Myron Gilliland

BUFORD – Myron E. Gilliland, 86, died Wednesday, January 28, 2009.

Born on March 3, 1922, he was the son of the late Lake and Minnie Gilliland of Jackson County. He married Latrelle Thurmond on February 10, 1945, and moved to the Buford area, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Buford, a former Sunday school teacher and Sunday school superintendent. Mr. Gilliland was preceded in death by a sister, Myrtie Jones, Gainesville; and son-in-law, Robert Brown, Buford.

As one of the last living workers of the Bona Allen “harness shop”, his name is engraved on a statue of Roy Rogers, Trigger and Jack Johnson, located in historic Buford, commemorating the saddle made for Trigger by the Bona Allen Company in the late 1940s. He then went to work for General Motors at the Doraville assembly plant, where he was a member of UAW Local 10, and retired in 1980, after 32 years of service.

Survivors include his wife of nearly 64 years, Latrelle Thurmond Gilliland, Buford; daughters and sons-in-law, Joan Brown, Flowery Branch, Martha Jo and Ronald Martin, Canon, Judy and Jerry Parks, Buford; sons and daughters-in-law, Ricky and Janice Gilliland and Ronny and Joan Gilliland, all of Buford; a brother, Paul Gilliland, Buford; sisters, Nell Heard and Ola Adams, both of Buford; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 31, at 2 p.m., at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Buford. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The body will lie in state at the church beginning at 1:30 p.m. Officiating ministers will be the Revs. Larry Waddell, Jody Martin, Jack Pierce, and with graveside services by the Rev. Mark Hutchins.

Flanigan Funeral Home, Buford, is in charge of arrangements.