John F. Boxell, M.D., is an otolaryngologist / head and neck surgeon who practiced in Chattanooga, Tenn., for more than 35 years, and was a clinical associate professor of surgery at University of Tennessee College of Medicine at Chattanooga. He also provided free clinic and surgical services for underserved and uninsured populations.

Dr. Boxell was Marion native, and after graduating from Marion High School earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 1961, then his Doctor of Medicine degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1965. He completed his internship at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, and his residency in otolaryngology at Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis., earning his board certification in otolaryngology in 1971.

In 1970 he joined an established medical practice in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which he would call home for the rest of his career. At the time, he was in the military reserves as an Air Force captain under the Berry Plan, a feature of the military draft that allowed physicians to defer obligatory military service until they had completed medical school and residency training. He was initially unsure how long he would practice in Chattanooga because of his military status, but with the end of the Vietnam War, he was not called to active duty.

Over the course of more than three decades in Chattanooga and the surrounding area, Dr. Boxell became known not only as an excellent physician, but also a mentor, a teacher, and an outstanding leader. He served as the chief of staff at Memorial Hospital in the early 1980s, and later served as the chairman of the hospital’s board. He also served as chairman of the board for Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation, as well as president of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society and the Chattanooga Surgical Foundation. He also served as an associate professor of surgery at UT College of Medicine at Chattanooga, earning a surgical subspecialty award in 1991, and was board certified at nine Chattanooga hospitals, including Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, where he was a frequent Ear, Nose and Throat (E.N.T.) specialist for young children.

As a youth growing up in Marion, he learned the value of helping others through church, school, and the Boy Scouts — through which he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1953. He said this helped shape his determination to make a difference in medicine. Indeed, he went above and beyond his regular practice, providing free clinic and surgical services for underserved and uninsured populations in his community. He was the only physician in the area to provide free otolaryngology services to what is now the Siskin Children’s Institute.

Dr. Boxell was also a leader or board member for the Tennessee Valley Medical Assembly, the Chattanooga Science Fair, and the United Way, along with the Chattanooga Tumor Board, and the Hurlbut Cancer Fund. He is a recipient of the Humanitarian Award from Chattanooga Memorial Hospital, and of a Champions of Healthcare Lifetime Achievement in Medicine Award.

Though he retired from his medical practice in 2005, he remains active in advisory and export roles in the Chattanooga medical community.

He and his wife Marilyn (Smith) Boxell are parents to Elizabeth Ann (Boxell) Morse and Brian Frederick Boxell.