Albert A. Thrasher, Jr., 81, passed away May 11, 2020, in the Northeast Georgia Hospital after several months of failing health. He was the son of the late Albert A. Thrasher, Sr. and Lorraine Dodson Thrasher. His sister, Carmie T. Cochrane, and brother, Roy C. Thrasher, predeceased him.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Margaret “Peggy” P. Thrasher, Al and Laura Thrasher, of Weaverville, N.C., and Julie T. and Steve Stuckey of Byers, Colo., as well as his adored grandchildren Sonja and Connor Thrasher, Henry and Tessa Stuckey, and Ava and Will Yurko. Nieces, nephews, and cousins will miss him greatly.
He was educated in the public schools of Butts, Henry, and Habersham counties. He graduated from the North Habersham High School in 1956 and started Georgia Tech as a co-op student, working for Georgia Power. In the summer of 1958, at a square dance at the Mountain City Playhouse, he met a blue-eyed beauty and he kissed her. They made plans to meet there the next week. They would be married in September of 1959, while they were both in college. He received his Co-Op degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1963.
He started his career with the William Carter Company in Barnesville, Georgia. He would go on to spend the bulk of his career with American Mills in Griffin, Georgia as plant manager.
He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed camping and hunting at Deer Camp with his son and friends. He worked tirelessly to save natural resources such as the Flint River. After retirement, he enjoyed competitive shooting.
At age 44, he earned his private pilot’s license and went on to receive the ATP rating and was a flight instructor. As an aviator, he regularly flew DC-3’s of questionable reliability all over the country, delivering cargo, and he loved to tell stories of his airborne adventures.
A past Rotarian having served as president of two clubs, he was active in many civic affairs and was selected the Griffin-Spalding County Man of the Year in 1978 and president of the Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce.
He loved his shop. He loved making things. He wasn’t just an engineer by diploma, he was a natural engineer who thrilled at solving problems. He loved boats, guns, and lawnmowers.
Traveling was his passion. He and Peggy went on fantastic overseas trips and once drove a camper without a bathroom above the Arctic Circle to experience the summer solstice.
He enjoyed the camaraderie and fellowship of the Rabun County Senior Center when he and Peggy moved home to Tiger in their retirement.
When the COVID-19 threat subsides, there will be a memorial service and celebration of his life.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Clayton First United Methodist Church, P O Box 703, Clayton, GA 30525, The Rabun County Senior Center, 2832 Old Hwy. 441 South, Tiger, GA 30576, or the charity of your choice.