BELHAVEN — After almost 30 years, Dr. Gregory Jones is saying goodbye to his patients in the Belhaven community.

The announcement of his retirement sent shock waves throughout eastern North Carolina — drawing mixed reactions of sadness, joy and just plain nostalgia. On Tuesday, a crowd gathered at the Vidant Multispecialty Clinic in Belhaven to honor Jones’ years of service.

“When we think about this community, I don’t think anyone has a bigger footprint than Dr. Jones,” said Harvey Case, president of Vidant Beaufort Hospital. “The lives that he’s impacted are thousands, so that’s just from the patient side. But also from the people that he’s crossed paths with, if you had a chance to work with him or if you got a chance to know him in the community, you could know that he’s such a great guy. As good of a doctor he is, I believe he’s a better person.”

Jones graduated from medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1977. He then served as a doctor and later a flight surgeon in the United States Army. In 1989, Jones joined Belhaven Family Practice and has served the town ever since.

Jones is also a member of the American Academy of Family Practice, Christian Medical Society and North Carolina Medical Society, among others.

“As another physician, as a chief medical officer, I get to work with a lot of other physicians, and Dr. Jones is, of course, outstanding,” said Dr. Mark Rumans, Vidant Health chief medical officer. “What an incredible career. Not many of us can look back on a career like that, especially being in a community for 28 years.”

At Tuesday’s ceremony, some of Jones’ patients told stories of how he has impacted their lives. One woman, who is new to Belhaven, thanked him for taking care of her family and making her feel at home in a new place. A long-time patient, who also worked with Jones, told the crowd how Jones saved her life by catching her ovarian cancer.

Dr. Mark Beamer said he was proud to work with Jones after he graduated from medical school. Beamer said it meant a lot to him to work with a talented, Christian man who was also a good leader.

“I’m usually not a very emotional person,” Beamer said, with tears in his eyes. “It’s an honor that we have had to work with you.”

For Jones, however, it seemed the honor was all his.

“Whatever honor you are bestowing on me, you are bestowing on yourself,” he told the crowd. “You honor me with your presence in my life.”

As Jones closes one chapter of his life and moves into retirement, the Belhaven community will not soon forget his impact as a physician. There remains one doctor at the multispecialty clinic full time, two physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners, but for employees and patients alike, it won’t be the same.

Jones’ last day seeing patients is on Wednesday.

“It was always about taking care of his patients and what’s the best thing for his patients, and that’s really the mark of a true physician,” Rumans said. “They’re not doing it for themselves.”