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A St. George doctor is getting replaced by a man he delivered more than 30 years ago.
Dr. Norman Fawson has been practicing medicine in St. George for more than 40 years. During that time, he's delivered close to 4,000 babies. "One of those babies was Doctor Curtis Carter," he said.
That was in 1975. Now, nearly three decades and many years in medical school later, Curtis Carter is a doctor himself.
Fawson said, "I watched this man grow up. From the time he was a little baby. He came in; we examined him on this very examining table right here."
The two are meeting again, except this time they're talking business as Fawson passes his practice to Curtis.
Dr. Carter said, "It's a little bit strange. I guess Dr. Fawson was the first person I met coming into this world. It's kind of a strange feeling that I've known him that long and grew up with him, and now I'm finally replacing him. I'm at that stage that he was at when he delivered me."
Fawson says he feels confident he's leaving the place he worked so hard to build in good hands. And as the deputy medical examiner for Washington County, a viola player and teacher, an apple orchard owner, and a volunteer at the Doctor Free Clinic in St. George, Fawson says he will keep busy. "There will be plenty to keep me going," he said.
Carter is happy to be back in St. George and happy to be taking over for a doctor he looks up to. "I'm happy to be able to try to fill his shoes, hopefully carry on the same legacy. I don't know if I'll be able to work 40 years," he said.
Last night Fawson officially passed on the practice at his retirement party.
Curtis speaks Spanish and hopes to start seeing more Spanish-speaking patients.
E-mail: corton@ksl.com
