Rev. S. G. Folsom

Rev. S. G. Folsom
Born in Valdosta, Georgia on July 24, 1925
Departed this life on December 10, 2010
Resided in Brooks County, Georgia


On Friday, December 10, 2010, Reverend S.G. Folsom, or just simply S.G. as everyone knew him, joined his heavenly father who he had served for more than fifty years. Waiting for him were his father, his mother, his sister, and his two brothers, one of whom was a stillborn infant. S.G.'s last residence was Heritage Healthcare at Lakehaven Nursing Home where he received wonderful care for the illness he had suffered with for three years. S.G. was born on July 24, 1925 to the late William Shearer Folsom and Mary Elizabeth Simpson Folsom and was a lifelong resident of the Valdosta area. S.G. attended area schools and was at Valdosta High School when he was drafted into the Navy when he was just seventeen years old. He served in combat in the South Pacific from 1942 until 1946 when he was honorably discharged. Upon his return to Valdosta, Mr. Cleveland, Principal of Valdosta High School, gathered the returning boys and helped them to finish high school. S.G. graduated in 1947 and immediately joined the workforce, not knowing what lay ahead for him. He met and married Leta Mae Register of Dupont, Georgia, and the life transformation for him started. In 1949, S.G. started working for the Georgia Power Company as a grunt lineman and by the time he retired in 1986, he was a division supervisor for all high voltage transmission lines from Bainbridge to Waycross and from Tifton to the Florida line. S.G. felt the call to the ministry, and on February 25, 1959, he was licensed to preach. Although he had no formal training in the ministry, he surrounded himself with a library of books purchased from England and studied them almost every day. This became his seminary. He served many churches in the Valdosta area as a supply pastor when needed and eventually pastored Macedonia Baptist Church, Good Hope Baptist Church, Pauline Baptist Church, Ochlawilla Baptist Church, Eastern Heights Baptist Church and Haywood Baptist Baptist Church in Waycross. Wherever he served as pastor, there was always a building program to help make the church property more usable by its members. He also served as interim pastor of Lake Park First Baptist Church and Philadelphia Baptist church where the Folsom family were charter members. At age 74, S.G. ran for and was elected as a Brooks County Commissioner and served three years. He also held several positions with the Valdosta Baptist Association and was its Moderator several terms. He was a Mason and loved to fish, play golf and work with wood,

Survivors include his wife, Leta Register Folsom of Valdosta, one daughter and son in law, Karen and Lee Pennington of Lawrenceville, three sons and daughters in law, William R. and Carol Folsom of Valdosta, Griffin and Jeanie Folsom of Greensboro, Kenny and Linda Folsom of Conyers, his grandchildren, Ian Folsom, Alan (Julie) Folsom all of Valdosta, Alison Folsom, Megan Folsom both of Birmingham, Ala., Seth Pennington of Lawrenceville, Erin (Jason) Zapata of Bethlehem, GA., great grandchildren, River Folsom of Baton Rouge, LA., Evan Folsom, Emily Folsom both of Valdosta, Kaleb Pennington of Lawrenceville, Kallie Zapata, Karsen Zapata and Kolton Zapata all of Bethlehem, GA., one brother in law, Lacy Connell of Valdosta and sister in law, Rosalind Sirmans Folsom of Lake Park. He was preceded in death by a sister, Lynette Connell and a brother, Gene Folsom.
Funeral services will be held at 11am, Monday, December 13, 2010 in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home. Burial with military honors will follow at Riverview Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 4-6pm at the funeral home. Condolences to the family may be conveyed online at www.mclanefuneralservices.com. Carson McLane Funeral Home.

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