James DeForrest Gonia Sr.

James DeForrest Gonia, Sr., passed away at home on Tuesday morning, September 6, 2016, surrounded by his family. He was 90 years old. He died peacefully in his sleep after enduring a 9 week battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Mary Elizabeth Duncan, formerly of Clarkesville, GA, with whom he celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary on June 4. His other surviving family members include his son, James D. Gonia, Jr., of Atlanta, GA; his daughter, Gwen Osgood of San Diego, CA; his grandson, Joshua L. Gonia, of Atlanta, GA; and his sister-in-law, Bess Hodkinson of Clarkesville, GA. Born in Chattanooga, TN, in 1926, Jim lost his mother when he was only 2 years old and grew up in an orphanage in Dyersburg, TN. After re-uniting with his father and stepmother in Palmerdale, AL, in later years, he made his way to Toccoa Falls College in North GA, where he met the love of his life, Mary Duncan, in 1941. Ever the hard working young man, Jim put himself through school by working 7 jobs. He was a clerk at Green's Department Store, worked at the local dry cleaners, wrote for the school newspaper, and was the night watchman at the college, where he was frequently found outside my mother's dorm window. At age 17, Jim left school to join the Army in 1942. He landed on Omaha Beach after a stormy ride across the English Channel. He made his way through France, Germany & Belgium, surviving the Battle of the Bulge with frost bitten toes and a visit from General George Patton. Jim returned to Clarkesville, GA, at the end of the war and married his sweetheart, Mary. They moved to Birmingham, AL, where he was a copy boy for the Birmingham News, before being hired by Life Magazine in Atlanta. He and Mary began a family in 1949 and moved to the suburbs of Sandy Springs. Jim's advertising career included representing Sunset Magazine, House Beautiful and numerous publications for Hearst Magazines. He was Assistant to the Publisher for Hearst in New York in the early 1960's before returning to his beloved Atlanta, where he worked for many years at the top ad agency, Liller, Neal, Battle & Lindsey. It's Chairman, Howard Axelberg, became Dad's lifelong best friend. They spent many happy weekends trout fishing on the Chestatee River while Mom and Betty talked. The Gonia's and Axelberg's enjoyed countless trips to The Greenbriar in White Sulphur Springs, W. VA, where they danced to Ella Fitzgerald, Louie Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, and Benny Goodman. After retirement, Jim worked for both Oxford Bookstore and Chapter 11 Bookstore in Sandy Springs where he captured the heart of the community by riding his red Schwinn bicycle to work every day, wearing his favorite wool sweater vest regardless of how hot it was. In later years, well into his eighties, Jim volunteered in the library at the Fulton County Senior Center in Sandy Springs where his WWII pictures were proudly hung on display. Jim's children, Gwen and Jim, Jr., inherited their father's lifelong work ethic. He was a wonderful provider for his family and we were fortunate that he insisted that his children grow up at home with their mother who quit working after we were born. Dad served as a Deacon and Elder at Peachtree Presbyterian Church and earlier at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church. Aside from being a marketing and advertising genius, Dad was a natural comedian. He kept us in stitches his whole life and was constantly cracking jokes. I truly believe his humor is what kept he and Mom alive so long, as they survived long after all their friends. Dad and his son, Jim, shared a life long love of golf. They started early when Jim, Jr. was only 5 years old at Cherokee Town & Country Club where Dad was a charter member. In Dad's last few months, Jim, Jr. kept The Golf Channel turned on 24/7 in Dad's room so he could hear his favorite sport even while sleeping. In fact, The Golf Channel is still on. We're never going to turn it off. Dad was also a fun father - a bit of a daredevil. He used to take us weekends when we were little to fly in his single engine Aeronca 15 Sedan, followed by his Piper Cub and later his Cessna 150. Those were adventurous times along with flying in my Uncle Pete's hot air ballon. Dad was also a loyal fan of the GA Bulldogs where Gwen and Jim, Jr. went to school. In fact, just a week ago, he had Gwen read him all about some new recruit that was 6'4" and weighed over 300 lbs. As Dad would say, GO DAWGS! Our father also shared a lifelong love of books and reading -- especially WWII history, biography and, in later years, his all time favorite -- spy books and espionage. Up until recently, he remained an avid reader and was immersed in books all his life. Our father, grandfather and husband will be greatly missed by his family and all who were lucky enough to know him throughout his colorful life. Deepest gratitude goes to the outstanding, loving and wonderful caregivers at Agape Hospice -- Janice Matzkin, Vanessa Harrison, Tawanda Curtis, and Chaplain Eric Calhoun, as well as to caregivers Veronica Smith, Danielle Atkins and Jean Sullivan. Our family's deepest gratitude also goes to neighbors and close friends, Becky Shelly, Lisa and Steve Axelburg, Clay and Millie Threeton, Lisa Linehan and our wonderful cousin, Joey Duncan, and beloved aunt, Bess Hodkinson. A full military honors funeral will be held at the Georgia National Cemetery in Cherokee County, GA, with interment on the beautiful rolling hills looking out at the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Etowah Indian Mounds. The family welcomes flowers at their residence in Sandy Springs to soften our mother's grief. Services are being provided by Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home in historic Marietta, GA.