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June 16, 2008

GEORGE F. GARGES, 1922-2008: Athens’ Santa gave gifts to many

By Angela Weatherford

George F. Garges, who served as Athens’ Santa Claus at Christmastime for a decade and performed thousands of hours of volunteer work, died Saturday. He was 86.

Funeral services for Garges are scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church of Athens with the Rev. Jack Matkin officiating. Burial will follow at Restland Memorial Park at 3 p.m. Wednesday with Dr. Blair R. Monie officiating, under the direction of Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home of Athens.

Starting in 1985, Garges rode in the Athens Christmas Parade as Santa Claus, and each Christmas morning for 10 years he would wake up early in the morning and place a “gone fishing” sign on Santa’s House on the Henderson County Courthouse square.

As the story goes, no one in Athens knew who placed the sign on the door for many years.

“Someone asked him to be Santa before he moved to Athens,” his son, Gerry, said Monday, “and it really blossomed in Athens.”

Garges and his wife, Myrna, moved to Athens in 1985. Gerry Garges — who lives in Austin — said his parents chose Athens after driving around Texas following his retirement from Ashland Chemical Company in Columbus, Ohio.

“It wasn’t a planned thing,” Gerry said. “The people were friendly and it was a nice place to be. They loved Athens.”

In the 1960s, Garges began donating blood at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston. He donated over 100 units of platelets, making him a member of the Century Club. He was later transferred to Ohio with his job.

Judge Jack Holland remembers Garges as a “classy guy.” Holland met Garges when he moved to Athens.

Holland especially remembers Garges’ patriotism. Garges fought in World War II.

“He really believed in what the country stood for,” Holland said.

Said Gerry: “He didn’t put up with people who didn’t respect the flag.”

Along with activities at his church — First United Methodist Church of Athens — Garges spent three days a week volunteering at East Texas Medical Center in the emergency room. Garges worked over 20 years at the hospital and had recently received an award for volunteering over 14,700 hours — a little less than two full years of his life.

“He had more hours than anyone,” said Tommie Avera, a member of the East Texas Medical Center Auxiliary. “George had a wonderful, gentle spirit.”

Avera remembers how Garges would always respond when he was asked how he was doing.

“‘If I was any better I couldn’t stand myself,’” Avera said, lowering her voice in an imitation of Garges.

Garges was also a member of Athens Little Theatre and the Kiwanis Club.

“You always knew you had a hug and a kiss from George,” Avera said. “People loved him.”

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