MESSICK, Wiley Sanders
Wiley Sanders Messick was born March 5, 1929, in Pike County, Alabama, the son of Verbia Travis Messick and Mary Carter Messick. Wiley went to elementary school in Goshen and Abbeville, Alabama, and graduated from Abbeville Secondary Agricultural School in 1946. He obtained business (1950) and law (1953) degrees from the University of Alabama and a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University in 1956, the same year he was admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court.
Wiley was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force when he received his B.S. degree in May, 1950. In June, 1950, the North Koreans invaded South Korea, and Lieutenant Messick was called to active duty. He served 21 months at Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas, and remained in the Air Force Reserve for thirty years, retiring as a colonel in the Judge Advocate General's Corps.
Wiley practiced law in Abbeville from 1953-1954 and served six months of 1954 on the General Counsel's staff of the Southern Natural Gas Company (now Sonat, a division of Kinder Morgan) in Birmingham, Alabama.
While in Birmingham, Wiley met Betty Dotson, daughter of missionaries Hattie and Clyde Dotson. They became engaged before he left for Washington, where in January, 1955, he began a congressional staff career as assistant to Congressman George Andrews of Union Springs, Alabama. Wiley and Betty wed at Trinity UMC on June 18, 1955. They had three children, Mary, Sandy, and Carter.
In December of 1956, Wiley became Counsel to the Senate Small Business Committee and assisted the Chairman of the Committee, Senator John Sparkman of Huntsville, Alabama. In 1961, Senator Sparkman named Wiley as Executive Secretary on his office staff. In 1966, Wiley became Sparkman's Administrative Assistant. The Senator encouraged the Johnson Administration to appoint Wiley as the Small Business Administration Southeastern Regional Administrator in Atlanta, where he served over fourteen years as a career SBA leader responsible for eight southeastern states. Wiley was Chairman of the Atlanta Federal Executive Board in 1972. He later worked as Deputy Regional Administrator and Deputy District Director in Atlanta, retiring from SBA in March, 1994, at age 65. During his last year, he was designated Acting Regional Director in the Clinton Administration. He served SBA again as a retired disaster loan officer and public relations officer after Hurricanes Floyd, Charlie, Frances, Jeannie, Katrina, and Wilma, and after floods in Ohio. After retirement, Wiley served intermittently for over ten years as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association on Georgia and Alabama cases, ably assisted by Betty.
Wiley began life as a devout Southern Baptist, but he later became a Presbyterian. He was active in leadership positions in three churches in those denominations. Additionally, Wiley became a trained and active Stephen Minister at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church.
Wiley's greatest satisfaction, aside from family, church, and career, came from two long periods of service as trustee of KingsBridge, a not-for-profit retirement home begun on the property of Briarcliff Baptist Church. The family is grateful to KingsBridge (Wiley and Betty's residence since 2016), Personal Care, and Capstone Hospice for the excellent care he received during these last difficult months.
Wiley remained a lifelong passionate Democrat. He enjoyed discussing politics with family and friends, and hosted many lively holiday gatherings.
Wiley was preceded in death by loving parents and grandparents; and brothers, Jac Dorr Messick and Douglas Messick. He is survived by his devoted wife of 68 years, Betty Dotson Messick; daughters, Mary Messick Tallant (Rick) of Winterville, Georgia, Sandra Messick McClanahan (Gary) of Tucker, Georgia; son, Wiley Carter Messick (Carol) of Dallas, Texas; nine amazing grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren, all of whom he was very proud.
Wiley's memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at KingsBridge in Atlanta. The following day, his ashes will be interred with military honors at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia.
Donations may be directed to the American Parkinson Disease Association or St. Jude Children's Hospital.
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