February 15, 2024, 90, Calypso —

Dr. Hervy B. Kornegay, Sr. of Calypso passed away at home on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at the age of 90, surrounded by family.

He was born on April 28, 1933, the only child of the late Hervy Battle and Edwina Sutton Kornegay of Calypso.  He attended school in Calypso and graduated from Goldsboro High School in 1951.  He graduated from Wake Forest College in 1954, where he was a Sigma Chi and a member of Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity.  In 1957, he graduated from Bowman Gray Medical School.  Dr. Kornegay completed an internship in internal medicine at North Carolina Baptist Hospital, followed by a residency in general medicine (with a focus on pediatrics) at UNC Memorial Hospital.  From 1959 – 1961, he served as a Captain in the United States Air Force in Japan.

After returning home, Dr. Kornegay began a practice in Faison, then in Mount Olive.  In 1970, he became co-founder of Mount Olive Family Medicine Center with his friend and colleague, Dr. Robert Shackelford, where he cared for patients of southern Wayne and northern Duplin counties until 2019.

Dr. Kornegay was passionate about pre-hospital care.  He was actively involved in the development of Mount Olive Rescue Squad and received a lifetime membership in 1997.  He was the Medical Director of Duplin County EMS when it transitioned to paramedic service.  In 2018, he received a Lifetime Membership in the N. C. Association of Rescue and EMS.  He was a retired member of the Calypso Fire Department.

Dr. Kornegay served as medical director for nursing homes in Mount Olive and Warsaw, was medical director for Duplin County Health Department, and was medical examiner for Wayne and Duplin counties.  He volunteered as a team physician for North Duplin High School for over 40 years.

Dr. Kornegay served as President of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians and was selected as North Carolina’s Family Physician of the Year in 1998.  In 2000, he was a finalist for the American Academy of Family Physicians Physician of the Year.  He was a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU.

Dr. Kornegay earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1950 and continued to be actively involved in scouting for most of his adult life.  He attended the National Boy Scout Jamboree in 1950 as a scout, in 1993 as Assistant Scout Master, and in 1997 as a staff physician.  He received the Silver Beaver Award, the Adult God and Service Award, was a James West Fellow, and recipient of the National Eagle Scout Association “Outstanding Eagle Scout Award.”  The 2010 Class of Eagles for the Tuscarora Council was named in his honor.

Special achievements and recognitions include Mount Olive Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, E. Harvey Estes Community Service Award from the North Carolina Medical Society, Honorary Alumnus of East Carolina University, Outstanding Senior Citizen Award by the Mount Olive Jaycees and Lion’s Club, inductee into the Duplin County Hall of Fame, honoree of the Foundation of Vidant Duplin Hospital, recipient of The Ruff Huggins Lifetime Community Service Award, inductee into the Goldsboro-Dillard Sports Hall of Fame, and recipient of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

Dr. Kornegay was a lifelong member of Calypso Presbyterian Church where he taught Sunday School, directed the choir, and served two terms as an active elder.

Dr. Kornegay was an excellent clinician who cared deeply for his patients.  In spite of all of his professional success, he was most proud of his family and enjoyed nothing more than spending time with them.  He is survived by his wife, Deborah, and his seven children, Lynn Herring (Rick) of Calypso, Carolyn Kornegay (Dr. Michael Ponder) of Johnson City, Tennessee, Dr. Hervy B. Kornegay, Jr. of Goldsboro, Dr. Chad Kornegay (Kelly) of Calypso, Dr. Todd Kornegay (Jennifer) of Hampstead, Dr. Jon Kornegay (Lindsay) of Calypso and Paul Kornegay (Megan) of Calypso.  He is also survived by 18 grandchildren, Sara Kummer (James), Jayne Mehta (Nehal), Michael Ponder, Dr. Brittney Thorne (Andrew), Ashton Bowling (John), Jordan Kornegay (Anna), Laurie Ponder, Hannah Kornegay, Christopher Kornegay, Owen Kornegay, Ethan Kornegay, Charlie Kornegay, Addie Kate Kornegay, Battle Kornegay, Anna Kornegay, Leo Kornegay, E. B. Kornegay, and Cooper Kornegay; and three great-grandchildren, Wesley Kummer, Jaxon Bowling, and Olivia Thorne.

The family would like to thank ECU Health Home Health and Hospice for the compassionate and excellent care they provided, especially nurse Brandi Burroughs Ivey, CNA Yolanda Blacknell, and CNA Mary Carlton.

A memorial service will be held at North Duplin Junior/Senior High School Gymnasium on Sunday, February 25, at 3:00 p.m. with the Rev. Nick Nielsen presiding.  The family will receive friends and relatives after the service at the school, and at other times at Dr. Kornegay’s home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to