Patricia (Jean) and Charles (Charlie) Driscoll

When Jean Armstrong and Charlie Driscoll met at Gentle Shepherd Hospice, Lynchburg (now married for ten years), each could recount numerous interesting life experiences. Jean, a native of Radford, Virginia, graduated from the town’s public high school and held two degrees from Radford University—as an undergraduate in education and a master’s in counseling.   Charlie, born in Hannibal, Missouri, graduated from Keokuk Senior High School in Keokuk, Iowa.  In 1967, he received a bachelor degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City and, four years later, a medical degree from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.  While working his way through a three-year residency program at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana, he also earned a Master’s Degree in Education from Ball State University. 

Jean entered the work world in the mid-1970s as a teacher of ninth-grade Earth Science, first in Buchanan, Virginia, and then Lynchburg.  After leaving teaching, she served for two years as a counselor in a federally funded program for disadvantaged students enrolled at National Business College in Lynchburg.  In 1982, Jean accepted an offer from General Electric in commercial lighting sales.  She first operated out of Cleveland, Ohio, with a transfer three months later to Columbus, Ohio.  She married Ron Armstrong (deceased 2005); together they founded and operated for fifteen years a business that provided training, auditing, and consulting services on quality assurance for the automotive industry.  After her husband’s death, Jean returned to marketing in a position with Gentle Shepherd Hospice, Lynchburg.

 In 1974, Charlie enlisted in the United States Air Force and served for two years as a Flight Surgeon with the rank of Major.  Upon his discharge, he practiced family medicine for two years in Red Oak, Iowa.  In 1978, the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Iowa employed Charlie as a professor.  When he left in 1995 to return to private practice in Iowa City, he had advanced to head of the department.  

Charlie, with wife Jackie (deceased 2007), moved to Lynchburg in 1999, where he, assumed the position of Physician and Residency Director for Centra Health Family Medicine Residency Program until 2012.  Charlie has three children—son Scott who enjoys life with his cat in San Diego, California, daughter Laura and her husband Steve Hoefs who live in Batavia, Illinois, and daughter Cathy who resides with her husband Micah in Lehi, Utah.  Charlie has eight grandchildren.

Both Jean and Charlie spend many hours as members of various community organizations and working as volunteers.  They regularly attend the Civil War Roundtable and Military Order of World Wars.  Charlie also belongs to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and has written a book titled Ring The Fire Bell: The Incredible Story of an Iowa Civil War Medical Center.   As a physician, Charlie holds membership in numerous medical associations.  

Together, the Driscolls identify church mission work as an important component of their lives and they serve as Community Bible Study Ambassadors to Ireland where they journey at least twice a year.  The couple also does not want for hobbies.  Jean claims active involvement with gardening, travel, history, and reading, both fiction and non-fiction.  Charlie also enjoys reading, along with gardening, travel, history, woodworking, and genealogy.