By David Morris
On June 17, Ormewood Park Presbyterian Church celebrates the life and memory of one of its prominent former members who gave so much to the church and to the community. Marion “Crash” McGill grew up in Ormewood Park, attended the church as a child, and went on to pursue a distinguished career in the Atlanta Fire Department for forty years, retiring as Battalion Chief. Crash, who got his nickname from so many misadventures when he first learned to drive, passed last August. He insisted on supporting in his estate the church he remembered so fondly.
His wife Lillie and his brother Raymond are taking part in the church’s celebration for Crash. Lillie recounts how, whenever Crash and Raymond got together as adults, they couldn’t help reminiscing about their wonderful memories of Ormewood Park Presbyterian. Like Crash, Raymond served with the Atlanta Fire Department, also retiring as Battalion Chief. The McGill family was deeply involved in the life of Ormewood Park Presbyterian. Katherine Carter affectionately remembers Crash’s and Raymond’s mother who taught Katherine’s Sunday School class when she was growing up.
Both avid golfers, Lillie and Crash met on the course, and they were married for over thirty years. Both had survived prior spouses. (Crash’s first wife of forty years was Melba Joyner McGill.) A native of Decatur, Lillie passed the bar at eighteen years of age and then led a long and successful career as an attorney for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Both Lillie and Crash had retired at Presbyterian Village in Austell.
The celebration for Crash will consist of a service at 11:00am on Sunday, June 17, followed by a potluck dinner at Ormewood Park Presbyterian, 1071 Delaware Avenue. This date was chosen in honor of Crash’s birthday, June 13. All in the community are welcome to attend this special occasion for someone who risked his life for others throughout his career and who always remembered his childhood church home.
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