Thomas "Tommy" Evans Godbee

Thomas (Tommy) Evans Godbee, 75, of Dalton, Georgia, entered into rest on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born at Mulkey Hospital in Millen, GA, and grew up in Sardis, GA. He was of Catholic faith. He was a 1969 graduate of Sardis-Girard-Alexander High School (S.G.A.) & a 1973 graduate of Georgia Southern College in Statesboro, GA, where he majored in Accounting and received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He is preceded in death by his parents, Harry E. Godbee, Jr. and Virginia A. Godbee of Sardis; his brother-in-law, David Hillis; and great-niece, Brittani Young. His surviving siblings are Diane G. Hillis of Griffin, GA, and Elizabeth G. Jackson and husband Larry of Girard, GA. His surviving nieces are Teresa H. Young and husband Scott of Senoia, GA, Patricia H. Nyman and husband Walt of Griffin, GA, Dominee J. Thomas and husband Johnny of Waynesboro, GA, and surviving nephews Richard Hillis of Griffin, GA, and Jason Jackson of Arden, NC., as well as several great nieces and nephews, and a great-great niece.

Tommy enjoyed playing basketball in high school for the S.G.A. Wolves. He will be remembered by local Sardis town folks, friends, and classmates during his youth & teen years as riding his bicycle everywhere he went around town, his paper route while delivering the weekly county paper The True Citizen, and picking up glass coke bottles for the 2 cents refund, as well as for his love of black pepper covering his foods. His hobbies during his life consisted of quail and dove hunting, watching sports, playing Black Jack with friends and going to casinos. Tommy also loved and owned nice vehicles and kept them spotless. He had no bucket list items remaining, enjoyed a great life, and did everything he wanted to do in his 75 years. Tommy made friends easily & was a unique person who enjoyed a simple life.

After retiring at the age of 52 as Controller of the Dalton Junior College, he just wanted a stress-free life style, so he never owned a smart phone, had no e-mail address or internet service, and wasn’t on social media. Dalton was his home for 38 years, and he dearly loved living on the beautiful farm of David and Anne Lowe his last 14 years, which he said were the best years of his life! Tommy’s life was peaceful & simple, and that’s the way he wanted it, liked it, and lived it. Still wanting to keep things simple even in death, Tommy requested cremation and no funeral service, as well as no death announcement in the papers. Well, he got two out of three. His ashes will be interred at the Sardis Baptist Cemetery in the Godbee family plot at a later date.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude and appreciation to the hospice staff of Regency SouthernCare of Augusta, GA, and especially to his nurses Laura Katherine Jenkins, Ashley Baxley, and Chasity Hamilton. Our appreciation also to DeLoach-McKerley-Prescott Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Waynesboro, GA.

Tommy will be dearly missed by his many, many friends and acquaintances and by his family, especially Elizabeth and Larry, who had the joy, privilege, and blessing of caring for him the last three weeks of his life.