Dr. George Nichopoulos

SHARE Jackie Jason, a makeup artist, styles the hair of Dr. George Nichopoulos in a July 28, 2009 file photo. Nichopoulos, physician to Elvis Presley at the time of his death, was preparing for an interview with "Entertainment Tonight" to promote his book about the death of Elvis. Dr. George Nichopoulos is shown in this 1992 file photo taken in Nashville Dr. George Nichopoulos, Elvis Presley's former personal physician, found himself in the spotlight when he was tried, and finally acquitted, of overprescribing drugs to Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and others in 1981. (Fred Griffith/The Commercial Appeal) File photo from Julien's Auctions / Hollywood auction - Undated prescription bottle for the drug Naldecon for Elvis Presley, prescribed by, "Dr. Nick," George Nichopoulos. Naldecon is an antihistamine. Nichopoulos began treating Presley in 1967 and in 1970 became his personal physician until Presley's death in 1977. Related Coverage Elvis' death, controversy haunted 'Dr. Nick'

By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal

Elvis Presley's former personal doctor, George Nichopoulos, accused of over-prescribing drugs that many thought hastened the death of the King of Rock and Roll, died Wednesday.

In 1981, Nichopoulous, 88, known as "Dr. Nick," was acquitted on charges that he overprescribed drugs to Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and seven others.

In a 2009 interview with The Commercial Appeal, Dr. Nick told reporter Michael Lollar, "I don't regret any of the medications I gave him. They were necessities."

He also said that he did not want his grandchildren to grow up thinking of him as a "Dr. Feelgood" who killed Elvis.

Nichopoulos wrote a book in 2009 called "The King and Dr. Nick." In it, the doctor said he wanted to tell the world he was tired of being accused of hastening Elvis' death.

He and his attorney, Dan Warlick, said drugs in Elvis' system were not at "toxic or lethal levels" when he died. "He died a natural death," said Warlick.

Most of the autopsy team at Baptist Memorial Hospital attributed the death to "polypharmacy" or drug interaction, but former medical examiner Dr. Jerry Francisco said in 2008 he stands by his 1977 ruling that Elvis died of cardiac arrhythmia, not drugs.

Memorial Park Funeral Home confirmed Nichopoulous' death Thursday. In the obituary on the funeral home's website, it states that Nichopoulos served in the Army and was a member of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Memphis.

He is survived by his wife, Edna Nichopoulos; daughters Christine Nichopoulos and Elaine Nichopoulos; and son Dean Nichopoulos.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, February 27 from 9 a.m. until the service at 10 am at the funeral home at 5668 Poplar Avenue. Burial with military honors will be held immediately following in Memorial Park Cemetery.