David Lawton Baggs, 88, of Jasper died Sunday, February 5, 2023, after an extended illness.
Born in Blackshear in 1934, he was the son of Ralph and Cleo Baggs and the eldest of nine children. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Maxine Baggs, to whom he was married for 56 years, and siblings, Emory Baggs, Marion Baggs, Stanford Baggs and Melba Baggs Walters.
As a youngster, he lived in McIntosh, Liberty, Wayne and Pierce counties. After spending his youth working on farms and in tobacco fields, he graduated from Blackshear High School and attended Young Harris College, from which he earned a teaching degree. He would later earn multiple advanced graduate degrees in education from the University of Georgia.
After graduating from Young Harris, he began a career in public education that spanned 50 years and included working as both a classroom teacher and a school administrator. He worked in school systems in Pierce, Lumpkin, Forsyth, Pickens and Cherokee counties. He was a former principal of Pickens High School and a former Cherokee County Teacher of the Year. He was instrumental in developing one of the early career education curriculums for the state in the late 1960s and was among the first group of teachers for P.E.C.E (Program for Educational Career Exploration). His career in education touched the lives of thousands of people.
He moved to the Pickens County area in 1973 and became active in many community events and worthy causes. He was an ardent supporter of the Marble Valley Friends and was honored with induction into that group’s Hall of Fame in 2017. He was active in the Jasper Lions Club for many years and was one of the founding members of the Pickens County Service Club. He was an active member of the Tater Patch Players for several years, and once wrote a play about the founding of Ball Ground which was performed as part of a historic celebration. He also served as a member of the county’s library board and on more than one occasion he entertained those in attendance at Jasper’s annual Christmas celebration by reading “T’was the Night Before Christmas” to the crowd.
A passionate believer in volunteering, he helped raise money for dozens of worthy causes, sold thousands of charity raffle tickets, manned concession stands, volunteered for traffic control, helped at food pantries, sold and delivered onions, collected used eyeglasses, worked with youth groups and gave of his time in dozens of additional ways for the betterment of the community.
He served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and benevolence committee member at Cool Springs Church.
He loved to feed people and often was found directing the efforts of those cooking for fundraising efforts, as well as hosting an annual community barbecue at his home for more than 40 years in conjunction with neighbor Ed Stephens.
More than anything, he relished time spent with family, from huge family reunions to simple “Sunday lunches with Pa.” He savored every minute spent with those he loved.
Survivors include his sons, Norman (Brennice) Baggs, Sugar Hill, and Kenton (Stephanie) Baggs, Jasper; a brother, Gerald Baggs, Brunswick; sisters, Joyce Waters, Brunswick, Glenda Baggs, Blackshear and Barbara (Doug) Maple, Cedar Key, FL; mother-in-law, Marie D. Holt, Ellijay; grandchildren, Thor Baggs, Karina Haney and Alexa Baggs, Jasper; step-grandchildren, Jamie Hall, Jersey and Cansey Cash Contreras, Flowery Branch; great-grandchildren, Cydney Haney and TK Haney, both of Jasper and Kasey Jackson, Hannah Cash and Lucia Cash, all of Sugar Hill; great-great-grandchildren, Kennedy Jackson and Conrad Jackson, both of Sugar Hill and isters-in-law and brothers-in-law.
The family will host visitors from 6-9 p.m.Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the funeral home.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, from the funeral home chapel.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Marble Valley Friends or Cool Springs Baptist Church in Tate.
Arrangements are entrusted to the staff of Roper Funeral Home and Crematory of Jasper.
