James C. Rehberg, Sr.

Macon- James C. Rehberg, Sr., 91, passed away on August 5, 2009. Services will be held Saturday, August 8 at 11 AM at First Baptist Church of Christ, 511 High Street, Macon, with Dr. Bob Setzer, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery. The family will greet friends at Hart's Mortuary, Cherry Street, on Friday, August 7 from 5 to 7 PM. Mr. Rehberg was born in Grady County, Georgia, the son of Charles F. Rehberg and Jennie Gainey Rehberg. H graduated from Valdosta High School, attended Valdosta Junior College, and graduated from Mercer University. A veteran of World War II, he served with the US Navy three years as a radio telegraph operator on the USS Symbol minesweeper, including service in Iceland and North Africa and throughout the Mediterranean. He was in the leading edge of the Salerno and Anzio invasions. Upon discharge from the Navy, he immediately entered the Mercer University School of Law, influenced by two lawyers in his family, his brother Woodrow and their uncle Jesse Gainey, and received his law degree in 1948. He taught in the public schools in Pineview, Fitzgerald, and Athens, Georgia. In 1949 he returned to Mercer to become the Law School librarian. In 1951 he completed a Master of Law degree at Duke University. He began teaching law full time at Mercer Law School in 1954, serving as assistant dean from 1976-77. He formally retired in 1988 but continued to teach part time until 2003. Mr. Rehberg was a member of First Baptist Church from 1950 until his death. He taught Sunday School for college students and then for older men's classes for most of those years. He was a deacon and had served as Chairman of Deacons and on a number of church committees. After 25 years of marriage, his wife, Leda, preceded him in death in 1975. His five brothers, Grady, C.F., Edwin, Woodrow and Paul also preceded him in death. For the last 50 years of his life, Mr. Rehberg's attention centered on his family, the First Baptist Church, and the Mercer Law School. Left to treasure his memories are his children, Jeanne Rehberg (Gary Greenman) and Ches Rehberg (Alisa), grandchildren, Gracie and James Rehberg, his close friend, Dixie Gordon, and his many other friends and relatives. The family wishes to acknowledge their grateful appreciation to the nurses and CNAs at Carlyle Place and the sitter staff from Home Instead who took great care of him in his final years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the First Baptist Church of Christ, 511 High Place, Macon, Georgia 31201, to the Alzheimer's Foundation, or to the James C. Rehberg Scholarship Fund at Mercer University Law School. Online register is located at www.hartsmort.com. Hart's Mortuary and Crematory, Cherry Street, has charge of arrangements.