served as President of the Biloxi Lions Club, President of the Coast Community Concert Association (1960s to 1980s), and on the Board of Trustees for William Carey University. He was a Lifetime Deacon of First Baptist Church in Biloxi, having also served as Chairman. He was also on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan National Bank, Board of Directors of the Salvation Army, Board of Directors of the Affiliated Baptist Hospitals of America, member of the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW), the American Legion, and Board Member of the Gulf Hills Civic Association. Much of his spare time was spent with his family in his mountain home in Highlands, North Carolina. It was a joyous time. He loved this mountain community and attending First Baptist Church in Highlands. He is survived by his wife Marie Burg Eustice, married 59 years, two sons David Robert Eustice (wife Cathy) and James Jules Eustice DMD (wife Julie), and two daughters Caroline Eustice Wicks (husband Thomas) and Elizabeth Eustice Wakham DMD (husband Dean), and seven grandchildren: Robert Wicks, Marie Wicks, Elizabeth Wicks, Caroline Eustice, Christopher Eustice, Olivia Eustice, and Maggie Wakham. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to be made to the Salvation Army or the Baptist International Mission Board, care of First Baptist Church Biloxi, 1560 Popps Ferry Rd, Biloxi MS 39532. Services will be held at First Baptist Church, 1560 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi, MS on Tuesday, January 26, 2010. The family requests visitation at the church from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. followed by the service at 12:00 PM. Burial will be at the Biloxi National Cemetery following the service. Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, Ocean Springs is in charge of arrangements.