Our History and Mission
Twickenham Pediatrics traces its beginnings to 1966, when Robert “Bob” Stewart, MD opened a small pediatric practice on St. Clair Avenue near downtown Huntsville, Alabama. What began as a simple clinic devoted to the care of children would grow over the decades into a trusted pediatric home for generations of families throughout Huntsville and the surrounding community.
From the very beginning, the heart of the practice has remained the same: to provide high-quality, compassionate, patient-centered care to children and adolescents in a welcoming and supportive environment. At Twickenham Pediatrics, we believe that caring for a child means caring for the whole family. Every patient who walks through our doors is more than a name on a chart — they are part of the larger Twickenham Pediatrics family.
Charles Horton, Jr., MD and Jeanmarie McGehee Chappell, MD later joined the practice, continuing Dr. Stewart’s commitment to personal, attentive pediatric care. Together, they helped shape the practice into a place where families could feel known, heard, and supported through every stage of childhood, from newborn care and early milestones to adolescence and young adulthood. Around 2000, the practice officially became known as Twickenham Pediatrics, a name that has since become familiar to many families across our community.
Over the years, the practice continued to grow and evolve while remaining rooted in the same values on which it was founded. After many years of dedicated service to children and families in the Huntsville community, Dr. Stewart retired in 2010, leaving behind a strong and lasting legacy of compassionate pediatric care. As Twickenham Pediatrics moved forward, that same commitment to quality, personal care remained at the heart of the practice. In 2015, Muriel DeSimone, MD joined the group, helping to continue the tradition of thoughtful, patient-centered care for children and families. Later, following Dr. Chappell’s retirement, Lorie Dawson, MD became part of the Twickenham Pediatrics family, bringing with her a continued dedication to supporting the health, growth, and well-being of children and adolescents throughout the community.
After Dr. Horton’s retirement and his passing on August 4, 2024, following a courageous battle with glioblastoma, Twickenham Pediatrics entered another deeply meaningful season of transition. For 27 years, Charles Horton, Jr., MD helped guide the practice as managing partner, caring for countless children and families throughout the Huntsville community. His influence extended well beyond the walls of Twickenham Pediatrics through his leadership in local pediatric medicine, his service to area hospitals, and his work teaching and mentoring future physicians.
Dr. Horton’s kindness, calm presence, clinical wisdom, and deep commitment to children left a lasting impression on the families he cared for, the colleagues who worked beside him, and the medical community he served. His legacy remains an important part of the history and spirit of Twickenham Pediatrics.
As the practice moved forward, Kelli Stringer, MD joined Twickenham Pediatrics to help continue that tradition of compassionate, thoughtful, family-centered pediatric care. With each new chapter, the practice remains committed to honoring the physicians who helped shape its past while continuing to serve the children and families of our community with the same dedication, warmth, and personal care that have defined Twickenham Pediatrics for generations.
Throughout each season of change, our mission has remained steady. We are committed to providing excellent medical care while building lasting relationships with our patients and their families. We strive to create an environment where parents feel comfortable asking questions, where children feel safe and cared for, and where each family feels respected, valued, and supported.
At Twickenham Pediatrics, it is our privilege to care for children as they grow. We are honored to be part of our patients’ lives through the everyday moments, the important milestones, the unexpected illnesses, and the many stages of childhood and adolescence. As we look toward the future, we remain dedicated to serving our community with the same compassion, quality, and personal care that have guided Twickenham Pediatrics since 1966.
About Our Doctors
Our physicians have undergone comprehensive and rigorous training in all aspects of pediatric medicine. Each member of our medical team holds board certification, reflecting their expertise and commitment to the highest standards of clinical practice. This collective experience and dedication ensure that we deliver exceptional, compassionate care to every child and family we serve.
For further information regarding the educational backgrounds and professional qualifications of our physicians, we invite you to visit each doctor’s profile page.
