John Cromartie, a Gainesville man described in his obituary as having “an unrelenting devotion to faith and justice,” has died. He was 84.
Cromartie’s legal career included a federal clerkship and serving as a partner at Greer, Sartain, Carey & Cromartie in Gainesville. He also worked with Georgia Mountain Legal Services and later served as Director and Executive Director of Georgia Legal Services Program, where he championed equal access to justice as “an advocate for the poor and disenfranchised.”
Later in life, he received a divinity degree from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University and served as an associate minister at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. For this work the church recently established an award in his name. Cromartie later served Senior Minister at Cumming First United Methodist Church.
In 2003, in recognition of his lifetime commitment to community service, Emory University awarded him with the Emory Medal, the highest award given to an alum.
Cromartie also was an athlete and avid outdoorsman, who, among other things, twice section-hiked the Appalachian Trail “with worn out knees” and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with his family. He spent many summers in his retirement hiking the White Mountains of New Hampshire with his wife, Julia. His hiking companions recall his favorite phrase: “The goal isn’t to finish the trail, but to appreciate every step.”
A Celebration of Life will be held June 21 at 2:00 at Gainesville First United Methodist Church.
The full obituary can be found here: littledavenport.com
(Courtesy Little-Davenport Funeral Home)