Dr. Silas Chase Read Jr.

Silas Chase Read, Jr., 83, passed away peacefully at home in Athens, GA on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. He was surrounded by his three loving daughters when he took his last breath and transitioned to the next world.

Silas was born in Augusta, GA on October 11, 1938, to Silas Chase Read, Sr. and Ruby Mae Youngblood Read. Silas’s family moved to Athens, GA when he was 6 years old where his father became the Manager of the A & P Grocery.

Silas attended Chase Street Elementary School and spent almost every day after school as a young boy at the YMCA. At the YMCA, under the mentorship of Cobern Kelley, Silas’s love of sports emerged. He often spoke about the values and lessons he learned during the time spent as one of “Kelley’s Boys.”

He was a member of the class of 1956 at Athens High School and a stand-out basketball player. The local paper often made note of his accomplishments on the Basketball court calling him one of the Trojans “Head Stars” and a “standout in the game.”

While attending Mercer University, Silas met his first wife, Jill Jayne Read. They married in

1960. Following his college studies at Mercer, where he also played Basketball, Silas entered the Medical College of GA in Augusta and became an Ophthalmologist. During this time Silas and Jill had three daughters, Becky, Jennifer, and Melissa. He then moved his family to Athens where he set up his practice in 1970.

Silas was known as a man of integrity, authenticity, empathy, and intelligence. He treated everyone he met with kindness and lived by example. Quiet and reserved, his greatest gift was his ability to connect with others and through his counsel, ministered to many.

Tennis was a great love of Silas’ and he played as often as he could. He developed many deep and meaningful friendships over the years with other tennis players that continued right up until his death. He enjoyed his tennis group that regularly got together at the home court of Dr. Butch Mulherin and made sure to make a final visit there the week before he passed.

Silas won many tournaments over the years, he was a gentle man, but also a fierce competitor.

He married Laura Doster Holbrook Chase in 1993. Together they successfully blended their families that resulted in many years of love, support, and really, really good times.

When Silas’s wife, Laura was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it became Silas’s calling to nurse her every day until her last. And when he became ill with cancer in the summer of 2020, his three daughters responded as they had been shown, by making a schedule and managing his care until his very last day.

For those who knew Silas Chase Read, Jr., his loss will leave a hole that will never be filled, and he will be missed terribly. We know that we have an opportunity to honor his memory every day by living life as he would.

Silas is survived by his siblings, Troy Read, Sr. (Thomasville, GA), Bill Read (Atlanta, GA), Brenda Diffendal (Maidens, VA); his three daughters, Becky Read (Decatur, GA), Jennifer Werfel (Chicago, IL) and Melissa Read Healy (Greensboro, NC); stepchildren, Langford Holbrook (Athens, GA), Andrew Holbrook (Aurora, CO) and Abigail Holbrook (Athens, GA); 12 grandchildren, Jayne-Anne Ahmann, Lucy Ahmann, Emily Werfel, Chase Werfel, Silas Matson, Anna Matson, Ruby Matson and Alice Matson, Susannah Holbrook-Hill, Ephraim Holbrook-Hill, Sam Holbrook Holbrook, Caroline Holbrook.

Visitation with the family will be held on Friday, February 25, 2022, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at Bernstein Funeral Home. All are welcome.

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 26, at 1:00 p.m., at Athens First United Methodist Church, in downtown Athens. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Athens YMCA General Fund or the Athens First United Methodist Church.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.