Obituary
Dr. Joseph K. Isley, Jr., 96, of Fort Myers, died peacefully on June 24, 2021. He was born on September 27, 1924, in Greensboro North Carolina, to Joseph K. Isley, Sr. and Beulah Fay Scurlock Isley.
Joe spent his early years in Greensboro, NC and graduated from Wake Forest University with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He received his Doctorate in Medicine from Wake Forest University’s Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1948 while serving in the United States Navy. After becoming a physician, he served as a medical officer in the United States Air Force. He completed his residency in radiology at Duke University where he also served as a medical director of the Radio-isotope laboratory, professor of radiology and national defense coordinator. The family moved to Fort Myers in 1958 where Dr. Isley served as Chairman of the Department of Radiology for Lee Memorial Hospital. During his 12 years with Lee Memorial, he helped establish the area’s first X-Ray Department and Radio-isotope Laboratory, as well as Southwest Florida’s first School of X-Ray Technology. After leaving Lee memorial Hospital, he continued to practice Radiology as an independent Radiologist until his retirement in 1997. Always believing in the empowerment to continue one’s education, in 1992, at the age of 68, he received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Florida.
Joe believed in giving back to his local community and was a very active volunteer and board member of numerous medically related organizations. His volunteer work with the American Cancer Society spanned more than 50 years and included serving as president of both the Lee County and Florida State Divisions. He was Chairman of the Breast Cancer Task Force and Colon-Rectal Cancer Task Force and was named an Honorary Lifetime Member of both the local and state division of the American Cancer Society. He received the Volunteer Leadership Award for the Florida Division in 1991 and in 1994 Dr. Isley was the recipient of the Connie Mack Humanitarian of the Year Award for the Lee County Unit.
Dr. Isley also served as president of the Lee County Tuberculosis Association, the American Lung Association of Florida, the Visiting Nurses Association, the Lee County Breast Screening Project and served as an elected board member of both the Lee County School Board and Lee Memorial Hospital Board. He was also Chairman of the Department of Radiology of the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic in Fort Myers and later worked there part-time and ultimately donated his services in-kind.
Joe was preceded in death by his daughter, Bonnie Lynn, his sister Dorothy (Clary) Weston, and wife, Nancy Isley.
He is survived by his sons, Joseph Keener Isley, III (Marcia), Robert David Isley (Juanita), Christopher Alan Isley (Melinda), Jonathan Kaley-Isley (Lisa), and stepdaughters, Kris Stevens and Debbie Bouchillon (Kim), eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
His family would like to thank his very loving and kind caregivers over the past few years and all his friends and family at Cypress Point Assisted Living.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society (cancer.org) or the Community Foundation Collaboratory (collaboratory.org).
Service
1589 Colonial BoulevardFort Myers, Fort Myers
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