Donald Winn Seagraves Sr

Donald Winn Seagraves Sr., 84, passed away Feb. 25, 2015 at his home. Visitation will be at Lord and Stephens East in Athens, GA from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. with interment following at Oconee Hill Cemetery. The Rev. Brad Wilson of Colbert Baptist Church and Rev. Mike Boatfield will officiate.
A devoted family man, Don was known for the love he showed his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and siblings. His children and grandchildren considered him a role model for his work ethic, faith in God and commitment to his family and friends.
His love of the Georgia Bulldogs was legendary. A long-time season ticket holder, Don rarely missed a game at Sanford Stadium, often taking his children and grandchildren along with him. He was loyal to the Bulldogs beyond football, also following the college's basketball, baseball and other sports programs. When by chance he met members of the Bulldog swim team, he surprised the young athletes by knowing their names, their win-loss record and their individual best times - a result of the information he took in from reading the Athens Banner Herald from front to back daily.
But somehow, despite his best efforts, his love of the Bulldogs didn't transfer to his grandson, Nash, who is a Georgia Tech fan. Many Christmases were spent with "Paw Paw" asking Nash if he wanted to watch his taped version of that season's Bulldogs vs. Yellow Jackets match-up, which, of course, UGA usually won.
Don was an athlete in his own right in his younger years. At Athens High School, he lettered in football, basketball and baseball, proudly carrying a clipping in his wallet from the New York Sun Times which reported his unassisted triple play made in one of the AHS baseball games.
He and some of his high school teammates remained friends throughout his life, even gathering each week at a local restaurant, Buffalo's, to share a meal, some laughs and memories.
A veteran of the United States Air Force and the Reserves, Don was a member of the Masons and the Shriners. He was also a member of Colbert Baptist Church and was an ordained deacon. He enjoyed gardening and growing tomatoes and maintaining his many bluebird boxes and counting the eggs.
Don maintained a distinguished and long career in the real estate division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, working on projects in Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi including the Buford Dam project in Gainesville, Ga., the Walter F. George Lock and Dam Project in Eufala, Ala., the Saturn Test Facility in Bay St. Louis, Miss., the Alabama River Project in Selma, Ala., the Tombigbee Waterway in Columbus, Miss. and the Richard B. Russell Dam in Elberton. He also worked on the proposed, but never constructed, Flint River Dam project in Thomaston, Ga., where he resided for several years with his family and was an active member of Trinity Baptist Church, and in the Corps District Office in Mobile, Ala.
After his retirement, he worked as a consultant for the Corps on the Village Creek Project in Birmingham, Ala. and then as a tax assessor in Elberton, Ga.
Don was born Sept. 2, 1930 in Athens Georgia to the late Harvey Lee "Bob" Seagraves and Reba Winn Seagraves. He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Melissa Hawkins Seagraves; a daughter, Hope Seagraves (Wayne) Austin of Thomaston, Ga.; and a son, Donald (Rhonda Hardesty) Seagraves, Jr., of Athens; sisters, Rebecca Baugh and Barbara Tiller; and a brother, David H. Seagraves. He is also survived by grandchildren Nash (Shelley) and Drew Austin and Sara Seagraves Burton; three great-grandchildren, Ethan Seagraves Smith, Sara Blakely Burton and Majors Winn Austin. Don was preceded in death by a grandson, Andrew Nath Austin; a sister, Gaynelle Seagraves Farr Wansley; and four brothers, Harvey, Frank, Nelson and Harold Seagraves.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to an individual's favorite charity or to Shriners Children's Hospital, Saint Mary's or Athens Regional Medical Center.