Sanford Virgil "Sandy" Ethridge Jr.

1945 - 2018

Sanford "Sandy" Virgil Ethridge, Jr.
October 11, 1945 - June 4, 2018
Gray, GA- Sanford "Sandy" Virgil Ethridge, Jr., 72, passed away on Monday, June 4, 2018. Visitation will be held at Elam Baptist Church, 203 Elam Church Road, Gray, from 12:30 PM till 2:00 PM, June 8, 2018 with the memorial service following at 2:00PM with the Reverend Gary Thomas officiating. The family requests, memorial gifts be made to Elam Baptist Church, 203 Elam Church Road, Gray Georgia 31032 or the charity of your choice. The family may be contacted at the Ethridge residence, 158 Stewart Avenue in Gray.
Mr. Ethridge, born October 11, 1945, was the son of the late Sanford V. Ethridge Sr. and Nellene Davis Ethridge. A member of Elam Baptist Church, he was a native of Jones County and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Lt. Ethridge USR served active duty from 1968 to 1971. Following Officer Candidate School in New Port, Rhode Island, he was assigned to the USS Boxer (LPH-4). Following the Boxer's decommissioning in 1970, he was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam as an advisor to the Vietnamese Navy. His duties included the dangerous mission of running gun boats along the Mekong Delta. Following his tour of duty in Vietnam, he was honorably discharged from active duty having received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star.
Mr. Ethridge was a graduate of Jones County High School, Georgia Tech, and the University of Georgia Terry School of Business. Upon graduation, he worked 28 years at BellSouth in Augusta and Atlanta. Upon retirement in 2000, he returned to his beloved Jones County where he cared for his elderly parents and their business, The Colonnade Apartments. Soon after moving back to Gray, he joined the Jones County Rotary Club where he served a term as President. He was also a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Jones County Kiwanis Club. He was an avid golfer and thoroughly enjoyed his other favorite hobby of traveling the world with his wide circle of friends. Ever the reserved engineer, Sandy was known for his intelligence, courage, determination, integrity and loyalty to country, family and friends and, oh yes, his beloved Georgia Tech. However, his greatest love was his family and particularly his three precious grandchildren. Sandy was a devoted son, husband, father, uncle and friend.
Sandy was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law Demery Kicklighter, and brother-in-law Mike Jones.
Sandy is survived by his devoted wife of 45 years, Vickie K. Ethridge; two loving sons and their spouses, Alan and Meredith Ethridge and their two young sons, Hudson and Hunter, and David and Georgia Ethridge and their young daughter, Alice. He also leaves his sister and brother-in-law, Marianne and Phil Bivins, and his sister, Margaret Allman; mother-in-law, Winnie Jones Kicklighter; sisters-in-law, Debbie K. (Joel) Manis, Kellie A. Jones, and Gail Jones, as well as maternal uncle, Tom (Shelby) Davis and a paternal uncle, Charles Ethridge; several nieces and nephews; a large number of cousins; and a number of life time friends who are the extended family.
Register online at www.hartsmort.com.
Harts Mortuary, Jones County Chapel, has charge of arrangements.


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