Francis Lakey Wooten Jr.

Georgia, Savannah - FRANCIS LAKEY "Frank" WOOTEN, JR. Honored in life as one of Savannah, Georgia's most tireless community leaders, Frank Wooten died peacefully at home on February 7, 2007 surrounded by his loving family. Mr. Wooten was perhaps best known to the public for his service on the Chatham County Commission, to which he was elected in 1984. That role and countless others earned him admiration and praise, stated openly and often. "A straight arrow - a square shooter - a good man" he was called upon his induction into the Savannah Business Hall of Fame. His pastor described Frank's "extraordinary gift for leading people - not pressuring, pulling nor pushing - but gently guiding - leading - effectively and well." Mr. Wooten was born in East Bend, North Carolina on January 23, 1922 to Francis Lakey Wooten, Sr. and Crawley Hennings Wooten. Mr. Wooten received his undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and pursued graduate studies at the University of Houston. Mr. Wooten served as a Captain in the U.S. Infantry during World War II and the Korean Conflict, receiving the Bronze Star. Mr. Wooten was President of Kaiser Agricultural Chemical Corporation, served on the Kaiser International Corporation Board of Directors, and founded G&C Fertilizer Company. He was a recognized leader in the agricultural chemicals business, serving for 6 years on the Board of Directors of the Fertilizer Institute and as Chairman from 1977-79. He also served on the District Export Council, as the Governor's appointee to the Board of Industry & Trade of the State of Georgia, on the Savannah Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and as Ex-officio member of the Savannah Port Authority. He was Savannah's Man of the Year in Industry in 1979 and elected to Savannah's Business Hall of Fame in 2005. He served for many years on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of First Bank of Savannah (now Wachovia). Mr. Wooten served the Savannah community in a multitude of ways. He was elected to the Chatham County commission in 1984 and received the Buttimer Award. He served United Way as Chairman; Salvation Army as Chairman; and Parent and Child as President. For Rotary Club of Savannah, he served on the Board of Directors and as President, honored as a Will Watt Fellow and Paul Harris Fellow. From the Boy Scouts of America, he received the Silver Beaver and Good Scout Awards. He was selected to be an Olympic Torch Bearer at the 1996 Olympics for his service to the community. As an advocate for the arts, Mr. Wooten was President and Chairman of the Board of the Savannah Symphony Society and organizer and Co-Chairman of Georgia Citizens for the Arts. Mr. Wooten was a lifelong devoted member of the United Methodist Church. He was a dedicated Sunday School teacher for 25 years at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, where he also served as a Trustee, Chairman of the Board, Chairman of Capital Campaigns, and Lay Speaker. He served on the Board of Pensions for the South Georgia Conference of the Methodist Church, the Board of Higher Education for the United Methodist Church, and as a Methodist Children's Home Trustee. Mr. Wooten is survived by his beloved wife, Lois Cason Wooten of Savannah; his daughter, Ann Wooten Langston, her husband, Dudley Irvin Langston; and his grandchildren, Francis "Frank" Byron Langston and Lois Kathryn Langston of Memphis, TN. Visitation will be Friday, February 9, from 5-7 p.m. at Fox & Weeks, Hodgson Memorial Drive. As Mr. Wooten's home church of Wesley Monumental UMC is under repair, funeral services will be held at Independent Presbyterian Church, 207 Bull Street, at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 10.A graveside service will be held at the Friendship Church Cemetery in Wilcox County, Georgia, Monday,February 12. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made to the Church Health Center, 1210 Peabody Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104. Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors 912-352-7200