Morgan Redwine Jr.

Morgan Roby Redwine, Jr., retired Executive Vice-President of Athens Federal Savings and Loan (now Athens First Bank and Trust), died Tuesday, February 5, 2013, at the age of 89. To his chagrin, he was born in Atlanta but came here soon after. "Bucky," as he was known to everyone, grew up in Athens and attended the public schools here, graduating in 1941 from Athens High School as President of his class. He was enrolled for a year and a half at Virginia Military Institute before entering the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he piloted a P-51 Mustang fighter on missions from Iwo Jima to Japan, attaining the rank of major before being honorably discharged at the conclusion of the war. He completed his education by graduating from Yale University in 1948, and continued that connection as an enthusiastic recruiter for his alma mater.
After Bucky returned to Athens, he began his business career with Dun and Bradstreet as a credit reporter, traveling throughout Georgia to interview wholesale and retail businesses for credit analyses.
After two years he opened Redwine Real Estate and Insurance, writing fire and casualty insurance and selling real estate. He sold that business and went to work for Athens Federal in 1960, doing appraisals and inspections, progressing through liquidity investing, problem loans, mergers and stock conversion; he was ultimately promoted to Executive Vice President, where he became a fixture in the local banking community. He retired in 1989, but people still recall his unorthodox style and his sharp eye for character. He personified the local banker who didn't need a computer to size up a customer, once startling a young college professor by quickly granting him a loan after ascertaining that the applicant had made a perfect score on his college entrance SAT exam.
Redwine was also principal stockholder in Equitable Securities and President of Magic Years of Learning day care centers in Athens and Gainesville. He had a brief stint as Executive Secretary to Georgia Governor Lester Maddox that ended abruptly when it became evident that their management styles were not compatible.
Outgoing and interested in everything and everyone, Bucky Redwine threw himself into the life of his community, serving on the Clarke County Board of Education, as President of the Friends of the Georgia Museum, President of the Athens City Club and District Chairman Cherokee Council of the Boy Scouts of America; he was a Director or Trustee of the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation, the Athens Tutorial Program, the Athens Chamber of Commerce, the Athens Community Council on Aging, the Sandy Creek Nature Center, Oconee Hill Cemetery, The Old Athens Cemetery and the Athens Historical Society. Board meetings were guaranteed to be livelier when he was in attendance.
He coached Little League, enjoyed his bridge club, was a longtime member of the Athens Country Club, was Adjutant in the Sons of Confederate Veterans, President of the Athens Investment Club, a member of Clarke County Citizen Advocacy and the fourth of six generations of his family to be members of Athens First United Methodist Church, where he delighted in the camaraderie of the Tuck Sunday School Class.
For a number of years he wrote a weekly column for The Athens Observer, and he co-hosted a popular weekly talk show on Observer Television. In earlier years he enjoyed hiking and camping, and he was a lifelong collector of stamps, coins and Confederate artifacts. He made numerous trips with friends to Civil War battlefields, where he studied maps and retraced the steps of his forebears. He loved to share his interests and was always generous with his financial expertise, giving sound advice to family and friends.
Morgan R. Redwine, Jr. is survived by his wife Karen Whelchel Redwine, his son Roby Long Redwine, his daughter Virginia Redwine Hurst, his daughter-in-law Dana Ruffin Redwine, his son-in-law Charles Benson Hurst III, his grandchildren Elizabeth Long Redwine, Roby West Redwine, Frances Grace Redwine, Mary Bonner Redwine, Charles Redwine Hurst and Henry Somerville Hurst, his cousins Charles Redwine and Parks Redwine, and also by two stepsisters-in-law and their families, three stepsons, two stepdaughters and their families, four nieces, two nephews, a grandnephew, and a number of cousins.
Bucky was preceded in death by his father, Morgan Roby Redwine; his mother, Lucy Leah West Redwine; his wife, Mary Juliette "Bonnie" Bonner Redwine, his sister Marion Rylander Mathis Allen and his brother Henry Edward Mathis.
Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church, Athens, on Thursday, February 7 at 1 p.m. Burial follows at Oconee Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends in the Sexton's House at the cemetery, following the graveside service.
Pallbearers are Loyd Black, David Casarotto, Bill Douglas, Chuck Jackson, Gilbert Milner, Jim Paine, Stan Sheram and Jimmy Wilfong.
Honorary Pallbearers are Upshaw Bentley, Gary Doster, Robert Gibson, Bill Griggs, Bobby Heath, Charlie Horton, James L. LaBoon Jr., Toombs Lewis, Pete McCommons, Fred Miller, Lee Pierson, Bill Simpson, John Thornton, Allen Stephenson, Charlie Upchurch, Richard Warner, James Q. Wilfong Sr., and the members of the Tuck Sunday School Class.
Donations in remembrance of Bucky may be made to The Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org/georgia), Friends of Oconee Hill Cemetery, P.O. Box 49219, Athens GA 30604, or another philanthropy of the giver's choice.
Bridges Funeral Home, Athens, is in charge of the arrangements.