Carey Everett Floyd, Jr., 52, died at home on Monday night, August 28 2006, after a lengthy battle with cancer. His love for life and for others sustained him during his illness, and he relished the time spent in conversation with family, friends, and his numerous students until his very last days. He continued the scientific work he so enjoyed, even after experiencing diminished physical stamina in recent months. He was the epitome of courage, creativity, and dedication, and was greatly loved by many people. He was cared for at home in his final days with great dedication and love by his wife, Elizabeth (Beth) Gilbert Floyd.

Carey was born on March 17, 1954 in Nashville, Tennessee. He and his wife Beth met while in high school, and the two attended Eckerd College in Florida. He received his PhD in physics at Duke University in 1981 in the area of experimental nuclear physics. He took a postdoctoral fellowship at the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory in 1982, and a subsequent postdoctoral fellowship in the department of radiology at Duke University Medical Center in 1983. He became a full professor of radiology and biomedical engineering at Duke in 1997.

An eminent scientist, Dr. Floyd made numerous significant contributions to the science of medical imaging. His early work included important contributions in nuclear medicine, including a pioneering method of reconstructing SPECT cardiac images. He then became well known for many significant research efforts in digital radiography, and he established one of the pre-eminent laboratories in the world involving artificial intelligence in detection and diagnosis of disease. One of his last research efforts was a novel combination of nuclear physics and medical imaging, wherein neutrons are used to stimulate gamma emission imaging of trace elements in the body. He served the scientific community well in many capacities, including several decades on grant review study sections at the National Institutes of Health. In recognition of his significant scientific contributions, Dr. Floyd was awarded a lifetime career achievement award from the department of radiology at Duke University on July 14, 2006.

More important than his luminary scientific accomplishments was his superb mentorship of dozens of individual students over the past 20 years. He mentored numerous PhD students in biomedical engineering, many of whom now have influential careers of their own. He truly cared for his students, and they greatly loved him. In recognition of Carey's superb mentorship of students, a new graduate fellowship at Duke University was established in his honor. The Carey E. Floyd, Jr., Graduate Fellowship will be administered by the Medical Physics Graduate Program at Duke, and will enable future generations of outstanding students the distinction of being named Floyd Fellows.

Carey was truly a renaissance man, excelling in numerous areas outside of science. He was a gifted musician, playing bass and guitar in ten bands over the years. He loved model rocketry and model trains, and was a skilled craftsman, as evidenced by the numerous house renovation projects he undertook. He enjoyed boating, and most of all, he treasured the company of family and friends with whom he loved to converse for hours on end about interesting topics. He was a humble, caring, loyal, and courageous person who will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Floyd; his father, Carey E. Floyd; and his stepmother, Ann Herbert Floyd of Nashville, Tenn.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in Carey's memory to the Carey E. Floyd, Jr., Graduate Fellowship, in care of the Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University Medical Center, Suite 101, 2424 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27705. Letters of condolence may be sent to the home.