Grady Edward "Eddie" Gouge

Grady Edward "Eddie" Gouge
February 12, 1938 – June 4, 2025
Eddie Gouge, 87, went to his heavenly home on June 4, 2025. He was born in Sanford, Florida along with his twin sister, DeAnn to the late Grady Washington Gouge of Stone Mountain and Annie Beatrice Cowan Gouge of McDonough, Georgia. When they returned in the early 1940s to Stone Mountain Eddie grew up playing with his many childhood friends in and around the town and the Big Granite Rock.
In High School he excelled in all sports, especially football and basketball, but he lettered in all four including baseball and track. In 1955, his senior season in football, Stone Mountain HS made it to the GHSA Class C State Championship Game versus Monticello HS. This game was played at a neutral site in Griffin, Georgia. Stone Mountain came up short by 6 points. This is the only time SMHS played in a State Championship game in its football history and six players including Eddie at QB were named to the All State Team. Stone Mountain Pirates GADA-015 – GHSFHA. His backfield was known by the AJC as the Pony backfield for their speed and agility. Horace Reeves, Ray Hicks and Eddie all were 10.0 seconds or better in the 100 yard sprint. The O Line included Phil Ashe of UGA fame, Donnie Hyde and Douglas Leach all GHSA first team All State.
Lenoir Rhyne showed interest in Eddie's play at QB but he moved on after high school to serve in the United States Army at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
He met and married his first true love in 1959. They went on to have 2 sons to which Eddie was an excellent father. He and Shirley Lane Whitley Gouge went on to spend 66 wonderful years together.
Eddie worked at Southern Bell/Bell South for 36 loyal years from where he retired in 1996.
He was a member of First Baptist Church of Stone Mountain for 80 plus years. In the 1960s thru 70s he was a little league coach to numerous young men in baseball, football and basketball in the Stone Mountain Little League Association. He was a Jaycee, a member of Freemasonry of Lodge 449, SMHS Touchdown Club booster member and past President, as well as member of the Old Men of the Mountain Club that met weekly at the former Wells Cargo Restaurant in downtown Stone Mountain. He also for many years frequented the Waffle House at Memorial Drive and North Hairston road with the local breakfast gang.
He loved the game of Golf, and he was a member for years of the USGA and the Mystery Valley Golf Club. He and his family annually and for decades traveled on the "Third week of June" to The Stone Mountain Invitational Golf Tournament held in Daytona Beach, FL.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters Betty Gouge Hicks and Eloise Gouge Maples.
He is survived by his wife Shirley Whitley Gouge, Twin sister DeAnn Gouge Nunnally of Lawrenceville, son Glenn Edward Gouge and Jodie Lea Cramer Gouge of Woodstock, GA. Son David Preston Gouge and Kimberly Ann Martin Gouge of Lilburn, GA. Grandson Preston Taylor Gouge and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.