William T. Humphrey, 76, died on April 1, 2013. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2013, in the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, in Norfolk, Va., with the Rev. Robert Davenport officiating. Interment will be in Oak City Cemetery, in Bainbridge.

He was born in Milledgeville, Ga., the son of the late John and Alta Martin Humphrey. He graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1954, receiving the Earl Carr Gregg Award for the outstanding student. He graduated from Emory University, class of 1958, and Emory University School of Medicine with a Medical Degree in 1962. He served with the U.S. Navy as well as the U.S. Marine Corps.

He served a residency in ophthalmology at Emory and attended Harvard Medical School at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, where he completed a fellowship in Vitreous-Retina Surgery. He joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School in 1971 and taught retina surgery until his establishment of the first ophthalmology subspecialty practice in Retina-Vitreous Surgery in the Tidewater area in 1972. He remained active in private practice until 2003.

He helped co-found, along with many devoted colleagues, the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School and was its first chairman from 1975 to 1982. He remained an active faculty member until his retirement. He also co-founded the Lions Eye Bank and was an active board member until 1995. He was co-founder of the Tidewater Virginia Eye Foundation and formerly a member of the staff at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

He was a member and former vestryman of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, a recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellow, and the Lions Club recognition of Public Service Award, and a member of the AM, VMS, VA, Society of Ophthalmology, ACS, AAO, Norfolk Medical Society and the Retina Society.

Survivors include his sons, Dr. William T. Humphrey Jr. and his wife Diane of Kaneohe, Hawaii, and John Douglas Humphrey of Atlanta, Ga.; and his sister, Jane Humphrey Highland of Pensacola, Fla.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Lions Eye Bank or Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Cox Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.