At the end of the work day on Monday, Dr. George Day completed a major accomplishment. He completed his 60th year in practice.

“It would mean a lot more to me if I can make it to 70,” he said. “It’s been good to be at 60 and even better that it’s all been here in Claiborne County.”

Day is renowned throughout the Cumberland Gap area and has a list of patients that will drive from parts of Kentucky and Virginia just to visit him at Family Medical Clinic.

“It’s been my life,” Day reiterated. “My family is here. This has been my life, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Sometime, though, when I would be out in the middle of the night delivering a baby, it wasn’t so much fun. But, when you had the chance to think about it and rest up a bit, it was good and I enjoyed it.”

Several community members can remember when Day would make house calls to the family and friends in the middle of the night when there was a need.

Along with being a beloved physician in the community, Day is also an active member at Harrogate United Methodist Church.

“I want to just keep going as long as I can,” he expressed. “I would like to shoot for 70. That depends on my health. I think just being known as an old country doctor means more than anything else.”

He continually expressed his appreciation for the patients throughout the community that he said are more like his family.

“My patients are part of my family,” Day stated. “Patients I have seen, I have either delivered or I have already known more of their lives.”

Day attended Powell Valley High School and then Carson Newman for a couple of years before transferring to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He completed medical school in Memphis and returned to Harrogate when he was 23 to begin practicing medicine.

“I just want to thank everybody that has had enough confidence in me to be their doctor,” Day expressed sentimentally. “I really appreciate it and all of my patients. I appreciate them, and I love them all.”