Mr. Fred Kenneth Hemphill, Sr. age 89, of Gillsville, Georgia, passed away Sunday, September 20, 2015.
Celebration of Life Service to be held 1:30 pm Saturday, September 26, 2015 at Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel. Reverend David Cott, Reverend Marshall Dale and Reverend Howard Bledsoe will officiate. The family will receive friends from 11 am to 1 pm Saturday, prior to the service at the funeral home.
What an Amazing Life!
Fred K. Hemphill, Sr. was born September 10, 1926 in Toccoa, Georgia, the youngest son of two boys and five girls, to the late Charlie Franklin Hemphill and Almedia Loden Hemphill. He resided in Gillsville, Georgia for the past 31 years. Fred, a farm boy, began plowing his favorite mule, Ole Doc, at 7 years old. He survived the Great Depression. His family had a good farm and animals, which provided for them and their less fortunate neighbors.
He graduated from Franklin County High School in 1945, Reinhardt College and the University of Georgia. Fred earned a Master of Public Health Administration from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, a two-year program, in one year.
Fred was a school principal in Stephens County and provided farm training to World War II veterans. As Sanitary Engineer, he made Georgia a safer place by cleaning up Lake Lanier in the early 1960’s.
He started the first landfill in Hall County as District Deputy Director of Health. He held numerous executive positions with the Georgia Department of Human Resources. After 34 years with the State of Georgia, Fred opened a family-owned construction and landscaping Business. He held numerous licenses and degrees, including National Environmental Health Association certification, Real Estate license, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission license and Radiological Defense Officer II.
He belonged to Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the Elks Club, serving on many health and civic-related boards, and was a dedicated member of Midway United Methodist Church.
Fred was preceded in death by his parents; sisters and brother-in-laws, Charlotte and Elmer Walters, Emily and Rev. Leo Burguss; Julia Faye and Jack Kinney and sister, Anne Hemphill.
He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Barbara Eberhart Griffin Hemphill; of Gillsville; children: Fred Kenneth Hemphill, Jr. of Gillsville; Meri Hemphill Cotney of Atlanta, June Griffin Bozeman and husband Michael of Gainesville, Gregg Griffin of Gainesville and Angela Hemphill Drillot and Wendell Couch of Maysville; grandchildren: Summer Smith, Tyler Broom, and Zoey Bozeman and Michael S. (M.J.) Bozeman, Jr; brother Frank L. Hemphill of Toccoa and sister Dr. Jonell Cash of Watkinsville, along with many nephews and nieces and special friends, including Junior Smith, Winona Taylor, Hank Taylor and his Franklin County High School classmates and church family.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Midway United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 24, Gillsville, GA 30543 or Eagle Ranch P.O. Box 7200 Chestnut Mountain, GA 30502.
Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel 989 Riverside Drive Gainesville, GA 30501. 770-297-6200 or for those who desire online condolences at www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com.
