John Ralston Cargill III

Funeral services will be held at Edgewood Hall of Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, Columbus, GA on Thursday, February 15, 2018 at 2:00 PM with Reverend Dr. Kevin Calhoun officiating. A private burial will be in Parkhill Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday evening from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM in Edgewood Hall of Striffler-Hamby, Columbus, GA.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, by mail at P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8517 or electronically at https://support.wounderewarriorproject.org.

Born to John Ralston Cargill, Jr. and Evelyn Thacker Cargill on February 20th, 1930 in Greensboro, North Carolina, Johnny and his brother Gillespie Thacker Cargill attended grammar school in Greensboro until moving with the family to his father’s hometown of Columbus. He attended Columbus High School where he was a cheerleader and general prankster, graduating in 1949. He would enroll in Auburn University, then known as the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, where he joined the Alabama Alpha Mu chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

He was drafted into service of the U.S. Army in March of 1951. After basic training and leadership school, he was assigned to the 14th Infantry Regiment Golden Dragons of the 25th Infantry Division, known to fellow servicemen as “Tropic Lightning”. Johnny saw service on the front lines north of the 38th Parallel in Korea and was offered a battlefield commission; he would be honorably discharged as a Sergeant First Class.

He returned to Columbus, taking a position at the Jordan Textile Mills as vice president, a role he would serve for 13 years. He married the former Carol Anne Rabbit, and they had one son, John Ralston Cargill, IV. It should be noted that this birth was preceded by the “suggestion” from Carol’s father that Johnny retire from his hobby of hydroplane boat racing, the first of several hobbies he enjoyed throughout his life. Johnny entered the construction arena and participated in several development projects both inside and outside of Columbus. One such venture, the Skate Center on Milgen Road, would delight a generation of Columbus children, most of whom had at least one birthday party during the rink’s history. During his 23 years working for Flournoy Development Company he managed the development of a subdivision in Shalimar, Florida. It was during this time that he ran for a City Commissioner post against a local incumbent, pulling out a victory which left him “tickled to death” (in his own words). Florida suited him well, and he found ample time throughout the 1980s and 1990s to pursue his great love of open water fishing. He returned to Columbus and continued to work with Flournoy managing the Corporate Center until his retirement in 2008.

A stroll down his hallway is a testament to Johnny’s three great loves, family, friends, and big water fishing, as not a bare spot of wall can be seen through the many photographs, tributes, and trophies that hang there. Johnny was a member of the Rotary Club of Columbus where he was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow, and he was an upstanding member in DDS, an organization close to his heart. In retirement, Johnny was still continually active and served as the president of the Springdale Condominium Association from 1999 until 2017.

Other than his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Thacker Cargill. He is survived by his son, John Ralston Cargill, IV (Johnny), daughter-in-law Shirley Johnson Cargill, and by two grandchildren, Ivey Cargill Evans (Cal) and John Ralston Cargill,V (Johnny), all of Columbus, GA. One niece Karan Cargill Brown (Greg) and a nephew, Gillespie Thacker Cargill, Jr. (Kelly).

Online condolences can be offered to the family at www.shcolumbus.com.