Samuel Albert Garland, 88, of Fitzgerald, Georgia died Tuesday, May 24, 2011, at his residence.
Memorial services will be held at 2:30 P.M., Saturday, May 28, 2011 at the First Baptist Church of Fitzgerald with the Rev. Dr. Mike Ruffin and the Rev. Dr. Ches Smith officiating. The family welcomes friends to call on Friday at the residence, 155 Camelot Court.
Mr. Garland was born January 10, 1923 in Rowan County, North Carolina, the only child of the late Samuel A. Garland and Lucie Russell Garland. He was graduated from high school in Salisbury, NC at the age of 15 and attended Catawba College before entering the military. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II where he attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. His assignment involved airdrops over France and Germany. Following his service to our country, Mr. Garland was graduated from Duke University in 1948 with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. Moving to Fitzgerald in 1948, Mr. Garland worked with his father-in-law, J. Paul Stone, at Stone Independent Oil Company, starting as a fuel oil delivery truck driver and working his way into ownership of the company. He was also co-owner of Stone-Garland Recap. Mr. Garland was very active in civic and leadership roles serving as a founding member of Forward Fitzgerald, and an active member of First Baptist Church where he was a former deacon and Chairman of the Board of Deacons, choir member, former Sunday school teacher and Sunday school superintendent.
Mr. Garland served on the Fitzgerald City Council and led our community as chairman of the Board of Education during the period of Ben Hill County school integration. Along with his grandmother-in-law, the late Ada Tomberlin Stone, Mr. Garland donated the land for the present St. William’s Catholic Church to the Diocese of Savannah. After retiring, the Garlands moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida where Mr. Garland was an avid tennis, golf and gin rummy player. The Garlands returned to Fitzgerald in 2003 to be close to family.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years: Eugenia Stone “Gene” Garland of Fitzgerald; four children: Catherine Garland (Steve Bravy) of Montgomery Village, Maryland; Eugenia Garland “Deni” Dorminy of Durango, Colorado; Eliza Garland (Albert) Nesmith of Brunswick, GA; and Samuel Albert Garland, III of Fitzgerald; three grandchildren: William James Dorminy, Jr. of Savannah, Anna Dorminy of Kona, Hawaii, and Samuel Garland Bravy of Montgomery Village, Maryland; and two great-grandchildren: Lexie Dorminy and Trace Dorminy, both of Savannah.
The family suggests those desiring to send memorials in lieu of flowers may send them to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 931298, Norcross, GA 30003-1298.