CHARLTON STRICKLAND VEAZEY, SR.

AAFA #0654

1925 GA – 2011 GA

ATHENS BANNER-HERALD

Athens, Clarke Co., GA—7 October 2011

GREENSBORO—Charlton Strickland Veazey Sr., age 85, died October 5, 2011, at his home, at Willow Run.

            Veazey was born on October 22, 1925, in Greensboro, to the late Eli Lincoln Veazey Sr. and Eleanor Rebecca Alford. At the age of 16, Charlton S. Veazey joined the U.S. Navy on Navy Day, October 27, 1941, before the United States entered World War II. He saw action at Adak in the Aleutians, Kiska, Makin, the Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, New Guinea, Philippines, Leyte, and Okinawa. He served on the U.S.S. Mexico, the U.S.S. Arethusa and the U.S.S. Ajax. After the war, he returned to Greensboro High School to earn his diploma in 1949. Later, he graduated from the University of Georgia and earned two letters as head trainer for the football, basketball, and baseball teams.

            Charlton began his official coaching and teaching career at LaGrange in 1953, serving as B-team coach to Oliver Hunnicutt for one year. When he moved back to Greensboro, he began his tenure at Greensboro/Greene County High School, where he coached football, baseball, track, golf, and girl’s basketball for 17 years.

            Coach Veazey had winning records not only at Greene County, but also at Stephens and Wilkinson Counties. During these years he was State Vice President and State President of the Georgia High School Coaches Association in 1968 and 1969, a director of that organization from 1961 to 1979, Charter Member and Director of the National High School Coaches Association, and assistant coach for the North Squad in the All-Star Game in 1964.

            In addition to these, Charlton was a long-time member of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Greene County Historical Society, and a charter member of the Greene County Heritage Commission, Veteran’s Committee, and Greene County Country Club. After his retirement from coaching in 1979, he was City Manager of Greensboro from 1980-1991.

            Since retiring, he was recognized by the University of Georgia Chapter of the National Football College Hall of Fame for outstanding post-graduate achievements and for commitment to high ideals in his community. He was a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Adams-Walker Post 4259, and a proud veteran. His children established the Charlton & Eugenia Veazey Scholarship for GCHS students in honor of the couple’s combined total of 44 years of dedicated service in teaching and coaching the youth of Greene County. He was named 1999 Citizen of the Year, along with Mrs. Veazey, in “Appreciation for Outstanding Contributions to the Citizens of Greene County” and for their efforts to recognize and appreciate veterans. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Greensboro and Hamp’s Sunday School class.

            Preceding Mr. Veazey in death were his parents; granddaughter, Ashlin Veazey; and sisters, Eleanor V. Bowers and Jeane V. Christopher.

            He is survived by his wife, Gene Stanley Veazey; his children, Lynn Veazey Bowers, and her husband, Larry, of Greensboro, Charlton Strickland Veazey Jr., and his wife, Dawn, of Macon, and Jeanie Veazey Thomas, and her husband, Frank, of Hampton; and his grandchildren, Christopher Bowers, Beth Bowers Abbott, and her husband, Anthony, Laurelee Veazey, Erin Thomas Echols, and her husband, Noah, and Caroline Veazey. He also has one surviving older brother, Eli Lincoln Veazey Jr.; a brother-in-law, Bates B. Bowers Sr.; and a number of nieces and nephews.

            A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 8, at First Baptist Church, 203 South Main Street, Greensboro, with the Rev. Farrett Boswell officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Greensboro City Cemetery. Cotton Boswell, Hale Burnett, Eric Ashley, Sonny Thurmond, Tony Rowland, Jamie Boswell, Wayne Jackson, and Billy Byce will be serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Billy Ashley, Mutt Rhodes, Darrell Phelps, Bobby Durham, Joel McRay, Hamp’s Sunday School Class, and Coach Veazey’s athletes and students.

            The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Friday at McCommons Funeral Home, and from 1 p.m. Saturday until the time of the service in the Fellowship Hall at the First Baptist Church of Greensboro.

            In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Charlton & Eugenia Veazey Scholarship Fund, c/o Mrs. Mary Jim Chapman, BankSouth, P.O. Box 730, Greensboro, GA 30642, or to First Baptist Church of Greensboro, 203 S. Main St., Greensboro, GA 30642.

            Visit www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register. McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad Street, Greensboro, is in charge of arrangements. (706) 453-2626.

Photo from Greensboro City Cemetery, Greensboro, Greene Co., GA—www.findagrave.com

Permission granted by the photographer, Debbie Hartman

AAFA NOTES: SSDI records confirm the birth and death dates of Charlton Strickland Veazey (SS# issued in GA), last residence Greensboro, Greene Co., GA.

            For more information on this family, see AAFA’s published genealogy, Known Descendants of James Lodwick Alford (1749–1820).

            His Alford lineage, from his mother: Eleanor Rebecca 1891 GA², William Leorus 1911 GA³, William Leorus Haywood 1863 NC⁴, Green Haywood 1820 NC⁵, Greene 1787 NC⁶, James Lodwick 1749 NC⁷.