Mr. Earl Cosby

Mr. Earl Cosby, age 82, of Blairsville, Ga., died Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at Union County Nursing Home.

Earl was born Sunday, August 3, 1924, in Cook Co., Ill., to the late Earl F. Cosby Sr. and the late Roberta Ehrhard Cosby. His family moved to Chattanooga in 1941 as his father was in the Army and stationed near there. Earl met Betty in High School, and he joined the Marines as soon as he graduated. He was on the Battleship Iowa as a gunner on the big guns. After coming home on leave, Earl married Betty on April 8, 1945. He was discharged from the Marines in Sept. 1945 and went to work for the Exxon Plant and worked for 30 years before retiring. Earl was an elder in Central Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga for many years.

His family moved to Blairsville in 1976 and they built three homes there. Earl worked as a counselor for the 700 Club and taught in several churches. He attended Grace Community Presbyterian Church.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Cosby of Blairsville; daughters, Pamela Collins of Blairsville, Deborah Sommer of

Blairsville; son, Gary

Cosby of Chattanooga,

Tenn.; brother, Robert

Cosby of Apache Junction, Ariz.; sisters,

Judy Couter of Jackson,

Ga., Joyce Reinke of

Hartwell, Ga.; three grandchildren, one great grandchild.

Funeral services were held Friday, February 9, 2007 at 11 a.m. from the Chapel of Cochran Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert Smith officiating. Interment was in Union Memory Gardens with Military Honors provided by the North GA Honor Guard. Pallbearers were David Collins, Chuck Sommer, Eric Collins, Brian Cosby, Wesley Sommer, Brett Eckerd, Jason Taylor.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations may be made to Samaritan's Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.

The Cochran Funeral Home of Blairsville is in charge of arrangements. You may send condolences to the family and sign the guest register at www.cochranfuneralhomes. com.