[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 20 (Monday, February 6, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZE ALONZO BRANTLEY SAILORS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG COLLINS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 6, 2017

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
of a respected member of the Gainesville, Georgia community, Alonzo 
Brantley Sailors, Jr., who passed away peacefully, surrounded by family 
on January 23. He chose to dedicate his life to service within his 
community and to our country.
  A.B., as his friends and family called him, was born on December 29, 
1933. He graduated from Gainesville High School in 1954, where he 
lettered in football, basketball, and track. After graduation, A.B. 
enlisted in the draft and served our country for two years in West 
Berlin, where he spent 21 months stationed as a medic for the United 
States Army.
  After returning home from WWII, he pursued ways to invest in his 
local community.
  In 1981, he graduated from the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, 
Maryland. A.B. then returned to his hometown and joined the Gainesville 
Fire Department, where he worked for 34 years. This is especially 
significant to me, as I was honored to serve as chaplain of the 
Gainesville Fire Department.
  In the community, A.B. enjoyed coaching the local junior football 
team and was a big supporter of Gainesville sports. He was known as a 
mentor to many young men within the community, and especially in the 
fire department. His friends and colleagues nicknamed him ``Old Dad'' 
and ``The Storyteller'' because of the presence he had in their lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the service that Alonzo 
Brantley Sailors has dedicated to his country and community. He was a 
loving husband, father, and friend and is a great representation of the 
people of northeast Georgia.

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