Dr. Joe David Christian, Jr.

Dr. Joe David Christian, Jr.

If you knew Joe Christian, you knew two things: he loved his family and friends fiercely, and he believed in doing things right—whether he was slicing a country ham, steering a boat, or explaining how a grandfather clock was put together. Born in Bristol, Virginia, to Alice Christina Luter and Joe David Christian, Joe came from a family rich in stories and tradition. One grandfather owned the Christian Taylor Hat Company, where the Bristol Sessions were recorded; the other grandfather founded the Smithfield Packing Company. Between hats, music, and ham, Joe learned early the value of craft, place, and good company.

Joe grew up in Smithfield, Virginia, and attended Smithfield High School. He spent his days playing ball, driving trucks for the packing company, being bossed by his big sister, pulling pranks with his identical twin brother and teasing his younger brothers. Summers were spent at scout camp where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He learned the tidal waters of the Pagan River and kept a coastal affinity his whole life.

Joe attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Medical College of Virginia. He completed an internship in St. Petersburg, FL. After serving as a flight surgeon in the United States Air Force at Hickam Air Force base, Hawaii, he completed his residency in orthopedics at the Campbell Clinic in Memphis, TN. For more than thirty years he practiced orthopedic surgery at the Augusta Orthopedic Clinic, where “the Joe Christian way” meant patients came first. He kept the staff and operating nurses on their toes and gave unparalleled care with his skilled hands and technique. He taught at the Medical College of Georgia and held leadership roles as Chief of Staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital, President of the Georgia Orthopedic Society, Georgia Representative to the Board of Councilors of Orthopedic Surgery, and as a member of the National Association for Surgery of the Hand.

Joe loved motion and direction. As a young man he hopped freight trains or hitchhiked between home and school - whatever was the most direct way to get where he needed to be; as an adult he kept moving by choice—boating on Clarks Hill Lake, crabbing in the low country, skiing on snow and water, practicing at the driving range, and traveling whenever he could persuade family to come along. He loved trains of all sizes—collecting model engines and building Christmas displays that became neighborhood gatherings. He also had a quiet obsession with compass directions and could tell you where north was in any room, which road and exit to take for almost any destination, and where to stay and who to look up along the way.

At home, Joe filled rooms and spaces with things he loved: antique furniture, oriental rugs, and Model A phaetons he polished, paraded, and happily used to drive newly married couples away from their weddings. He could fix a toilet, lecture on physics, and describe the methods for dating antique furniture and counting the knots per square inch of a fine rug. He deeply believed in ensuring that every decision made by any family member was solidly factual and logical.

He was purely Smithfield when it came to ham. He could cook and slice a country ham better than anybody and loved sharing with friends. Once he even carried one to Italy just to prove to the locals that prosciutto was not superior to a surgeon’s fine slice of a Smithfield ham.

And always, there was a dog. Over the years Joe kept a line of golden retrievers, chows, and goldendoodles who fetched the paper each morning, rode shotgun on errands, and sat steadfastly at his feet to watch the market reports.

On June 18, 1960, he married Ann Claiborne “Fat Bird” Pope, the love of his life and, in his words, “my hardest and best win.” Together they raised three children: Cameron Elizabeth Christian Bentley (“Toady”) (James Lynwood Bentley III); Dr. Joe David Christian III (“Bummer”); and Ann Claiborne Christian Porubsky (“Puppy”) (Dr. Edward Austin Porubsky). They later welcomed six grandchildren: Elizabeth Abercrombie Bentley (“Bucket”), James Lynwood Bentley IV (“Jabber”), Joe David Christian IV (“Joe Fo”), May Bates Christian (“Maybe Baby”), Claiborne McDowell Porubsky (“Magpie”), and Edward Austin Porubsky, Jr. (“Zero”). Joe’s nicknames were well-known signs of affection.

Joe gave as much to his community as he did to his profession. He served as President of the boards of Episcopal Day School, Augusta Preparatory Day School, Richmond Associates investment club, and the Augusta Heritage Club. He was a member of the Shade Tree A’s, the Augusta Golf Association, and the Spanish Wells Club on Hilton Head Island. He was a familiar presence at the Augusta Country Club practice range. He enjoyed people’s stories, learning about their families and making lasting connections.

When illness came, the family was deeply humbled by the men and women who cared for Joe. Their devotion, patience, and kindness were an enormous comfort, and many of them became true friends to the family in recent months.

Joe is survived by his beloved wife, Ann Claiborne; his children and grandchildren; and his brothers—identical twin William Luter Christian (Susan Abbott) and John Gilbert Christian (Harriett Ziegler). He was preceded in death by his sister, Joanne Christian Modlin (Charles Robert), his brother, Robert Cameron Christian (Cynthia Roddy), and his daughter-in-law, Paige Folley Christian. He leaves behind nine nieces and nephews whom he followed with pride and love.

Dr. Joe David Christian, Jr. lived a life of service, curiosity, humor, and conviction. In honor of Joe, the family welcomes donations to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church “Christian Family” Endowment Fund, 605 Reynolds Street, Augusta, GA 30901 or Historic Augusta, PO Box 37, Augusta, GA 30903 or any charity of your choosing—just the way Joe lived: helping people where it mattered most.

A service celebrating Joe’s life will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Dr. Eric C. Biddy officiating, on December 22, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. followed by a visitation at the family home from 4 – 6 p.m.

Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com