Roper Funeral Home and Crematory 206 Holly St Jasper, GA 30143 (706) 253-7500 (706) 253-0040 www.roperfuneralhome.com Rufus Taylor Josey, Jr., age 96, of Jasper, Georgia, passed away Saturday, February 8, 2025 at his home. He was the only child born March 13, 1928 to Rufus Taylor Josey, Sr. and Cynthia Brewer Josey in Ellenwood, Georgia. The family moved many times in his early years during the heart of the depression. He stated the first day at a new school in a new town was almost always an event. He spent his final school years in Dallas, Georgia and graduated from Paulding County High School in 1945 as one of four boys in a class of approximately eighteen. He worked briefly for Georgia Power until his father signed papers for him to enlist in the Merchant Marines at age 17. He was off to see the world from the deck of a freighter. It was a glorious time to visit the Panama Canal in the summer (hot) and the North Atlantic in the winter (cold). On the night of June 18, 1948 he performed a daring rescue of another sailor in the dark freezing waters of the San Francisco bay. After leaving the Merchant Marines he worked again as an appliance repairman for Georgia Power and met the "Love of his life" Juanita Pauline Green. She was "The One." After he was drafted by the Army to go fight in Korea, they were married on September 9, 1950. He left for basic training at Fort Jackson and was off to fight in "The Forgotten War." On July 26, 1951 he was wounded by machine gun fire and received his first Purple Heart. He was immediately returned to the front line and only five weeks later he was seriously wounded on September 1, 1951. He was awarded a second Purple Heart. He spent his final months in military hospitals recuperating before being shipped back to the states for discharge. He returned to his young Juanita and to work at Georgia Power and they bought their first house. On July 26, 1953 his son was born. Two years later on October 28, 1955 his daughter was born. During this period he enrolled at Georgia Tech and spent five years in night school to obtain an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. There were many long hard nights of relentless work with little or no sleep. He graduated in 1959 After graduating from Georgia Tech he took a position as Junior Partner with Mark C Pope and became the fourth employee. His leadership created the foundation for an exceptional service organization with continuous growth. Within a decade he was the major stockholder and President. He created one of the first ESOP companies in Georgia. Upon his retirement in 1993 he left an organization of over fifty employees with revenues approaching $15 million. During all of his work life he and Juanita (Nita) worked tirelessly with school volunteer groups and sports teams. RT also wired many rural homes for relatives when power became available. He was an avid golfer at Bent Tree and never missed a chance to play business golf. He was always there when there was work to be done and expected little in return. If you ask him his greatest achievement, he will always tell you "It was marrying the love of my life, Juanita and spending 74 years together." We lost one of the truly "Good Ones." RT is survived by his wife, Juanita Josey of Jasper; son and daughter-in-law, Steven Lloyd and Denice Conley Josey of Smyrna; daughter and son-in-law, Susan Josey Ripp and Robert Louis Ripp of Durango, Colorado; grandchildren, Taylor Louis Ripp and Courtney Romano Ripp of Durango, Colorado, Allison Leigh Josey and John Tyler Hardin of Williams, Oregon, Leslie Reid Josey of Smyrna; and great-grandson, Raleigh Louis Ripp of Durango, Colorado. A private family ceremony will be held at Georgia National Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will be held at Fellowship Presbyterian Church at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Fellowship Presbyterian Church in RT's honor at 389 Bent Tree Drive; Jasper, Georgia 30143 or online at fellowshippc-jasper.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the Staff of Roper Funeral Home and Crematory.