George Hite Shriver, Jr died on October 27″ at Ogeechee Hospice in Statesboro, Ga. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1931, and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1949. He received his BA degree (magna cum laude) in English and History in 1953 from Stetson University, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He also received his Master’s in Divinity from Southeastern Seminary (in NC) in 1956, and PhD from Duke University in 1961. He taught at Duke, Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forrest, and Georgia Southern University, combined, for over 41 years.
He was a Swiss-American Exchange Scholar at the University of Geneva in 1965-66; a Ford Foundation Scholar; and a National Endowment for the Humanities Scholar. He served as the Women’s Tennis Coach at Georgia Southern for 10 years and later in life served as a certified USTA tennis umpire. Founder and Chair of Religious Studies Minor at GSU, he published 10 books and dozens of articles in this field. He received many honors during his 26 years at GSU, including the university award for Excellence in Research and Professor of the Year. He was also awarded the highest award in Liberal Arts, the Ruffin Cup for excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.
He dearly loved his family, friends, teaching, tennis, and coffee breaks. He played singles tennis until he was 89 years old. He was pre-deceased by his parents, two sisters, son David, and daughter Laurie: He is survived by his devoted and beloved wife Cathy for over 37 years, two daughters, Rebecca Davis and Bonnie (Richard) Spiers of Statesboro, Grandson Matthew Spiers of Brunswick and stepchildren Jeffrey (Katarina) Young of Slovenia and Deborah (Sean Werley) Young of Chapel Hill, NC., and two step grandchildren Austin and Eliot Werley of Chapel Hill, NC.
Private graveside services will be held at Bulloch Memorial Gardens Cemetery on Monday, October 30th.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Cathryn Barnett Shriver Nursing Scholarship, Georgia Southern Foundation, PO Box 8053, Statesboro, GA 30460 or your favorite charity.
Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory of Statesboro is in charge of arrangements.
