Mikell Baynard Karsten, Sr., M.D., 73, of Tryon, North Carolina, formerly of Tifton, died Monday, November 13, 2006, at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Columbus, North Carolina. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 17, 2006, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Dr. W. Ches Smith, III will officiate with a private burial to be held at a later date. Eulogies will be given by Dr. Greg Anderson, Dr. Gerald Sapp and Dr. Sammy Dixon. The family will receive friends on Friday, November 17, 2006, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals prior to the services.
Dr. Karsten was born on May 1, 1933 in New Rochelle, New York and was the son of Paul Daggett Karsten, Sr. and Elizabeth Pickard Karsten, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, P. D. Karsten, Jr. and William Lowndes Karsten. He was the paternal grandson of Gustav Karsten, educator and editor; and Eleanor Daggett Karsten, writer and direct descendent of Dr. N. Daggett, Revolutionary War President of Yale University. He was the maternal grandson of the Rev. William Lowndes Pickard, Baptist Minister and former President of Mercer University in Macon; and Florence Willingham Pickard.
Dr. Karsten attended Tifton High School in 1950 and graduated with honors from Abraham Baldwin College, Mercer University in Macon and the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Following a year internship at Spartanburg General Hospital in Spartanburg, South Carolina and a year surgery residency at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, he completed his 4-year surgery residency at the Medical Hospital in Augusta.
Dr. Karsten was a Lieutenant Commander Surgeon aboard the hospital ship, USS Repose, in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1970 and was awarded the Bronze Star. He was also stationed for a year at the Charleston Naval Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina.
Following his military service, Dr. Karsten returned to Tifton for the practice of surgery and was instrumental in founding Tifton Surgical Clinic. During his twenty years of practice, he served as chief of staff and chief of surgery at Tift General Hospital, now Tift Regional Medical Center. Dr. Karsten was a member of the Tift County Medical Society, the American Medical Association, the Southern Medical Association, the Medical Association of Georgia and the Moretz Surgical Society. He was also a member of the Tryon United Methodist Church, the Tryon Country Club, the Tryon Swim Club, the Appalachia Yacht Club, all in Tryon, North Carolina; and President of Theta Fraternity of the Medical College of Georgia.
Dr. Karsten is survived by his wife, Catherine Anne Cumby Karsten, whom he married on November 28, 1952; two sons and daughters-in-law, Mike Karsten, Jr. and Barbara Parker Karsten of Sylvester; and Frederick William Karsten and Kathy Winfree Karsten of Dunwoody; two grandsons, Mikell Brett Karsten and Clinton Miles Karsten, both of Sylvester; and one sister, Florence Willingham Carson; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Carolina Foothills, 130 Forest Glen Drive, Columbus, North Carolina 28722.