Lloyd Vernon Coursey, Jr.'s Obituary
Funeral services for Lloyd Vernon Coursey, long-time Atlanta area businessman and leader in his church, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, at the Davis-Struempf chapel, 1975 East-West Connector, Austell. Mr. Coursey, 78, an outstanding three-sport athlete in his youth, went on to success as owner and operator of several businesses, passed away Saturday night at his Smyrna home. He had been in declining health for several years. He was born in Atlanta on March 2, 1931, son of Lloyd Vernon Coursey and Sarah Elizabeth Malsby Coursey. Among Mr. Coursey's businesses were the Christian Country Bookstore and The Collectibles Center, which he opened in Smyrna in 1976 and operated, with his wife, the former Sue Ledbetter, until his retirement in 1995. Both were active in their church, Westside Baptist in Mableton. Earlier, they were charter members of Calvary Baptist in Austell. Mr. Coursey taught Sunday School and was an ordained deacon. At West Fulton High School, now closed and the building razed, he was a legendary athlete, once running 99 yards for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak. Again, scooping up a bad snap from center, he ran for the winning extra point that decided an upset of Cartersville High, one of the state powers in 1948. In baseball he played flawless shortstop and was a leading hitter and a principal reason the school won the 1947 state championship. The late Charlie Roberts of the Atlanta Constitution described him as "a brilliant baseball shortstop" and dubbed him and teammate Robert "Sonny" Conn as the "Gold Dust Twins." Roberts' prep-beat counterpart on the Journal, Dan Magill, wrote that Coursey was "one of the most versatile athletes ever developed at West Fulton," a perennial baseball power. As 17-year-olds, Coursey and Conn were playing semi-pro baseball with Metter in the Ogeechee League. Coursey quarterbacked the North team in the annual North-South High School All-Star Game. He played guard, and later, forward, on the West Fulton basketball team, frequently leading the team in scoring. Mr. Coursey performed with equal passion for his church in later years, and traveling back and forth to North Carolina to watch his grandchildren play sports. He was preceded in death by his parents, son Lloyd (Doc) Coursey; and sister Linda Coursey Prewett. Surviving are his wife, Sue, daughter Jan Coursey Darnell and her husband, Barry, of Concord, N.C.; and seven grandchildren, all of the Concord area, Amos Darnell and wife Erica, Daniel Darnell and wife Christina, and Jeremiah, Isaiah, Elijah, Rebekah and Malachi Darnell. Dr. A.T. Stewart will conduct services. Burial will follow at Georgia Memorial Cemetery. Visitation is at 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at Davis-Struempf Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, you may donate to Westside Missionary Fund, 4900 Floyd Rd., Mableton, GA 30126. Mr. Courseys Son in law and grandsons will serve as pallbears.
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