George Garris Obituary

George R. Garris WESTFIELD, NC - George R Garris passed away on Thursday, April 25, 2013. He was a retired Refuge Manager who served the National Wildlife Refuge System from 1959 until 2003. At the time of his retirement, George was honored as the longest serving Refuge Manager in the history of the System. Governor Mark Sanford issued a proclamation honoring George for his service to the State and Country declaring September 13, 2003 as GEORGE R. GARRIS DAY. The US Senate issued a proclamation honoring him and renamed the refuge dock Garris Landing. Mr. Garris graduated from the University of Georgia in 1959 with a double major in forestry and wildlife management. He served his country for four years in the Air Force. His illustrious U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service career began at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Florida in 1959, followed by his first tour of duty at Cape Romain Refuge as Assistant Refuge Manager from 1961 - 1962. He served Piedmont National Refuge in Round Oak, GA from October, 1962 through January, 1966. George came to Carolina Sandhills Refuge in McBee, SC to become Refuge Manager there in 1966 and remained there until August, 1974 when he returned to Cape Romain Refuge as its Refuge Manager. He served at Cape Romain Refuge until his retirement in September, 2003.Throughout his distinguished career, George fought for the natural resources that he loved so dearly. He faced numerous obstacles and trials - at Carolina Sandhills he guided the refuge through recovery from the worst ice storm of the century in 1969. He moved to Cape Romain in 1974 to an office in a single wide trailer. His visionary efforts brought Cape Romain to a new era with a beautiful visitor center and maintenance center built under his command. These facilities were destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. With George's unrelenting efforts, the refuge was able to bounce back - forming a partnership with the U. S. Forest Service to build the SEWEE Environmental Education Center, noted as one of the finest environmental education centers on the entire East Coast. He was also instrumental in establishing the Red Wolf Recovery and Re-Introduction Program and guided one of the most successful loggerhead sea turtle nesting programs in the country at Cape Romain. At Carolina Sandhills Refuge, his vision for the enhancement of the longleaf pine ecosystem and efforts to save the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker are a hallmark for current day management programs. And, lastly and perhaps more importantly, he served as a steadfast and encouraging mentor to dozens of men and women as they began their careers as refuge managers, foresters, park rangers, maintenance leaders, and administrators. Those young men and women are his true legacy and they form the backbone of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service today. A celebration of George's life will be held on Sunday, April 28, 2013 at Cox-Needham Funeral Home, 822 West Main Street, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041. Viewing will be at 2:00 pm with the funeral to follow. Burial will occur immediately afterward at Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church, 3660 Horseshoe Road, Westfield, NC 27053. Mr. Garris was preceded in death by his parents and siblings. He is survived by his wife of 59 years Mary Lou; his children Georgia Ann Ball (Willliam); Steve (Debbie), Wayne(Jane), Clark (Kerry), and Jean (Mike) Perpich; his grandchildren Jac Camara, Cassiopeia Camara, Nicole Garris, Logan Garris, Mackenzie Perpich, and Zane Garris. Floral tributes will be accepted or contributions may be made to George's special love, The SEWEE Visitor and Environmental Education Center, 5821 Highway 17 North, Awendaw, SC 29429 (843-928-3368). Cox-Needham Funeral Home of Pilot Mountain (www.coxneedham.com, www.facebook.com/coxneedham) is respectfully serving the Garris family. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston