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Zeb Poindexter, Jr. DDS |
The first African-American graduate of The University of Texas School of Dentistry, Professor Emeritus Zeb Ferdinand Poindexter Jr., DDS, died Saturday, April 28 at age 83.
Dr. Poindexter is survived by his devoted wife of 58 years, Ruby Revis Poindexter; daughters, Merlene Russell and Eleanor Patricia Davis; and son Dr. Zeb F. Poindexter III and his wife Anna. Other survivors include his sisters, Revodia Johnson and Vandetta King; and his brother Jimmy Poindexter, as well as several nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Zeb Poindexter Jr. was born April 5, 1929 in Fort Worth. He attended Terrell High School in 1945, Wiley College in 1949 and graduated from Texas Southern University in 1952 with a degree in endocrinology. Following this he served as a second lieutenant in the Air Force Reserves and left active duty with the rank of captain. In 1956, he became the first African-American to graduate from UT Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry, as the school was then known.
Dr. Poindexter went on to become the first general dentist to operate a clinic of its type in Houston. Located in the municipality known at that time as Chocolate Bayou, his facility was designed by John S. Chase, Sr. and still stands today as a landmark for the Sunnyside neighborhood. This achievement was followed by a series of firsts that included his becoming the first black member admitted to the Houston District Dental Society, the first black faculty member UTSD and the first African-American appointed by UT to recruit all minorities.
He was very active in his community and in dentistry. He founded the Zeb F. Poindexter, Jr. Chapter of the Student National Dental Association and held a faculty appointment as Associate Professor of Community Relations at UTSD. His numerous service honors are with organizations such as the American Fund for Dental Education, where he was a Century member; Admissions Committee for UTSD; board member of the UNCF; president of the Gulf State Dental Association, treasurer of the Charles A. George Dental Society; life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.; board member of the Urban League; chairman of the Multicultural Facility Committee of the Texas Medical Center at Houston; trustee in 1973 and convention chairman of the National Dental Association, of which he was a life member. He was nominated for the Academy of General Dentistry Dentist of the Year Award in 1991 and received the UT Outstanding Alumnus Award in 1990. He was awarded Professor Emeritus status at UT School of Dentistry in 2012.
Dr. Poindexter became a Fellow in the International College of Dentists in 1992 and was a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. He was listed in Who’s Who in the Southwest as well as Who’s Who in the Black Community for the State of Texas, and was a delegate in the House of the Texas Dental Association. He was a member of numerous organizations such as the YMCA (Century Club), St. John Baptist Church, Loyal Missionary Baptist Church (founder and trustee), and the Eldorado Social Club.
He was a man who loved life and loved to live it to the fullest. Dr. Poindexter loved his family, served his community, and was an avid golfer. |
