Phillip Bond Sartain

Phillip Bond Sartain, 62, of Gainesville passed away peacefully on December 28, 2020.

Phillip was born February 19, 1958, in Royston, Georgia at the Ty Cobb Memorial Hospital, foretelling a lifelong love of baseball and North Georgia. The son of the late Joe Bond Sartain, Jr. and the late Carolyn Batson Sartain, Phillip grew up in Gainesville where he graduated from Gainesville High School. After a brief stint at North Georgia College, Phillip transferred to Emory University in Atlanta where he graduated with highest honors and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Following his time at Emory, Phillip attended the University of Georgia School of Law.

Phillip worked as a partner with his father and two brothers at Sartain Law Offices in Gainesville from 1986 until his 2016 retirement. He spent thirty years helping claimants in workers’ compensation cases and practicing Social Security disability law. He was so well-respected, in fact, that many of the federal Administrative Law judges in the area would often refer their own close friends and family members directly to Phillip for representation, speaking to both his extensive legal knowledge and his inimitable dedication to his clients. His court admissions included the Northern and Middle Georgia United States District Courts, and he has been recognized multiple times by the Workers’ Compensation Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia for his professionalism.

Phillip was also a philanthropist, generous with his time and his money. He actively served Hall County through his involvement with several charitable and civic organizations, including the Red Cross, the Gainesville Symphony, United Way, the Arts Council (past President), and as the Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 2003 Flatwater Canoe/Kayak World Championship held on Lake Lanier. Closest to his heart were the Boys and Girls Club of Lanier and the Georgia Mountain Food Bank. Phillip was the chair and a founding member of the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, from whom he received its highest honor, the “Reflections of the Heart” award. Many Saturday mornings were spent with his three daughters volunteering with local food distributions, instilling in them a profound respect and concern for the wellbeing of their community. Additionally, Phillip served as president of the Boys and Girls Club of Lanier. Phillip was presented (by UGA football coach Kirby Smart) with the club’s newly renamed “Phillip Sartain Helping Hands” in recognition of his extensive service and hard work.

            Phillip was diagnosed with early onset Frontal Temporal Dementia in early 2016, a diagnosis he faced bravely and with considerable dignity. Shortly thereafter, Phillip published

Pony Tales – Stories from My Life with Four Women, a collection of columns that he had written for Lakeside on Lanier over the years. The column, entitled “Break from the Lake,” usually focused on life’s little ups and downs with the women in his life—wife Lydia, and daughters Callie, Carey, and Susanna. Of course, most of the exploits were blown out of proportion, but his eccentric style made many, including Lakeside’s editor, laugh out loud. The column began in 1995 and was published for 20 years. In true Phillip Sartain fashion, he had proceeds from the book and payments for the column sent directly to the Boys and Girls Club of Lanier.

            Phillip led a rich, fulfilling and exciting life. He held a deep respect and appreciation for nature and loved hiking in the North Georgia mountains with his dog, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, his wife, and three daughters. An explorer at heart, Phillip once drove the family RV to all 48 contiguous states with his wife and three daughters; remarkably, they all lived to tell the story. Additionally, Phillip was an avid snow-skier and found much joy with his father-in-law on the slopes of North Conway, New Hampshire and Big Sky, Montana. Phillip was a member of First Baptist Church of Gainesville where he spent his Sunday mornings in fellowship with the Oasis Sunday school class. A musician and songwriter himself, Phillip was the biggest fan of the Allman Brothers Band, Jackson Brown, and Emmylou Harris. His greatest joy in life were his three daughters, who hope to carry on his legacy.

            Ireland was Phillip’s favorite place in the entire world as well as his ancestral home. He’d ask everyone to pour themselves a Guinness and raise a toast with the Irish blessing:

“May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind blow at your back.

May the sun shine warmly on your face.

May the rain fall softly on your fields,

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Amen.”

Phillip is preceded in death by his parents, Joe Bond Sartain, Jr. and Carolyn Batson Sartain. He is loved deeply by his wife of 28 years, Lydia Jackson Sartain; Daughters Carolyn Neal Sartain (Trey) of Chicago, IL; Carey Foster Sartain of Macon, GA; Susanna Bond Sartain of Charleston, SC; In-laws Robert and Beverly Jackson of Blairsville, GA; Mike and Lisa Mashburn of Blairsville, GA; Brothers Perry Malcom Sartain of Gainesville, GA; Larry O’Neil Sartain of Gainesville; and plenty of wonderful nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff at The Gardens of Gainesville, Manor Lake of Gainesville (where Phillip was, apparently, the life of the party!) and Homestead Hospice. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the family will host a celebration of life at a later date. Those wishing to send online condolences may do so at littledavenport.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorial contributions be made to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, PO Box 233, Gainesville, GA 30503, the Boys & Girls Club of Lanier, PO Box 691, Gainesville, GA 30503 or the Sartain Fund for Community Engagement at Brenau University.

Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Georgia 30501 is in charge of arrangements.