Linda Gail Allison

Linda G. Allison, MD, MPH, FACEP, passed away at her home in Arrington, TN, on Saturday, August 16, 2014. Linda was the daughter of Patricia and the late Harold Allison of Paris, IL. She was born on February 10, 1954 in Mattoon, IL. Surviving her is her husband married in 1982 John G. Benitez, MD, MPH, FAACT, FACMT, FACOEM, FACPM, FAAEM, FACEP and US Army Reserves Lieutenant Colonel, 332nd Medical Brigade. Also surviving her are her mother; sisters Jeannie Greg Forehand of Signal Mountain, TN; Janet Jim Medley Allison of Springfield, IL; and Terry Mike Rogers of Springfield, IL; brother John Michael Sharon Allison of Red Oak, IA; brother in law Ric Benitez of Houston, TX; and several nieces and nephews: Brian, Tyler and Laura Keys of TN; Matthew Medley, Emily and Joel Rogers of IL; Kelsey, Christopher, Allie, and Kaiden Allison of IA, and Alex Benitez of TX. Linda graduated from Paris High School in 1972 and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University in 1976. She was a medical technologist in Decatur and Bloomington, IL before enrolling in Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, from which she graduated in 1981. She finished her Family Medicine residency at SIU in 1985. She obtained her MPH degree at the University of Pittsburgh in 1996. She worked in various locations in central Illinois in Emergency Medicine Havana, Astoria, Springfield, and Bloomington. She then moved and worked in emergency medicine in Nashville, TN, and then joined the emergency medical faculty at West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown, WV. Linda joined the faculty of Chatham College in Pittsburgh in 1995 and became the director of the Physician Assistant training program there. Later, she moved to Le Moyne College in Syracuse NY and became the Chair of the program there and its first Professor before moving to TN where she was faculty Assoc. Professor in the new School of Pharmacy at Belmont University in Nashville. She was also an adjunct associate professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the Pharmacology Department. She was a member of Trinity Methodist Church in Franklin, TN. Singing in the choir there was one of her greater joys. She was an accomplished artist and musician, a kind and generous person, and passionate about helping those in need. Cremation rites were accorded by the Cremation Society of Tennessee and a Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held at Trinity Methodist Church in Franklin, TN on Saturday, 6 September 2014 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, one may make a memorial contribution to the Linda G. Allison, MD, MPH Scholarship for the Medical Humanities at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine SIUF.org, Breast Cancer Organization breastcancer.org, any hospice program, UMCOR UMCOR.org, Habitat for Humanity habitat.org, Red Cross redcross.org, UNICEF unicef.org, Nature Conservancy nature.org, or Wounded Warrior Project woundedwarriorproject.org; or the charity of your choice