Ivey W. Plair, Sr.

Ivey W. Plair, Sr., 90, of Valdosta died Sunday, September 18, 2011 at Heritage Healthcare in Valdosta. He was born on April 17, 1921 in Lowndes County, Georgia to the late Frank and Beatrice Player and lived in Valdosta all of his life. He served in the 165th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division of the United States Army during WWII. Thirteen islands in the Central Pacific were his stops as he traveled over thousands of miles of ocean and only one trip by air. Makin Island in the Gilberts, the Caroline Islands, Canton Island in the Phoenix Group, Parry Island in the Eniwetok Atoll, and finally Okinawa during the final days of the war all had his footsteps in their sands. He returned to Valdosta in November 1945, married the love of his life, Clyde Elizabeth Donaldson, and began a career in men's retail clothing eventually owning his own men's store, Ivey's, The Man's Shop. However, his true calling was in service to others. He served as an officer in the Jaycees and on the Valdosta Chamber of Commerce helping to establish the Red Carpet Committee to welcome newcomers of Moody Air Force Base to Valdosta. He served as deacon for many years of Azalea City Baptist Church. One of his favorite opportunities there was hosting the Men's Breakfast. He served as President of the Valdosta Marchin' Cats Band Boosters in the 60's and was still a member of the Valdosta Wildcat Touchdown Club. He was a charter member of both the Valdosta Lions Club (1949) and the Valdosta Evening Lions Club (1962). He served as Lions International District Governor of District 18C in 1970-71. He and his wife, Clyde, traveled the state of Georgia establishing Lions and Lioness Clubs to help those less fortunate afflicted with vision loss. He was also a major fundraiser for the Lions Camp for the Blind in Waycross, GA. He was still an active member of the Evening Club where he was honored in January 2010 with a Lifetime Membership. He had been living at Langdale Place since July 2009 where he had many wonderful friends, and enjoyed attending church services there conducted by Rev. Charlie Scarbrough, another lifelong friend.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Clyde Plair and a brother, Walter E. Player. Mr. Plair is survived by a son and daughter in law, Ivey Jr. and Linda Plair of Valdosta; granddaughter and grandson in law, Lisa and Paul Hulbert of Charlotte, North Carolina; grandson and granddaughter in law, Ike and Cherrie Plair of North Hollywood, California; great grandchildren, Grace Hulbert, David Hulbert, Henry Hulbert and Aislinn Plair; sister in law, Joyce Catoe of Valdosta, brothers in law, Wesley Donaldson of Dublin and Bill Donaldson of Johnson City, Tennessee.
Funeral services will take place on Thursday, September 22, 2011, at eleven a.m. in the chapel of the Carson McLane Funeral Home. Reverend Charlie Scarbrough will officiate. Burial will follow at Sunset Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday evening from 6 – 8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Georgia Lions Camp for the Blind, Inc., 5626 Laura Walker Rd., Waycross, GA 31503 or to the Valdosta Evening Lions Club, P. O. Box 754, Valdosta, GA 31603. Condolences may be conveyed online at www.mclanefuneralservices.com.


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