INGRAM, Judge G. Conley

Judge G. Conley Ingram passed away peacefully at his home on November 11, 2019 in the loving presence of his lifetime love and wife of 67 years, Sylvia Williams Ingram, his children, and his family. He died as he lived surrounded by love and care.

Born in Dublin, Georgia to

George Conley Ingram, Jr. and

Nan Whitehurst Ingram, he grew up in Dublin and later Milledgeville, Georgia. He attended Laurens County public schools, and at the age of fourteen, he attended Georgia Military College for one year and then entered Emory University, graduating in 1949 with a B.A. in Psychology. He also attended Emory University School of Law, receiving his J.D. in 1951. Following law school, he served as a First Lieutenant, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U.S. Army Reserve from 1952-1954 and was on the staff and faculty of the Judge Advocate General’s School, United States Army, at the University of Virginia Law School.

On July 26, 1952, Judge Ingram married Sylvia, the love of his life, after he first met Sylvia one year earlier on a fortuitous college sponsored trip to Chicago. Judge Ingram was still at Emory and Sylvia was attending Agnes Scott College at the time.

Conley and Sylvia moved to Marietta in 1957. He then began his legendary legal career as a private practitioner and jurist. He was a dedicated public servant serving as the City Attorney for the City of Smyrna from 1958-64, the City Attorney for the City of Kennesaw in 1964, as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Georgia from 1979-86, and as a Member and Vice Chairman of the State Commission on Compensation from 1987-96.

Judge Ingram served as a Judge on the Cobb County Juvenile Court from 1960-64, as a Judge on the Cobb County Superior Court from 1964-68; as a Justice on the Supreme Court of Georgia from August 1, 1973-August 1, 1977 and as a Senior Superior Court Judge, State of Georgia, in the Cobb Judicial Circuit from 1998 until he recently retired on November 1, 2019.

As a private practitioner, Judge Ingram practiced with Reed, Ingram and Flournoy and later with Ingram, Flournoy, Downey and Cleveland in Marietta. He also was a Partner at the law firm of Alston & Bird from August 1, 1977 until August 1, 1998.

His professional achievements and activities included serving as a Trustee of the Georgia Bar Foundation, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a Member of the American Law Institute, a Member of the International Society of Barristers, a Member of the State Bar of Georgia and former Chairman of the Bench and Bar Committee and Chairman, Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. He served as the President of the Cobb County Bar Association and was a member of the Board of Governors, Old War Horse Lawyers Club, a member of the Georgia Arbitrators Forum and a Trustee of the Georgia Bar Foundation.

He was a selfless leader in his Church and in his Community. He served as the Former Chairman for the Board of Stewards and Trustee of the First United Methodist Church Marietta in 1966 and 2000, as a Former Trustee and Lay Leader in the First United Methodist Church Marietta and was a former Sunday school teacher for over ten plus years. He also served as a Charter Board Member of the Marietta First United Methodist Church Endowment Foundation.

He was a Board Member and founding chairman of the Georgian Club. He served as a Former Trustee for the Carter Center in Atlanta and was on the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, Inc. and Chair for its Board of Ethics. He served twice as Chairman of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce in 1970 and 1990. He was a Founding Member and former Trustee of the Cobb Community Foundation and served as a Former Fellow of the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art, as past president of the Cobb Landmarks Society, as past president Cobb County YMCA and as a Former Trustee for the Tommy Nobis Center Foundation.

His devotion to education was well known. He served as the Past President for three PTAs: at Hickory Hills Elementary School, at Marietta Middle School and at Marietta High School. He was also an Honorary Member of the Georgia PTA. He was a Former Trustee and Chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee of Emory University. He was also a Member Emeritus of the Emory University Law School Council. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Emory Law School Alumni Association in 1985. In 1988, he was the recipient of the Emory Medal which is the highest University award given to alumni.

Judge Ingram was also a Member of the Executive Committee and served as a Former Trustee, Vice Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Agnes Scott College. He was also a Founding Member of the Kennesaw College Foundation. He was a Member of the Marietta Rotary Club, a Former Chairman of the Juliette Low Camp, Former Member of the WellStar Foundation Board of Trustees, a Member of the Earl Smith Strand Theater Advisory Board, was President of Kennestone Guild and was one of three members to establish the Cobb Arts Council.

Judge Ingram was the recipient of numerous awards. In 1961, he received the Distinguished Service Award from Kennesaw Mountain (Marietta) Jaycees and the State Distinguished Service Award from Georgia Jaycees, naming him one of Georgia’s Five Outstanding Young Men. He received the Public Service Award from the Cobb Chamber of Commerce in 1970 and the Distinguished Citizen Award from City of Marietta in 1973. He was the recipient of the Len Gilbert Leadership Award from the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce in 1985. In 1987, he received the Tradition of Excellence Award from the General Practice and Trial Section of the State Bar of Georgia. He was the Cobb County Citizen of the Year in 1990 and in 1999; he received the Marietta Rotary Club Award for Vocational Excellence. In 2006, he received the Legacy Award from the Chattahoochee Technical College. In 2017, he was the first recipient of the Cobb Legal Aid Award which was named for him in his honor.

Judge Ingram is survived by his loving wife, Sylvia Ingram of Marietta; daughters Judge S. Lark Ingram and husband Dan Pompilio of Cobb County, Nancy Ingram Jordan of Marietta; son Conley Ingram and wife, Rev. Dr. Barbara Ingram of Alpharetta; grandchildren Lawton Jordan, Larkie Post (Eric), Harrison Jordan, Martha-Conley Ingram, Rebekah-Ann Ingram; great grandchildren: Emory Post, Lark Sullins Post, Conley Post and Elliott Post.

The family would like to extend their gratitude and thanks to Lisa Rowland with the Wellstar Comprehensive Care Clinic and the staff of Wellstar Community Hospice.

The family would like to extend their gratitude and thanks to Judge Ingram’s wonderful caregivers: McClinton Cares: Jacqui McClinton and Norma Barlow and In My Arms, LLC: Tish Dye, Carolyn Lee, Savannah Lively and Julie Spencer.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 15th at the First United Methodist Church with Dr. Julie Boone and Dr. Sam Mathews officiating. Interment will be privately held.

The family will receive friends from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 14th at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home, Historic Marietta Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Marietta. www.MayesWardDobbins.com 770-428-1511