Kenyon was orphaned at eight years of age and in 1867 he moved to California. He was educated at the Medical College of the Pacific and graduated in 1873. In 1874 he began practicing medicine and worked mostly in surgery and became Demonstrator of Anatomy at the Medical College for a number of years. Kenyon later served as Resident Physician and Surgeon at St. Mary's Hospital and later as Surgeon at St. Luke's Hospital. He later served as president of the Clinical Medical Soceity. Kenyon was very active in and received the degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and was instrumental in establishing the Order in Los Angeles. Kenyon was married to the former Alice Cook Palmer and they had two sons, Charles Arthur and Albert Curtis Kenyon.∼The death of Curtis G. Kenyon marks the passing of one of San Francisco's pioneer surgeons. Doctor Kenyon was born in 1846 and received his degree of Doctor of Medicine from the College of the Pacific, November 4, 1873, and was licensed to practice in California September 19, 1876. He began his practice in San Francisco as Resident Physician at St. Mary's Hospital. He was an assistant to Dr. Levi Cooper Lane, under whom he received his surgical training. In 1889 Doctor Kenyon was appointed Visiting Surgeon to St. Luke's Hospital and continued as such until his retirement in 1919. Acting for many years as Chief of Staff, and on his retirement was made Surgeon Emeritas.
He was an outstanding figure in all movements calculated to advance medical education, methods of practice, medical organizations and all other movements looking toward better public health and better medicine.
He was a member of many of the scientific societies to which physicians aspire, had filled practically all offices in local and State medical organizations and had been for more than twenty years without interruptions and almost without absence from a meeting. Chairman of the Council of the Medical Society of the State of California.
He was an able surgeon, a splendid citizen and a useful member of society. Perhaps no physicians in California had more friends and fewer enemies. He is survived by Mrs. Kenyon and two sons.
The death that terminated this useful life was the result of an automobile accident which occurred in Hollywood, where he was living with his son, the well known author of "Kindling" and other plays. He died at St. Vincent's Hospital, Los Angeles, November 8, 1922. The funeral services were held there on Monday, November 13, 1922. The pallbearers were Doctor T. C. Edwards of Salinas, C. Van Zwalenburg of Riverside, Hency C. Brainerd, W. T. McArthur, William Duffeld and Clarence Toland of Los Angeles.
The medical profession and a host of friends suffer a distinct loss in the passing of Curtis G. Kenyon.
Harold P. Hill