Thomas Francis FORKNER Sr.

1918 - 2017

FORKNER, Sr., Thomas Francis Thomas Francis Forkner, Sr, 98, of Suwanee, Ga. died April 26, 2017 at Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek. He was born in Haw-kinsville, GA on June 14, 1918, to Benjamin Scrugs Forkner and Bessie Allison Forkner. His wife of 71 years, Martha, preceded him in death by 7 1/2 weeks. Tom is survived by his children Marti Forkner-Vernon (Terry Vernon), Allison Forkner (Weyman Johnson), Tom Forkner Jr (Vera), grandchildren Natalie Nida, Chloe Johnson, Willa Johnson, Ben Forkner (Julie), Daniel Forkner and 4 great-grandchildren, Sky Nida, Andrew, Luke and Paul Forkner and by numerous nieces and nephews. Tom was an active member of Parkway Baptist Church, Johns Creek, GA and The Atlanta Athletic Club. Tom grew up in rural DeKalb County, Ga. in what would become Avondale Estates. Benjamin Forkner, Tom's father, was the general superintendent of the original construction of Avondale and later started Forkner Realty Company. Tom earned degrees from Young Harris College and John Marshall Law School. He started his own law practice at age 23. World War II cut short his law practice when he was drafted into the US Army in 1941. He was an Army intelligence officer and security officer for the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge TN and New York City. At Oak Ridge on what he called the "luckiest day of his life," he met the love of his life, Martha Jean Bishop, and married her after only 90 days of courtship on September 20, 1945. After the war Tom and Martha returned to Georgia where he began a long and successful career in real estate, starting at Forkner Realty in Avondale Estates. He served as the president of the DeKalb County Board of Realtors and was appointed to appraise the right-of-way and land acquisition for every interstate in the county. This included I-85, I-20, I-285 and the Stone Mountain Freeway. In 1949 he sold a house to the late Joe W. Rogers, Sr. and a long-lasting friendship and business relationship began. Together they co-founded the Waffle House restaurant chain when they opened the first restaurant in Avondale in 1955. "Joe told me to open a restaurant and he'd show me how to run it," Tom had said. Joe would later join Tom at the Waffle House full time in 1961 and the chain took off from there. Tom and Joe opened 400 restaurants by the end of the 1970's when they sold the business to the next generation. Tom and Joe became brand ambassadors for Waffle House making appearances and speaking to groups of Waffle House associates over the next four decades. After a health scare in midlife, Tom decided to change his life style dramatically. He gave up appraisal work, turned over the real estate business to his brother John and stepped out of the Waffle House business. He took up golf at which he excelled, becoming an accomplished Senior Golfer and a charter member of the Georgia Seniors Golf Association. Tom won the state Seniors Championship four times, the international Seniors Championship twice and was listed in the top 10 senior golfers by GOLF DIGEST four times. He was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in 2007. He served on the boards of numerous organizations, including the DeKalb Board of Realtors and the Young Harris College Board of Trustees. Tom had a keen mind and strong body even in his later years, driving himself to the office each weekday well into his 90's, and enjoyed entertaining family and friends with vivid stories of his life. Every activity he was involved with, he enjoyed to the fullest. A celebration of life will be held at Norcross First United Methodist church on Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 3:00 pm with Dr. J. truett Gannon and Dr. Jim King officiating. Visitation will be held at Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes & Crematory on Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: The Giving Kitchen, www.thegivingkitchen.org which helps Atlanta area restaurant workers, to The Georgia Junior Golf Association www.GSGAFoundation.org that supports young golfers from ages 7 to 18, or to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society www.nationalmssociety.org. On-line condolences may be made at www.crowellbrothers.com. Arrangements by Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes & Crematory, 5051 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092. 770-448-5757.