James Clay Wellborn

Dr. James Clay Wellborn Jr., 64, of Little Rock, passed away on January 23rd, 2018 in the company of his loving family. Dr. Wellborn was born on August 20, 1953 in Beaumont, Texas to James Clay and Eva-Lou Wellborn. He moved to Little Rock, Arkansas in 1954 and attended Holy Souls Catholic School and Catholic High School for Boys, where he was a proud member of the ROTC. After graduating from high school, he attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, where he played football, was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and the national health preprofessional honor society Alpha Epsilon Delta, and graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in chemistry. After college, he attended UAMS for medical school, where he was a Barton Research Scholar, a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, and a recipient of the Lange Book Award and the E. Forest Ellis Award for Outstanding Surgical Student. After completing a general and vascular surgery residency at UAMS, he established his surgical practice in Stuttgart, Arkansas, where he continued growing his family and made lifelong friends. He moved his practice to Little Rock in 1988 and has been performing General and Bariatric surgery for the past 30 years Dr. Wellborn was at the forefront of medical technology. Among his many accomplishments was becoming the first surgeon in the state to perform laparoscopic gallbladder surgery. His legacy continues on through all of the residents and students he had the great pleasure of teaching medicine to over the years. Dr. Wellborn was an avid reader and could often be found around town reading in his car. He enjoyed duck hunting, sailing, watching the Razorbacks, discussing American military history, playing guitar, and above all else spending time with his family and friends, especially his annual visits since 1965 to Seagrove Beach, Florida. He is preceded in death by his father, James Clay "Jim" Wellborn and Samuel Brooks Cooper. He is survived by his mother, Eva-Lou Edwards Wellborn of Little Rock; brother, Mark Joffrion Wellborn (Paula); sister, Dr. Elizabeth Wellborn Sales (Hugh) of Jonesboro, Arkansas; five children: Bonnie Wellborn Malzewski (Alan), James Clay "Trey" Wellborn III, Madison Edwards Wellborn (Hollie), William (Cait) and Alexandria "Lexie" Wellborn, all of Little Rock; four grandchildren: Caroline Clay Malzewski, Grace Katherine "Gracie" Wellborn, Mary Millicent Malzewski and James Clay Wellborn IV; three nieces and a nephew: Taylor Joffrion Wellborn, Elizabeth Sales Cooper, Mason Windsor Wellborn and Catherine Millard Sales; a very special friend and former wife, Bonnie Norton Wellborn "Baba" and many other friends. There will be a visitation and rosary held on Friday, January 26th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church located at 1003 North Tyler, Little Rock, Ark. 72205. The rosary will begin at 7 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 27th at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park. Memorials may be made In Dr. Wellborn's name to either the Monsignor Allen Trust Fund, 1003 North Tyler, Little Rock, Ark. 72205 (www.matdf.org) or to CARE (Central Arkansas Rescue Effort for Animals), P.O. Box 7604, Little Rock, Ark. 72217 (www.careforanimals.org). To sign Dr. Wellborn's online guest book, visit www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.