Longtime Mercer University trustee, donor, and alumnus A.V. Elliott passed away on April 17, 2019 at the age of 90. A Celebration of Life will be held at Newton Chapel (Mercer University campus) on Monday, April 22, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. with Dr. William Underwood officiating. The family will greet friends following the service. Designated parking with shuttle service will be provided.
A 1956 graduate of the College of Liberal Arts, Elliott was a committed and generous supporter of the University. He was serving his fourth term on the Board of Trustees at the time of his death.
Elliott was secretary and treasurer of Elliott Machine Shop Inc., a 100-employee company he founded in Macon in 1975, beginning with only five employees. He was previously founding director of Rivoli Bank of Macon and a research and development engineer for Bibb Manufacturing Company.
Elliott was active in the local community, serving terms as chair of the Mayor’s Committee for Cost-Effective Government; vice-chair of the Macon Chamber of Commerce; founding director of the Macon Economic Development Committee; founding member of the Macon Industrial Roundtable and the Committee for Macon’s Future; and a member of the MedCen Foundation Board, Macon Vocational-Technical Foundation Board and Macon Vocational–Technical Advisory Board. He was a member of Forest Hills United Methodist Church and Christian Living Sunday school class.
He served two appointments from Governor Zell Miller as chair of the Georgia Rail Passenger Authority and as a member of the Georgia Department of Human Resources Board.
A member of the Mercer President’s Club, Elliott provided the University with a $1 million dollar gift in November 2012 to endow the A.V. Elliott Conference on Great Books and Ideas. Elliott, who majored in both Christianity and history at Mercer, attributed much of his success to his ability to think critically at important moments, a skill he honed in his humanities courses.
He also gifted the University with the Elliott Bell Tower at the Five Star Football and Lacrosse Complex in February 2013. The bell rings before each home football game as a call for fans to enter the stadium and after each Bears’ score and victory.
His most recent commitment was for the new undergraduate sciences building, Godsey Science Center, on the Macon campus. In recognition of his support, the University named the area framed by the new sciences building, the School of Medicine and School of Engineering buildings and the Willet Science Center as the A.V. Elliott Science Quadrangle. In 2013, he was honored with the Mercer University Meritorious Service Award.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Glennda Elliott; daughter Sylvia (George) Damour; son, Stanley Elliott; grandchildren, Chris Cranford, Bridgett Elliott, and Randall Elliott; step-children, Sam Gandy and Hannah (John) Fleckenstein; step-grandchildren, Christian and Carson Gandy, Olivia and Riley Fleckenstein; and several nieces and nephews. A.V. was preceded in death by two sons, Randall and Vance Elliott.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to Mercer University or the MedCen Foundation at 858 High Street, Macon, GA. 31201.
Visit snowscs.com to express condolences.
Snow’s Memorial Chapel, Cherry Street has charge of arrangements.
