DR. LONNIE T. SCARBOROUGH, MD
Psychiatry and Addictive Disease
Savannah
315 Commercial Drive
Suite C3
Savannah, Georgia 31406
912.344.8523
OBITUARY FOR DR. LONNIE T. SCARBOROUGH
Dr. Lonnie T. Scarborough, 75, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Savannah, Georgia, on August 8, 2026.
He is survived by his loving wife, Tina; his son, Greg (Helaine); his daughter, Christina (David); and his four grandchildren, Azure, Ayla, Wolfie, and Felix. He is also survived by his sister, Joanne Engel; his nieces, Ansley Owens (Christian) and Candi Campbell; as well as other family members who loved him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lonnie and Lucy Scarborough.
Dr. Scarborough was born and raised in East Point, Georgia, and attended Georgia Military Academy, now Woodward Academy. He graduated from Emory University and Emory University School of Medicine and completed his psychiatry residency at the Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut. He began his career as a psychiatrist at the VA hospital in Atlanta before entering private practice in 1982. He later served as director of Charter Brook Hospital, an adolescent drug addiction treatment center in Atlanta. Eventually, Lonnie and the love of his life, Tina, moved to Savannah to be near the ocean they both loved. There, he established his Savannah practice, where he cared for his patients for over a decade, alongside his beloved office manager, Roxanne Schaus.
As a psychiatrist, Dr. Scarborough was deeply committed to his patients, many of whom he cared for over the course of decades. He understood that psychiatry was about far more than treating mental health symptoms. It was about listening, understanding, and being present when people needed it most. His sudden passing leaves a profound void not only in the lives of his family and friends, but also among his colleagues and the many patients whose lives he touched through his work.
To his family and friends, Lonnie was known for his integrity, keen intellect, dry humor, and insatiable curiosity. He loved golf, art, architecture, the ocean, and whatever happened to be the latest streaming movie. He was a lifelong learner, who, when something captured his interest, immersed himself in it completely.
Perhaps nowhere was that curiosity more evident than in his fascination with holography. Lonnie didn’t simply read about it - he built a small holography studio in his basement and taught himself to make holograms. In the 1990s, he went on to open a holographic studio at the Tula Arts Center in Atlanta. He had the mind of both a physician and an artist, and in another life might very well have become an architect.
Lonnie's life was marked by intellectual curiosity, dedication to his patients, love for his family, and an enduring desire to understand the world around him. He will be deeply missed by the family who loved him, the friends who knew him well, the colleagues who respected him, and the generations of patients who trusted him with their care.
A memorial service honoring the life of Dr. Lonnie Scarborough will be held on Saturday, August 15th at 1:30 p.m. at Fox & Weeks Hodgson Chapel, 7200 Hodgson Memorial Drive, Savannah, Georgia.
Following the service, the family welcomes Dr. Scarborough’s loved ones to join them for a reception at his office, located at 315 Commercial Drive, Suite C-3, Savannah, Georgia.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor Dr. Scarborough’s life and legacy to make a contribution to the Dr. Lonnie Scarborough Mental Health & Recovery Memorial Fund. Throughout his career, Dr. Scarborough dedicated himself to helping individuals and families affected by mental illness and addiction. Contributions to the memorial fund will help carry forward his commitment to mental health, recovery, and helping others.
Dr. Lonnie T. Scarborough, 75, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Savannah, Georgia, on August 8, 2026.
He is survived by his loving wife, Tina; his son, Greg (Helaine); his daughter, Christina (David); and his four grandchildren, Azure, Ayla, Wolfie, and Felix. He is also survived by his sister, Joanne Engel; his nieces, Ansley Owens (Christian) and Candi Campbell; as well as other family members who loved him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lonnie and Lucy Scarborough.
Dr. Scarborough was born and raised in East Point, Georgia, and attended Georgia Military Academy, now Woodward Academy. He graduated from Emory University and Emory University School of Medicine and completed his psychiatry residency at the Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut. He began his career as a psychiatrist at the VA hospital in Atlanta before entering private practice in 1982. He later served as director of Charter Brook Hospital, an adolescent drug addiction treatment center in Atlanta. Eventually, Lonnie and the love of his life, Tina, moved to Savannah to be near the ocean they both loved. There, he established his Savannah practice, where he cared for his patients for over a decade, alongside his beloved office manager, Roxanne Schaus.
As a psychiatrist, Dr. Scarborough was deeply committed to his patients, many of whom he cared for over the course of decades. He understood that psychiatry was about far more than treating mental health symptoms. It was about listening, understanding, and being present when people needed it most. His sudden passing leaves a profound void not only in the lives of his family and friends, but also among his colleagues and the many patients whose lives he touched through his work.
To his family and friends, Lonnie was known for his integrity, keen intellect, dry humor, and insatiable curiosity. He loved golf, art, architecture, the ocean, and whatever happened to be the latest streaming movie. He was a lifelong learner, who, when something captured his interest, immersed himself in it completely.
Perhaps nowhere was that curiosity more evident than in his fascination with holography. Lonnie didn’t simply read about it - he built a small holography studio in his basement and taught himself to make holograms. In the 1990s, he went on to open a holographic studio at the Tula Arts Center in Atlanta. He had the mind of both a physician and an artist, and in another life might very well have become an architect.
Lonnie's life was marked by intellectual curiosity, dedication to his patients, love for his family, and an enduring desire to understand the world around him. He will be deeply missed by the family who loved him, the friends who knew him well, the colleagues who respected him, and the generations of patients who trusted him with their care.
A memorial service honoring the life of Dr. Lonnie Scarborough will be held on Saturday, August 15th at 1:30 p.m. at Fox & Weeks Hodgson Chapel, 7200 Hodgson Memorial Drive, Savannah, Georgia.
Following the service, the family welcomes Dr. Scarborough’s loved ones to join them for a reception at his office, located at 315 Commercial Drive, Suite C-3, Savannah, Georgia.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor Dr. Scarborough’s life and legacy to make a contribution to the Dr. Lonnie Scarborough Mental Health & Recovery Memorial Fund. Throughout his career, Dr. Scarborough dedicated himself to helping individuals and families affected by mental illness and addiction. Contributions to the memorial fund will help carry forward his commitment to mental health, recovery, and helping others.
Welcome:
I've been a psychiatrist for over 30 years and have worked in many areas within the field. I trained during the era when psychiatrists still saw people in psychotherapy and treated them with medications when necessary.
Gradually, the psychiatrist's role has shifted away from one as a psychotherapist toward one as a specialist in biological interventions, usually medications. Certainly not every patient asking for help from mental health professionals needs medication, but most patients who need medication or who can benefit from medication can also benefit from focused psychotherapy. I still have this perspective and utilize it as
much as possible.
My Philosophy:
As a physician, a psychiatrist is in a unique position to be thoroughly familiar with the connection between mind and body. As a mature clinician I have gradually assimilated a seamless model, which integrates mind, spirit and body.
When the mind is worn down by anxiety or depression, it becomes more easily stressed, more desperate, and more rigid. The ability to think clearly and creatively is also diminished. Fatigue and excitatory states take their toll on the body and productivity. Lack of sleep, poor nutrition,
lack of exercise and strained interpersonal relationships further add to the psychological stress. To the extent the person experiences these things as uncontrollable, there are closely associated feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. The well-managed use of medication can reverse many of these detrimental conditions and help a person engage in a restorative therapeutic process.
Medication Management:
Finding the correct medication at the correct dosage for a particular person is both an art and science. Careful attention to the person's experience while taking medication is essential not only for a good outcome but also for long-term management of the patient's condition and their attitude toward asking for help. Empathy, education, and support are extremely helpful while encouraging the person to continue until the best response can be achieved.
Find the Help You Need:
People usually turn to help only when they reach the limits of their own capacities. These are critical moments in our lives. They are universal part of human development and times when people must reach out to each other for support and guidance. I feel deeply that it is a privilege to be in a position where I can be helpful in this way. Please contact me today for more information in regards to your specific needs!