DR. DAVID O. CHILDERS SR.
1930-2018
Dr. David O. Childers Sr. passed away peacefully in his sleep on March 6, 2018 in Houston, Texas. Born July 30, 1930 in Shreveport, LA as the older of two sons to Etta and Lloyd Childers, Dr. Childers graduated from Centenary College in Shreveport, and Louisiana State University Medical School in New Orleans. He also taught Chemistry to undergraduate nursing students at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, where he met Dorothy Willes, his wife of 59 years who preceded him in death in February 2017.
Dr. Childers was a longstanding, well-respected and beloved pediatrician in Houston and surrounding areas. He began his career as a pediatrician in the Navy at Millington, Tennessee. He was in private practice in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and returned to the Navy in 1963 in Pensacola. Dr. Childers and his family moved to Houston 1n 1967, and he was a staff pediatrician at MacGregor Medical Clinic. Dr. Childers opened his private practice in 1971 on Montrose and moved to The Woman’s Hospital. In 2001, he moved to Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates.
During his career, Dr. Childers served as president of the Medical Staff at Texas Children’s Hospital, Chief of Staff at Woman’s Hospital of Texas, Chief of Pediatrics of Woman’s Hospital of Texas and Vice Chief of Pediatrics of Park Plaza Hospital.
Dr. Childers joined the U.S. Navy, right out of his pediatric residency in 1958 and retired as a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1990.
He was a dedicated husband and father to his children. Dr. Childers was a youth baseball coach and umpire and a Cub Scout leader. He loved all sports, and was a season ticket holder of the Astros, Oilers, and later the Rockets. Dr. Childers was a religious golfer, playing almost every week for over 40 years. Known as Tot Doc to four generations of patients, Dr. Childers had an outgoing personality and he always had a new joke or a spontaneous impersonation of Donald Duck. He will be loved and greatly missed by all who knew him.
David and Dottie enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, on many cruises and to Disney World, which was a testament to both of their love for life. The home and his office were filled with Disney toys, posters, knick-knacks and golfing memorabilia.
Dr. Childers is survived by his five children, David Jr. (Carol), Michael, John (Margaret), Steve (Donna) and Suzanne Zafra (Jimmy). He was the beloved grandfather to ten grandchildren: David Childers (Deborah), Kristi (Burhan) Ahmad, Shelley (Doug) Vanker, Michael Childers Jr., Brian Childers, Kathryn Childers, William Childers, Christie Childers, Annabelle Thompson and Emma Childers; and one great-grand daughter, Lamar Vanker. He was also preceded in death by his brother, Lieutenant Colonel John Robert Childers, USAF of Shreveport.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 15, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Rd, Houston, TX 77056. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made on the Texas Children’s Hospital website in the name of Dr. David Childers, Sr., M.D. for the Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics. Condolences may be offered at www.millerfuneral.com