GREENSBORO Alvin Vincent Blount, Jr., 94, a physician and civic leader, passed on Friday, January 6, 2017.

Dr. Blount was the last living litigant in the case of Simkins v. Moses Cone Hospital (1963), the landmark Supreme Court decision that desegregated hospitals throughout the South. Following the lawsuit, he became the first African American physician to perform a surgery at Cone Hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to illness.

A passionate community servant, Blount impacted countless lives through his medical practice and civic leadership. Considered an icon by many, he leaves a legacy of many “firsts.” Most of all, he is remembered as an intelligent, jovial and generous citizen of the world who devoted his life to helping others.