Charles "Steve" Stephen Mobley

Charles Stephen “Steve” Mobley, 80 of Winder, passed away Saturday, December 7, 2024. He was a native of Gastonia, NC and a graduate of Bass High School in Atlanta, where he was a star wrestler and outstanding football player, playing both offense and defense. He started his career in Health & Beauty sales, traveling to independent and small chain drug stores. He was a natural-born salesman who also taught retailers how to make more profit on the goods he sold them. He cared deeply about the success of his customers.

Steve enjoyed sales but was an entrepreneur at heart. In 1974, he founded The Sport Shoe, which he grew into one of the most successful athletic footwear retail chains in the country. He was admired throughout the sporting goods industry for his business acumen. Competitors tried but could never match The Sport Shoe’s success. When asked what college he attended, his response was always, “T&E Tech. Trial and Error!” He never stopped learning and simply outsmarted everyone else.

After his retirement, he became a real estate investor, often saying, “land is a smart investment because they aren’t making any more of it!” He was a long-time investor in stocks and enjoyed watching the markets daily. Before moving to his farm in Winder, Steve spent many years on Lake Lanier.

He was an avid Georgia Bulldogs fan. During the Vince Dooley era, Steve spent Saturday afternoons in Sanford Stadium as a season ticket holder. He was also a big fan of Larry Munson, the Bulldogs' legendary announcer. He hired Munson to voice The Sport Shoe’s radio advertisements and said those commercials sold more shoes than any other ads.

Steve stayed active and fit. He was an early adopter of E-bikes and enjoyed riding the trails at Fort Yargo. He loved working out at the gym. Steve and his beloved dog Hank could often be found at the dog park or at the Ellijay cabin on the banks of the Cartecay River having fun. Steve will be remembered as a loving father, good friend and an incredible mentor to all his former employees. He had a list of “Mobley-isms” a mile long. He was generous, kind and had a great sense of humor.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Wilkins Mobley and Faye Skipper Sutt; a son, Stephen Anthony “Tony” Mobley; and two brothers, Ronald and John Mobley. He is survived by his daughter, Tammy Mobley of Ellijay, and his fiancé, Linda Rambin of Covington.

A celebration of Steve’s life will be announced in January. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of Steve’s two favorite charities, St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Canine Companions Greater Atlanta Chapter. A private family interment was held on Friday, December 13, 2024 in White Chapel Memorial Gardens.