Georgianne B Bearden

Georgianne Brown Bearden passed away Friday, June 27, 2025. She touched so many in her time on this earth. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, July 19, 2025, at the Monroe County Memorial Chapel. The family will greet friends an hour prior to the service at the Chapel. Inurnment will be 1:00pm, Friday, July 25, 2025, at the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2617 Vinson Highway Southeast, Milledgeville, Georgia.

Georgianne, the daughter of the late Lloyd George Brown and Mildred Thelma Brown was born April 9, 1940, in Atlanta, Georgia. She grew up in Jonesboro, Georgia graduating from Jonesboro High School. That small town experience is what drew her to another railroad town, Forsyth. She spent the last 40 years in Forsyth, a community that she loved and called home. She loved the sound of the train and life in an historic property. Georgianne loved all that was Georgia.

Georgianne's love of her state ran almost as deep as her love for her Bulldogs. While attending the University of Georgia as a Zeta Tau Alpha sister, she met the love of her life, James Thomas "Buz" Bearden, a fellow Greek. They were married 55 inseparable years before he passed in 2015. Her love of family was immeasurable. The focus on her children led her to volunteer in their classrooms, an effort that eventually led to her being President of the PTA for state of Georgia.

In her personal life, and eventually professional career, she tirelessly lobbied and worked for education. Her efforts earned her an appointment to the Governor's Council on Education. Her passion for leadership and lobbying led her to a career in association management. She retired after 17 years of serving as the Executive Director for the Georgia Optometric Association where she led their lobbying efforts under Georgia's gold dome. Her leadership extended beyond GOA into multiple state and national professional associations. Georgianne's passion for fighting for the causes she supported were only surpassed by her role as wife, mother and friend.

She is survived by her children, Stacie Bearden of Avondale Estates and Chris Bearden of Snellville; her granddaughter, Emily Bearden; and her brother, James Harold Brown of Big Canoe; and countless friends and neighbors who will miss her smile, her laugh and those casual conversations that made you feel like you were all that mattered.

Plese visit www.monroecountymemorialchapel.com to express your condolences. 

Monroe County Memorial Chapel has charge of the arrangements.