Carl Priest

Athens - Carl Priest, 85, a native of Indianapolis, Ind. and 22-year resident of Athens, died on August 18, 2008 at St. Mary's Hospice in Athens. A long-time educator and musician, he was the loving husband of Sylvia Priest, his college sweetheart to whom he was married for 62 years and a beloved father to four sons.
Carl grew up in Indianapolis and attended Indiana University on a gymnastics scholarship until his studies were interrupted by World War II. After serving as an army medic in Europe, he finished his undergraduate degree at Indiana Central College, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
He received his Master's in Divinity from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver and then served as pastor in several United Brethren churches in Ind. He later taught English, Rhetoric, Driver's Ed, Classical Guitar and whatever else was needed for 30 years in public schools in Calif., where he also coached tennis and swimming. An avid water skier, he took up snow skiing at 49 because his sons expressed an interest in the sport. He played table tennis and rode his bike well into his 80s.
Music was a vital component of his life. He performed in a high school quartet that won a guest spot with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. He sang in the Athens Chamber Singers, the choir at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship in Athens and -- with two sons -- in the folk group, The Priestie Boys. The group's CD "Patchwork" was chosen as one of Flagpole magazine's favorite CDs in 1998.
He loved Athens because of the many fine concert halls, and he enjoyed watching NCAA gymnastics, tennis and volleyball. He and his wife developed abiding friendships with retirees in a group in Athens called Second Lookers who meet regularly to share spirited fellowship and conversation.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Sylvia and his four sons (Glenn Priest of Seattle, Wash. and his wife Sally, Kent Priest Fields of Gore, Okla., Dr. Neal Priest and his wife, Pat of Athens and Keith Priest, also of Athens); his four sisters (Virginia, Louise, and Bonnie Priest of Indianapolis, Ind. and Christina and her husband, Rev. Keith Morrison of Indian Trail, N.C.); and grandchildren in Ore., Okla., Colo., Ga. and in Iraq, where one is serving in the Army his third tour of duty.
An informal memorial will be held in the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship Hall on Timothy Road at 3 p.m. this coming Sunday, August 24.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts made in Carl's honor be directed to the Nature Conservancy, St. Mary's Hospice or the ACLU.