Michael Byron Tabb, Sr

Michael Byron (Mike) Tabb, Sr., 71, of Leary, GA, went to be with his Savior Monday, August 17, 2015 at his residence. A celebration of his life will be conducted Saturday, August 22, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at Milford Baptist Church. Rev. Preston Wilson will officiate. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. There will be available a basket to put remembrances and a time to share special memories of Mike during the service.

Born in Albany, GA, Mr. Tabb was a lifelong resident of the Milford Community and attended elementary and junior high school at Calhoun Co. in Leary, GA and Morgan, GA and graduated from Baker County High School. He received a BS in secondary education and minored in biology at Valdosta State College.

He was employed from 1993 until 2012 by the Camilla Housing Authority as grant and public relations coordinator and program Coordinator. After retirement, he continued to work part-time with Community Ventures, Inc., a non-profit corporation that conducts various activities including building homes. There he was responsible for grants totaling nearly fifteen million dollars, contracts with the Department of Human Resources to place welfare clients in work experience and employment, providing environmental prevention and youth development activities in twenty counties and acquiring funding and constructing workforce housing for low-to-moderate income citizens. He was the managing editor and wrote the column "Plantation Pete" for the Camilla Enterprise from 1987 until 1993, was a teacher and coach from 1967 until 1974 and farmed from 1974 until 1986

Mr. Tabb was currently involved and a member of the Mitchell County Children and Youth (Family Connection) Corporate Board and chairman of the Mitchell County Children and Youth Collaborative, a member of the Baker County Family Connection Collaborative and also served as chairman of the board of directors at Mitchell-Baker Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC), a member of the Mitchell County Hospital Authority, a member of the Southwest Georgia Workforce Investment Board, Chairman of the Baker County Historical Society, represented Judge Wallace A. Cato on the Baker and Mitchell County School Attendance Protocol Committees, served as chairman of the Advisory Committee for South Georgia Judicial Circuit Indigent Defense Program. He was instrumental in forming the first volunteer Baker County EMS and was chairman of the Baker Commission for eight years. He was an avid historian and was instrumental in the publishing of the Baker County History book and Cemetery Book.

Mr. Tabb had taught Sunday school for over thirty five years at Milford Baptist Church where he was a member. He was preceded in death by his parents Robert Byron Tabb and Pauline Lane Tabb, a son Michael Byron (Mike) Tabb, Jr., a foster son Keith Allen Carr, a sister Nysia Tabb Lanier, and a brother Thomas Tabb.

Mr. Tabb is survived by his wife, Karin S. Tabb, a son Robert Andrew (Robbie) Tabb (Angel) all of Leary, GA, a daughter Amy Tabb Smith (Trey), Blakely, GA, daughter-in-law, Julie Merritt Tabb, Leary, GA, twelve grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends Friday from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Mathews Funeral Home, Albany, GA. Those desiring may make contributions to Milford Baptist Church, 427 Milford Church Road, Leary, GA 39862, or Albany Community Hospice, 320 Foundation Lane, Albany, GA 31707.