Dr. George H. Beggs

Dr. George H. Beggs, Lt. Colonel, Army, retired Academic Dean, Kennesaw State University Dr. George H. Beggs, age 74, passed away on December 12, 2009 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. A funeral service will be held at 11am on Monday, December 14 at First Baptist Church, Marietta with The Reverend Dr. Bill Ross and The Reverend Dean Hunter officiating. Interment will follow at Kennesaw Memorial Park, Marietta. The pallbearers will be professors from Kennesaw State University and honorary pallbearers will the deacons and Men’s Sunday School class from Marietta First Baptist as well as the Marietta Kiwanis Club. Dr. Beggs was born to Fred and Ethilene Beggs on September 6, 1935 in Tifton, Georgia and was the oldest of eleven children. He graduated from Tifton High School, and earned a BA from Emory University, an MA from Stetson University, and a PhD from the University of Arizona. Dr. Beggs and his wife, Rosemary, moved to Cobb County in 1966 when he was hired as the first faculty member at Kennesaw Jr. College. He retired from Kennesaw State University in 1994 as the Dean of the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Dr Beggs served as an Army Reserve Strategic Intelligence Officer from 1964 – 1988 including four Pentagon tours of duty in the Office of the U.S. Army, Assistant Chief of Staff of Intelligence. He was a frequent public speaker on educational, political, and national security topics. Dr. Beggs was devoted to his church, his family, his country, and KSU. He also greatly enjoyed flying his airplane, hunting, fishing, traveling and serving in the military. He served on many local Boards of Directors, including Marietta Kiwanis, the initial Leadership Cobb Board, Marietta Museum of Art, WellStar Community Hospice, and Brumby Hall. He served twice as Chair of Deacons at Marietta First Baptist Church and was designated a Life Deacon. A patriotic American, Dr. Beggs was a student and teacher of world and American history and politics. During his life, he felt fortunate to travel extensively and was proud of his role in developing international programs at KSU. Dr. Beggs received numerous awards, proclamations, and recognition from students and teachers at KSU and community organizations. Dr. George Beggs is survived by his wife, Rosemary Beggs, son and daughter-in-law, Phillip and Linda Beggs, daughter and son-in-law, Leigh and Doug Colburn, and four grandchildren: John, Phillip, Georgia, and Samantha. He is also survived by three brothers and three sisters: Tommy Beggs, Bob Beggs, Michael Beggs, Nina Sue McEachern, Irma Ree Brown, and Lynn Cronia. He is preceded in death by four brothers: Rudolph Beggs, Andy Beggs, Freddy Beggs, and an infant brother. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the George and Rosemary Beggs Scholarship at Kennesaw State University Foundation, Inc., 1000 Chastain Road, NW, Mailbox 9101, Kennesaw, GA 30144 or the Marietta First Baptist Church Christmas Missionary fund, 148 Church Street, Marietta, GA 30060. Visitation will take place at Mayes Ward Dobbins Funeral Home & Crematory, Marietta, on Sunday, December 13 from 1pm – 3pm and 5pm – 7pm. www.mayeswarddobbins.com