John Stuart Erbelding

With Great Sadness we announce the death of Archbishop John Stuart Erbelding of Dillard, Georgia, age 87, who passed away on Friday, July 7, 2023. He was better known as Dr. John in the county.

He was born April 20, 1936, to the late Mabel Theis Erbelding and John Erbelding of Brooklyn, New York, He was their only child. He was educated at Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, New York, an Episcopal Preparatory school.

He earned four doctorates in his life, one in chiropractic medicine, nutrition and biochemistry, psychology, and divinity.

Dr. John practiced chiropractic medicine for twenty years in New York before moving to Stowe, Vermont, to open a clinic for general medical practice and spine and joint rehabilitation.

Dr. John married Susan Elizabeth Ward November 7, 1971, at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City with Dr. Norman Vincent Peale officiating. He served as church doctor to Marble Collegiate Church.

He leaves behind Susan, his wife of 51 years, their three children, John Robinson Erbelding of Miami, Florida, Elizabeth Erbelding Richwine (Jamie) of New Philadephia, Ohio and Gretchen Erbelding Conway (Chris) of Sky Valley, Georgia, and five granddaughters, Hannah Richwine, Allison Richwine, Megan Richwine, Baliey Richwine, and Hayley Erbelding and a grandson, Andrew McCormick.

Dr. John practiced in Stowe, Vermont, for almost ten years and then built a new clinic in Florida where they lived in Coral Springs. He ran that clinic for twenty years before moving the family to Dillard, Georgia. He was called to serve the Chapel of Sky Valley for sixteen years as the Senior Pastor and then retired to oversee the Anglican Episcopal Church in the capacity of Archbishop.

While in Florida, Dr. John went to seminary and was ordained to the Priesthood in the American Episcopal Church on October 1, 1989. He was elevated to Bishop February 10, 1996, and elevated to Archbishop on April 19, 1997. He served a number of Churches in South Florida.

Dr. John served over sixty years in law enforcement as Chaplain. He served twenty years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a critical incident  stress  debriefer, and served the New York Police Department, and the New York Fire Department as a critical incident stress debriefer for fifteen years.

Dr. John served the Fraternal Order of Police as Chaplain, the Rabun Cross Society as its chief financial officer, and started the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office’s Chaplain program and served it all through his life in our county. He was the Chaplain to the City of Sky Valley for seventeen years.

He was a member of GALEC, the Georgia Association of Law Enforcement Chaplains. Dr. John always held the members of the law enforcement and firefighting families in the highest esteem because every single day these men and women were putting their lives on the line for the safety of others.

Dr. John with Barbara Weber started the Sid Weber Memorial Cancer Fund in 2007 serving cancer patients and their families in our county. Dr. John had been running the Rabun County Ministerial Association which provided temporary lodging for people with no place to live.

Dr. John loved flying and belonged to the Macon Aero Modelers Club in Otto, North Carolina, where he flew his model airplane. He served in the Civil Air Patrol and retired with the rank of major as a chaplain. He was elevated to the position of Kentucky Colonel by the State of Kentucky for his service to his community and was a fifty year Mason.

Dr. John’s motto always had been that he wanted to leave this world a little better than he found it, and he certainly did.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

There will be visitation at the Beck Funeral Home on Sunday, July 16, 2023, from 2 until 4 p.m. Dr. John’s Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Chapel of Sky Valley, Sky Valley, Georgia, on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 11 a.m., followed by social time downstairs in the fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations should be made to the Sid Weber Memorial Cancer Fund, P.O. Box 485, Rabun Gap, GA 30568, or to the Chapel of Sky Valley, 817 Sky Valley Way, #8, Sky Valley, GA 30537

Beck Funeral Home, in Clayton, Georgia, is in charge of the arrangements. If there are any questions, please call 706-782-9599. An online Memorial Register Book is available at www.beckfuneralhome.com.

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