Franklin Wade "Bo" Orr

Franklin Wade “Bo” Orr of Flowery Branch, Ga., entered into rest on Friday, October 20, 2023, just 11 days shy of his 91st birthday.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Lila Kilgore Orr; his parents, Wade H. and Mattie V. Orr; his siblings, George Truitt, Charles Harvey, William Orion and Leaora; and his son-in-law, Eddie Whitfield.

Born on October 31, 1932, and raised on a dairy farm in Flowery Branch, Bo would share tales of his childhood that included walking to the dairy to fetch running water for the farmhouse, which had none. He sometimes traveled to deliver milk as far as Gainesville with his father, Wade Orr (for whom the road over I-985 in Hall County is named). He told of how his father set off on April 6, 1936, on his usual early morning route. In those days, you were lucky if you passed two cars between Flowery Branch and Gainesville. The dairy farmer was greeted by devastation when he arrived. There was no early warning system back then, and an early-morning tornado had torn through Gainesville, leaving more than 200 residents dead and nearly 1,000 injured. That day, Wade Orr gave away his milk to any who needed it.

A graduate of Flowery Branch High School, Bo took to carpentry like a duck to water, holding various related jobs before joining Lazy Days Manufacturing Company in Buford, Ga. There, he spent 25 years as a woodcrafter on Lazy Day houseboats, “the Cadillac of houseboats,” and running the Lazy Days factory.

Bo was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War and served as a forward observer. Like many who returned from that conflict, he rarely spoke of the experience, except to say that when he was on duty, watching the enemy across the border through his binoculars, he would see their enemy’s forward observer staring back at him from “Old Baldy,”

While he wrote every day to his young bride, Lila, (his high-school girlfriend) when he served in the military, he joked years later that if he forgot to write, he would write two in one day and back date it “since they took so long to get there anyways!”

When he returned home, Bo and his wife were blessed with a son, Franklin (Scott), and a couple of years later, a daughter, Lori.

With his love of woodwork and experience, Bo tackled a new home for his family in Flowery Branch, on land that once was part of his father’s dairy farm. It was where he raised his family and met his Maker. He spent much of time in his woodworking workshop, (eventually larger than their home!), and loved creating and perfecting furniture and mementos for family and friends. His grandchildren would bring their children to watch Papa Bo at work, showcasing his talents and quiet humor.

“I’m working on my second million,” Bo would tell them. “I’ve already given up on my first.”

When he wasn’t woodcrafting, Bo was in his garden, tending flowers, blueberries and tomatoes while everyone waited hopefully for their share of the harvest. His sweet tooth was unrivaled, despite his diabetes. He loved baking blueberry muffins, which he proudly displayed on a cake dome on the kitchen counter. He enjoyed riding his tractor, giving tours of the land on his golf cart, and pointing out the deer roaming through the woods.

Bo and Lila were supportive parents to their children, committed to their education and in showing them God’s path. And they were lovingly present for their grandchildren. When Alzheimer’s began taking Lila’s memories, Bo lovingly devoted the rest of her days to caring for her, until her passing in 2012. Even after her passing and until cancer kept him home, Bo attended church, painting a dapper picture in the church pews and in his Sunday School class.

Bo’s family is eternally grateful to Mary Gibbs, his companion in his later years, who loved and cared for him and was with him and his family when he entered God’s loving embrace.

Bo is survived by his loving children, Scott Orr (Benita) of Sky Valley, Ga., and Lori Whitfield (Wayne Gibbs) of Flowery Branch Georgia; five grandchildren, Whitney Orr Carlson (Peter) of  Minneapolis, Minn., Jessica Orr Mull (Alex) of Senoia, Ga., Ansley Orr Nehme (Jad) of Marseilles, France; Craig Whitfield (Amanda) of Murphy, NC., and Megan Whitfield of Clermont, Ga.; and five great-grandchildren, Monroe Carlson, Lila Claire Mull, Cannon Mull, Jad Wade Nehme, and Dax Nehme.

Visitation will be held on Monday, October 23, 2023, from 6-8 p.m.at the Memorial Park South Funeral Home.  A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at 11 a.m. at the Chapel of Memorial Park South Funeral Home with interment following at Memorial Park South Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Eagle Ranch, P.O. Box 7200, Chestnut Mountain, GA 30502 or http://www.eagleranch.org.

Memorial Park South Funeral Home, 4121 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch, Georgia 30542 is in charge of arrangements.  Send on-line condolences to www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com.