James Henry Cabaniss

Henry Cabaniss, 75, of Maxeys, GA passed away Friday, June 1, 2012 at his home on Green Acres Farm. He was born July 22, 1936 in Athens, GA to Emmet Overton Cabaniss, Sr. and Louise Conger Carmichael Cabaniss.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Kathryn Ruark Cabaniss born in Bostwick, GA; daughter Karen Louise Wabler, her husband Barry Wabler and their daughters Jacqueline and Katherine of Atlanta, GA; daughter Mary Kathryn Orlowsky, her husband Joseph Orlowsky and their three children, Alexandra, Nick and Michael of Maxeys, GA; son James Henry Cabaniss, Jr. (Jim), his wife Wendy Cabaniss and their two children Danielle and James of Maxeys, GA; son Jon Cabaniss, his wife Jennifer Cabaniss and their five daughters, Kate, Anna, Ellie, Abigail and Sarah; siblings Isabelle Hassinger and husband Edward, Columbia, MO; William (Bill) Cabaniss and wife Barbara, Maxeys, GA; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother Emmet Cabaniss of Stephens, GA and brother Dan Cabaniss of Bostwick, GA, both dairymen.

Henry grew up in Maxeys, GA where his family farmed and operated a dairy business. He graduated from Oglethorpe County High School in 1954 where he was valedictorian and class president and played baseball and basketball. In his senior season, the 6'6" post earned All-State honors, averaged 40 points per game and led the team to a perfect 19-0 record. He earned a scholarship to the University of Georgia.

As a freshman at Georgia, Henry averaged 19 points per game for the 22-1 Freshman Team. In 1956 and 1957, Cabaniss set UGA rebounding records with 261 and 298 rebounds in consecutive seasons, and was named to the All-SEC Sophomore team in 1956. In 1958, the UGA senior team captain was honored by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club as Player of the Year. For the season, he scored 376 points and reset the single season rebound record with 307, bringing his three-year Varsity rebound total to 866. Following his brothers Dan and Emmet, Henry also played baseball for the Diamond Dawgs, providing a big target at first base on the 1957 and 1958 Varsity teams. The Maxeys native served in the ROTC and was one of three UGA seniors to be named to the Honorary Gridiron Society. He graduated in 1958 with an Agricultural Engineering degree.

On September 6, 1959, Henry married Kathryn Ruark in Bostwick, GA and joined the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant. As a commissioned officer, he attended Penn State University in 1959 and earned a graduate degree in Meteorology. He was assigned to the Charleston Air Force Base, SC in 1960 and worked in weather forecasting, providing support during the Bay of Pigs crisis. Henry continued playing basketball for the Air Force's Military Air Transport Services team. He served in the military for four years before leaving in 1962 with the rank of Captain.

Henry Cabaniss returned to his hometown Maxeys in 1962 to enter the dairy business and expand on the family operation begun in 1931. His engineering background and innovative ideas helped to sustain and grow Green Acres Farm over his dairying career. During a trip to New Zealand in 1998, Henry observed a rotary milking parlor that held 60 cows and milked 400 cows per hour. In June 2000, Henry and his two sons milked their first cow on their own 60 cow rotary.

In 1998, Henry turned over the farm operation to his sons Jim and Jon. In addition to milk production, the farm is highly self-contained, annually planting wheat, corn and sorghum, all in line with the veteran dairyman's plan. Milk is sold to Maryland Virginia Milk Co-Op, Reston, MD, where Henry served as a board member for 13 years, including service on Audit and Compliance, Bylaw and Territory and Milk Marketing Committees. He also served as Vice President of Marva Maid Landover Operations, a Co-Op division, a board member of Dairy America, Fresno, CA and member of Georgia Milk Producers Association.

Henry served on the Board of Directors of The Commercial Bank, Crawford, GA, since 1979 and has served since 1982 as its Chairman. He had also been a member of the Oglethorpe County Planning Commission and Development Authority, Oglethorpe County Board of Education, Maxeys Volunteer Fire Department and other community organizations. Henry served Maxeys Christian Church as an elder and Board Chairman and reached out to the community through the Church's ministries and activities, including the special annual Christmas candlelight service. Three of his children were married at Maxeys Christian Church, where he and his brother Emmet devoted much of their time and attention as their mother Louise Cabaniss had before them.

Funeral arrangements are by Lord & Stephens East, Lexington Highway in Athens. Visitation at Lord & Stephens from 5:00 to 9:00 pm on Saturday, June 2, 2012. Services are Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 2:00 pm at Maxeys Christian Church off Highway 77 in Maxeys, GA, Rev. Len Bernat officiating, assisted by Rev. Wayne Spangler. Interment will follow at the Sunset Cemetery in Maxeys. Memorial contributions may be made to Maxeys Christian Church, Maxeys, GA 30671.

Lord & Stephens East is in charge of arrangements.