Philip C. "John" McEachern Sr.

Philip John McEachern Sr, 82, passed away May 4, 2023, in his home in
Tallahassee, FL, after a long battle with cancer. He was preceded in death by his wife,
Rev. Beverley McEachern and longtime partner Linda Palmer. John Sr. was born April
8, 1941, in Valdosta GA, to Lavalette Waldron McEachern and Philip Stuart McEachern.
As a teenager John moved with his family to Tallahassee, FL where he graduated from
Leon High School in 1959. He received a football scholarship to The University of
Georgia, where he played as a starting offensive and defensive end (he later wrote a
biography with details about his experience as a UGA football player entitled, "It's
Always First Down"). After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Economics in
1963, he married his high school sweetheart Reverend Beverley Conner McEachern, to
whom he was married for 44 years until her death in 2007. They have two children:
Conner McEachern Nicinski and John McEachern, Jr.
The family moved from Georgia to Alexandria, Virginia in 1976 during Rev.
McEachern's studies at Virginia Theological Seminary. All the while John was working
at General Electric Credit Co. (now GE Capital) – he stayed at General Electric for 27
years as Regional Vice President for leisure products. Never retiring, for the past 23
years, he has been the owner and president of McEachern Real Estate Development
Services (REDS).
The family settled in Columbus, GA where John served as President of Georgia Federal
Bank and President of Homestead Mortgage. John loved spending weekends in a small
house they built on St. George Island and spending time with his family, traveling,
playing golf, and UGA football.
John has served previously as board member of the Muscogee County School District,
founding member of the Georgia Charter Schools Association, member of the Georgia
Football Letterman's Club and "Wally's Boys" under Coach Wally Butts; charter
member of the Chattahoochee River Club, and member of the Rotary Club, Country Club
of Columbus, and Capital City Country Club. He was honored at this year's Georgia
Football Letterman's Breakfast as one of five recipients of the 2023 Georgia Football
Letterman's John Rauch Award.
He is survived by his brother, Robert McEachern (Claudia); daughter, Conner
McEachern Nicinski (Dennis); son, John McEachern, Jr. (Holly); grandchildren,
Jack, AnneMarie, Lilly, Henry, Katherine and Jackie; and several nieces and nephews.
John's ashes will be interred at Bulldog Haven at Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens, GA
on June 17, 2023.
Jared Padgett of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements. (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com)