Franklin Jefferies Eldridge

Franklin Jefferies Eldridge, 77, died on Wednesday, April 1, 2015, at South Georgia Medical Center. A Valdosta native, Frank Eldridge, was a loving family man, colleague, and friend to many in the community. Born in 1937, he was a son of the late Dr. Franklin G. Eldridge and Henrietta Rebecca Jefferies Eldridge. He started playing golf at a young age and won the 13 and 14-year-old division of the Future Masters in 1952. As captain of the Valdosta High School Golf Team, the team won the Class A Championship in 1954 and 1955. Also in 1955, Frank won the Maxwell AFB Junior Tournament in Alabama, firing a course record of 63. He finished as a runner-up to Jack Nicklaus at the International Jaycee Junior Championship in 1955. After graduating from Valdosta High School, Frank went to the University of Georgia and was a member of the Bulldog golf team. The Bulldogs won three straight Southern Eastern Conference (SEC) titles during his time on the team.
After graduating from UGA in 1959, Frank returned to Valdosta, where he met and married Gail Brown from Griffin, Georgia. He met her while playing in an exhibition golf tournament with Arnold Palmer at the Valdosta Country Club. His golf career continued to be successful in numerous golf tournaments in the South Georgia region, including winning the Jack Oliver Invitational 7 times. He also won the Piney Woods Invitational in Thomasville four times. Eldridge's most notable victory was in 1959, when he won the Southeastern Amateur Championship. He also won the Valdosta Open Championship in 1966 and 1975, and was the low-amateur in the 1961 Georgia Open Championship.
A member of the Valdosta Country Club, Frank served on the Georgia State Golf Association's Board of Directors during the 1960's and 1970's. In 1985, he was inducted into the Valdosta/Lowndes County Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.
In addition to a notable golf career, Frank Eldridge worked 31 years as the New Car and Truck Sales Manager for Langdale Ford in Valdosta. He was active in the First United Methodist Church of Valdosta, and he was an avid hunter and fisherman. Frank and Gail were married for 52 years.
Survivors are his wife, Gail Brown Eldridge of Valdosta; daughters and son in law, Leslie and Heyward Hoover of Peachtree City, Ashley Eldridge of Mountain Brook, Alabama, son and daughter in law, Franklin Jefferies, Jr. and Lita Eldridge of Clarksville, Tennessee; three grandchildren, Owen Eldridge, Austin Hoover and Julia Hoover. He was preceded in death by a brother, John Eldridge.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church with Dr.Bob Moon officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Carson McLane Funeral Home on Friday from 5 – 7 p.m. Memorial gifts may be given to the Wesley Foundation 1601 N. Patterson St. Valdosta GA. Condolences may be conveyed online at www.mclanecares.com.




Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602