Don Avery, CEO of Dublin’s Fairview Park Hospital passes away on Jan. 23, 2025

Avery moved to Laurens County with his family in 2008. He loved Dublin – and planned to stay in town after he would have retired this summer.
DUBLIN, Ga. — On Thursday, Fairview Park Hospital announced their CEO of 17 years, Don Avery, passed away. They shared the statement below.
“We are heartbroken to announce that Fairview Park Hospital CEO, Don Avery, passed away unexpectedly. For 17 years, Don led our hospital with passion and a personality that was bigger than life. The Fairview Park Hospital team was his family. Dublin was his home. Please pray for his family, Fairview family, and community of friends. We will be celebrating his life and impact in the very near future.”
Avery started working at Fairview Park Hospital in 2008. In our previous interview with Avery, he said before his career in healthcare, he served as an Air Force Pilot.
After being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at 23 years old, he spent a lot of time in the hospital as a patient himself. That’s what inspired him to go back to school and study healthcare administration once his cancer treatments ended.
“I know what it’s like to go into an MRI unit and be afraid and not know what to expect, and I know what it’s like for that employee who comforts that patient,” Avery said in our previous interview.
In our last interview, Avery shared that one of his favorite things about working at Fairview Park Hospital was the relationships he’s built with staff.
“As a leader, I should be encouraging others. I do expect people to perform with excellence and at the highest levels. But I’m going to get them there by encouraging them, by teaching them, and mentoring them, and coaching them,” Avery said.
Last year, Avery announced his plans to retire this summer. At the time, he said he was looking forward to spending more time with family, and volunteering in Dublin.
Outside of work, Avery could be seen acting in Dublin’s theatre productions, walking in parades, speaking at chamber of commerce meetings, and playing pickleball.
Because of his love for Dublin, he said he planned to stay in town with his wife and daughter after retiring. Avery announced his retirement last December with this statement that said in part:
“Over the years we have celebrated milestones together and have felt your support during our most difficult times. How does one adequately say thank you for sharing your love of this community with us that ultimately taught us to love Dublin and the people who live here? Well, quite frankly, I can’t. It has been so simple and, yet, so overwhelming. You have made us feel like we are home and, in fact, Dublin is now home, and you are our family of friends and neighbors. So, thank you from the depths of my heart for, well, everything! “
Watch our previous interview with Avery about his time at the hospital and retirement plans below:
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