- Date Of Birth: February 3, 1927
- Date Of Death: January 16, 2015
- State: Louisiana
Robert David Guyton M.D., 87, died January 16, 2015, at Tulane Medical Center’s Cardiac Care Unit. He was one of 10 children born to Mayme Jordan Guyton and James Robert Guyton in York, Alabama. Following graduation from high school, he attended the University of Alabama for one semester before joining the United States Navy. He spent two years as a hospital corpsman and was later stationed in Pensacola, Florida. Following his Honorable Discharge, Robert attended Livingston University for two years before transferring to the University of Alabama and receiving his B.S. degree in 1949. He attended the then new University of Alabama College of Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama, graduating in 1953.
That same year he married Claire Harper from Montgomery, Alabama. Claire played violin in the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and Robert went into an obstetrics and gynecology practice with Dr. Hal Ferguson.
In the mid-1970’s, Robert and Claire became very interested in property in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Robert always found New Orleans to be a fascinating place, particularly as he spent much time as a child in the summers with relatives who lived near City Park. He and Claire purchased the Lanata House Apartments, two Greek Revival buildings constructed in 1847. They purchased several other properties in the French Quarter, including Lafitte Guest House, a 14-room bed and breakfast on Bourbon Street. It was a source of great joy, furnished in the Victorian style, where friends, family, and guests from all over the world were entertained. His son Stephen Robert Guyton, who preceded him in death, worked at “the Guest House” for at least 10 of the 20 years Robert and Claire owned it.
In 1987, Robert met Robert Edward (Bob) Goggin, in New Orleans. Robert and Bob traveled extensively, supported the arts, and entertained at the Lanata House Apartments, which was their home for nearly 30 years. They hosted annual family reunions at the Guyton home place every Thanksgiving in York, Alabama where Robert was born and raised.
Robert is survived by his loving daughter Gigi Guyton and her life partner Jennifer Lummis of Gray, Maine; his partner Bob Goggin of New Orleans; one sister, Carolyn Guyton Kearns and her husband, Don Kearns, of High Point, North Carolina; and many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. His parents, his wife, his son, and eight of his siblings preceded him in death.
In the words of Robert himself, he was “Baptist by birth, but Episcopalian by choice, lover of all the arts and supporter of many, an avid reader of just about everything, love to travel…and just a great believer in the fact that basically human beings are fine creations…” Robert or “Doc” as he was affectionately known by his tenants and friends, touched the lives of many, many people. He served as the patriarch of the Guyton family, the perfect southern gentleman, possessed an incredible sense of humor, was a perpetual optimist, a savvy businessman, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
