James Donald "Don" "Bubba" Ganus

Mr. James Donald “Don” “Bubba” Ganus, 83 of Blackshear, passed away Friday, November 6, 2020, at his residence.

Born in Andalusia, AL on March 20, 1937, he had lived in Greenville, AL for several years prior to moving to Pierce County in 1999.  Mr. Ganus was a 1958 graduate of Andalusia High School where he was a star athlete.  He received full scholarships from both University of Alabama and Mississippi State for football but was drafted by the Atlanta Braves right out of high school and went on to play with them for 9 years. In 2014 he was inducted into the Andalusia High School Hall of Fame.  Mr. Ganus attended Troy State University and would later begin his career with Liberty National Insurance where he would go on to retire after 32 years of service.  It wasn’t until later in his life that he discovered he could play golf – both left and right handed – and was pretty good at both.  One of his greatest joys was teaching and sharing his talents in sports with his grandchildren as well as many other young people in Pierce and surrounding counties.  Mr. Ganus was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church where he was in the Ron Spell Sunday school class.  He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather and will be forever missed by them all.  

He was the son of the late James Elton & Ethel Evelyn Chavers Ganus.  He was also preceded in death by a grandson, Holt Rowland.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Barbara Kimbro Ganus of Blackshear; two daughters and sons-in-law, Kim & Dave Rowland of Blackshear and Sandi & Kevin Sport of Patterson; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Patricia & Joe Whitehurst of Andalusia and Cheryl & Ken Still of Dothan, AL; 4 grandchildren, Kassie Milton, Kalyn Milton, Hunter Rowland, and Lexi Sport; and several nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

A memorial service for Mr. Ganus will be held Tuesday evening, November 10, 2020, at 6:00 o’clock from the Pearson-Dial Chapel.

Interment will be in the Blackshear Cemetery.

Visitation for Mr. Ganus will be held Tuesday afternoon beginning at 4:30 in the funeral home chapel.

Memorials may be made to the Holt Rowland Foundation, 4850 Old Hoboken Road, Blackshear, GA  31516.

Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online register at www.pearsondial.com.

Pearson-Dial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James Donald "Don" "Bubba" Ganus, please visit our floral store.