Lennox S. Westney was born in Jamaica, West Indies, where he also received his early education up to the junio college level at West Indies College. He completed his B.A. degree, magna cum laude, at Atlantic Union College, Massachusetts, and his MA degree in History and Political Science at Columbia University, New York. After garduating with his MD from Howard University College of Medicine, Dr. Westney completed a rotating internship at Freedmen's Hospital, followed by specialty training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Baltimore City Hospitals, The Johns Hopkins University Hospital, and the University of Maryland Hospital.
On completing his specialty training, Dr. Westney's first positions were Assistant Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland (1966-68). He later served as Medical Officer in the District of Columbia Public Health Department while setting up private practice in Northwest Washington, DC. From 1971 until the time of his retirement he taught and practiced obstetrics and gynecology at the Howard University College of Medicine and Hospital. He served from 1992 to 1995 as Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 1995, he was installed as the College of Medicine's first John F.J. Clark Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He retired as Professor Emeritus from the Howard University College of Medicine in 1998.
Dr. Westney's practice focused on high risk obstetric patients with conditions such as sickle cell anemia, diabetes, renal problems, multiple gestations, teenage pregnancy and drug abuse. He managed and delivered many triplets and in 1991 led the team that delivered the first set of quintuplets born at Howard University Hospital, of Bermudian parents, for which he was cited in a resultion by the Bermuda House of Parliament.
He held membership in a number of professional organizations, including the National Medical Association, the American College of Surgeons, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. He was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Dr. Westney authored or co-authored over forty publications on a wide range of topics covering medical concerns of women, infants, and children and methods that help assure the delivery of a healthy baby. When he retired in 1998, although ill, he endeavored to be involved in service activities as much as possible. In 2008, he published his autobiography, Just As I Am: Challenged But Confident - A Story of Surmounting and Serving.
His community service contributions covered a range of involvements such as Member of the Board of Directors for the Washington Adventist Hospital and the Shady Grove Adventist Hospital (1977-1980); Medical Director of the Allegheny East Conference of S.D.A. (1977-1980); Member of the Executive Board for HUMAA (1982-1992); Member of the Board of Directors for the George E. Peters Elementary School (1990-2000), serving as its Chairman from 1994-1996; and a member of the Board of Directors for the Chillum Oaks Adventist Apartments Inc., a home for senior citizens (1994-2006).
He served as an elder for 25 years at the First Seventh Day Adventist Church, Washington, DC. Also, for over twenty years, he teamed up with his wife, Dr. Ouida Westney, in presenting lectures and seminars on marriage and family enrichment, parenting and communication. They were granted the Distinguished Service Award in Family Ministries by the North American Division of Seventh Day Adventists in 2001. Dr. Westney was a member of the Emmanuel-Brinklow Seventh Day Adventist Church in Ashton, Maryland.
Dr. Westney leaves his wife, Dr. Ouida Westney, three children and four grandchildren. Lennox S. Westney Jr. is in business, Irving V. Westney is an emergency medicine physician, and Ouida L. Westney is an urologist.
