George I. Holt

George Ivey Holt, 89, of Rutledge, Georgia, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, surrounded by his family.

George was born on August 23,1936, in Climax, Georgia, to George Washington Holt and Ollie Phillips Holt. Raised on a peanut farm in rural South Georgia, he grew up alongside his siblings, Vance Holt and Nancy Holt Kassay, learning the values of hard work, faith, and family. A talented athlete, George graduated from Climax High School in 1954 and went on to earn a baseball scholarship to South Georgia College under coach Bobby Bowden before completing his studies at Piedmont College, where he met the love of his life, Rena West.

In 1958, George married Rena, his devoted wife of 67 years. Together, they raised their daughter Tish Murphy and son Wes Holt. After living in Panama City, Florence, Atlanta, Statesboro, and Brunswick, they settled on the West family farm—now known as Sunflower Farm—in Rutledge in 1986, where George embraced small-town life and deepened his community ties.

George built a distinguished career in banking and finance, respected for his professionalism, integrity, and generosity. His faith remained central to his life, and he served as a lead elder at Madison Presbyterian Church. He was active in many civic and charitable organizations, including Kiwanis, Rotary, Ronald McDonald House, Salvation Army, March of Dimes, Madison-Morgan Conservancy, and Piedmont College. He volunteered with Builders for Christ, helping construct homes in Mexico, and served as head of the Morgan County Board of Elections.

George co-founded and organized the Sunflower Festival for 13 years, reflecting his love of family, friends, and community. He especially enjoyed the Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs, the Smoky Mountains, Caribbean cruises, and his loyal dog, Jesse.

George is survived by his wife Rena; children Tish (Danne) and Wes (Robert); sister Nancy Holt Kassay; grandchildren Trent Scott (Natalia), Morgan Castillo (Luis), and Tyler Scott (Jessica); and seven great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, September 6th at 2:00pm at Madison Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Madison Presbyterian Church or Compassionate Care Hospice of Athens, Georgia.

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