George Albert Gaines

Mr. George Albert Gaines, Jr. passed away on New Year’s Day having lived, as he said often, a wonderful 101 years in Elberton.Sixty-nine of those were with his beloved wife who died in 2012, Matilda Joe Johnson, better known as Tootsie. He was the son of George Albert Gaines, Sr. and Verlie Mae Mathews Gaines who, along with a younger brother James Smith Gaines, preceded him in death. George graduated from South Georgia College with an accounting degree and worked in sales for Colgate Palmolive before joining the Elberton National Guard unit when WWII broke out.Upon hearing that his unit was heading to North Africa in a month or so, he and Tootsie, a junior at the University of Georgia, were married by the Armychaplain at Camp Stewart and, two months later he was gone for what turned out to be three years.His unit, under Patton, fought its way from Ascension Island, North Africa, Corsica, Italy, up into the Apennines.Along the way he was awarded various medals, among them the Bronze Star for bravery. After the war he remained in the Guard serving thirty years and retiring as Colonel.As a civilian he was actively involved in the granite business, owning and managing Atlas Granite Co. for seventeen years.He was president of the Granite Association Board of Trustees and was for forty years an inspector of monuments. He was very civic minded, serving on the county Board of Education, twenty years as Sunday School Superintendent at the Baptist church, president of Rotary, board of Salvation Army and more. George is survived by son, George Albert Gaines III and wife, Paul Ann; daughter and husband, Elsa Ann Gaines and Joe Meyer; sister, Mildred Gaines Broadwater; granddaughters and spouses:Elizabeth Varner and Grant Varner, and Martha Ellen DeJong and Jack DeJong; and four great grandchildren: Andrew and Mary Page DeJong, and Charlie and Ann Margaret Varner. For those wishing to honor George, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s choice. A graveside service was held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 7, 2021 in Elmhurst Cemetery. Arrangements for Mr. George Albert Gaines, Jr. were in the care of Hicks Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Elberton.