Edward B. Singleton, 90, of Clayton, passed away Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017.
He was born in Hall County on March 6, 1926, to parents Frank Singleton and Elizabeth Dillard Singleton.
Raised in North Georgia, Ed spent a majority of his childhood in Dillard and attended Rabun Gap School. He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the U.S. Marines. Following his military service, he attended and played football at the University of Georgia, later transferring to Western Carolina University to continue his collegiate football career as a lineman for the WCU Catamounts.
Ed received his undergraduate degree from WCU, where he also met his wife of more than 61 years, Sara Moore Singleton. He went on to complete his graduate work at WCU, receiving a master’s degree in Business Education.
A career educator, Ed coached and taught at Stevens County, White County and Rabun County High Schools, as well as a short stint in Montana early in his career. His years as a Rabun County “Wildcat” were especially significant and he proudly wore the unofficial title of “Coach Singleton” long after his official career ended in 1991. Ed enjoyed all sports, coaching high school football, basketball and golf over the span of his 30-plus year career. He was recently honored by the football players of Rabun County classes of 1964-69, who along with the current RCHS coaching staff, presented him with a trophy, signed football and other mementos of his coaching career.
A lifelong outdoorsman, Ed loved spending time outdoors with family and friends, camping, fishing, hunting, playing golf and enjoying God’s creation. He was a familiar face to many Rabun County residents, either from the football field or classroom, from a midstream vantage in one of the county’s many blue-ribbon trout streams, or around a campfire at Moccasin Creek. He and his wife Sara logged many miles in RVs and campers, traveling the country and visiting friends and family in the Western states and Alaska.
Ed was a member of Clayton First United Methodist Church and a member of American Legion Post 220 of Clayton.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Bill and Bob Singleton, and sisters Mary (Singleton), Sara (Ivie), Lucy (Kimball) and Ruth (Osborne).
He is survived by his wife Sara Singleton, son Frank Singleton and wife Phyllis; son John Singleton and wife Claudia; six grandchildren (Jacob, Zachary, Sarah, Mary; Johan and Antonella) and 10 great-grandchildren (Elizabeth, Samantha, Jacob, John; Grace, Vivian, Sophia, Charlotte, Georgiana and Louisa).
The Clayton Tribune, Feb. 16, 2017