Dr. Ida Jenkins Gadsden Dr. Ida Jenkins Gadsden died Thursday, November 26, 2009 at Hospice Savannah. The Savannah native received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgia State College Savannah. GA. She earned her Masters in Education degree from North Carolina College in Durham, NC and her Doctorate in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC.

Dr. Gadsden taught at Beach-Cuyler High School and in rural Kentucky before returning to Savannah. She was the first health educator to be employed by the Chatham County Health Department under the tutelage of Dr. Henderson who was very forward thinking for that time.

Dr. Gadsden's career in education spanned over thirty years during which she held professorships at North Carolina College, Savannah State College and retired from Armstrong State College. Dr. Gadsden served on the Savannah Airport Commission for many years and was Chairperson for thirteen years. During her chairmanship she signed the bonds for construction of the new Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport.

She was a member of The First Congregational Church. Her spiritual strength was unwavering and her friends and family reaped the benefits of her counsel and her love.

Among her gifts, her creative mind permitted her to be an artist in cooking and sewing. Her husband, The Honorable Eugene H. Gadsden, preceded her in death on August 9, 2000. Surviving are her daughter, Greer Gadsden Larned, M.D. of Savannah; her son, Geoffrey Eugene Gadsden of Durham, NC; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A graveside service was held on Tuesday, December 1, at Hillcrest Abbey Memorial Park Mausoleum.