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Celebrating the life of
Ben (Burke) Wall
Passed away on March 01, 2021
Ben “Burke” Wall, died March 1, 2021 in Candler Hospital from complications of COVID-19. He was 76. He was born September 9, 1944 in the old Telfair Hospital. He was the son of Albert Martin Wall and Essie Burke Wall. He attended Pooler Elementary School and was a 1962 graduate of Groves High School. After stints at Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College and Brewton-Parker College, he eventually graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.S. in Dairy Production in 1968. While in college, his summer job was mowing grass on a Ford tractor at Fort Pulaski. Burke was an avid Georgia Bulldog fan.
In high school, Burke was an active member of the Future Farmers of America and took great pride in showing his prize-winning Guernsey cattle at the Coastal Empire Fair.
Burke was an active sportsman. He was known for hunting quail, dove and turkey. Burke loved his dogs and they loved him. He was an enthusiastic deep-sea fisherman aboard his boat “Trashman”. His talents were widely recognized in many tournaments along the East Coast.
Burke and his Trashman fishing team consistently won or placed in the Annual Savannah Sport Fishing Club Blue Water Tournament. In 2019, he won the Edisto Beach South Carolina Governor’s Cup Tournament and put a 549-pound blue marlin on the dock at the Mid Atlantic 500 the same year earning him second place.
He grew up on a family dairy farm on Dean Forest Road. While at A.B.A.C., his roommate and he would drive his convertible Impala on the dirt roads, looking for bird dogs on the farmer’s porches. They would coax the dogs into the car and go quail hunting on the surrounding farms. They got to know which dogs were better than others. One good dog would wait for them at the mailbox. One day when they returned a particularly good dog, the farmer was waiting for them. “You boys been hunting my dog?” “Yessir” they sheepishly replied. “That’s okay, he’s a good one. You always bring him back home. There are two coveys in the back corner in the field. Have at’em.” He had excellent dogs from his teenage years through the present. His current three English Pointers were staggered in ages and were trained by Burke and his son Ben. They were broke to wing and shot and as steady as a rock. His retriever was Gauge, a 4-year-old English Cocker. He hunted his property on a custom Jeep with two tiers of elevated seats and dog boxes below the third row of seats. Burke was the owner of Black Creek Plantation in Bryan County and Spring Mill Plantation in Jenkins County.
He and his then wife Alice Keller were the owners of Superior Sanitation Services. Burke and Alice eventually sold that company to Waste Management, and then he founded Atlantic Waste Services in Pooler in 1999.
He was a member of the Savannah Sport Fishing Club, Savannah Yacht Club, The Chatham Club, The Rotary Club of Savannah, and several professional organizations.
He is survived by his fiancé’ Laura Braun; his son Ben Burke Wall, Jr. and his wife Kenlea and their three sons, Burke (6), Kenny (5) and Keller (3); his daughter Allison Keller Wall and her husband Jeffrey Creswell and their three children, Lilly (8), Wade (5) and Jackson (4); his brother Dr. Albert Martin Wall, III; his sister Mildred Wall Tuck (Horace) of Mount Vernon, Georgia, and her daughter Beth Tuck Powell (Andy) and their daughter Ella, and their son Scott Tuck (Lori) and their daughter Sarah Elizabeth and son Andrew; and many beloved cousins.
He was a devoted father and grandfather, and leaves behind many friends who shared his love of the outdoors.
Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 4, 2021 at Fox & Weeks, Hodgson Chapel.
Graveside Service will be 4:00 p.m., Friday, March 5, 2021 in the Greenwich section of Bonaventure Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Kyle Clark, Dexter Elliott, Billy Exley, Mike McCullough, Mike Mobley, Gil Stacy, Mike Thompson and Scott Tuck.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The Savannah Sport Fishing Club, P.O. Box 1072, Savannah, GA 31402 (ssfc.org).
Saddened to hear the loss of Burt. . My memories of Burt are many.. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
- Brenda Shearouse, Savannah, Ga
It is with heavy hearts we're sending condolences to the family and friends on Burte's passing. We have know Burte for over 20 years and it is gonna be hard to know we will not be able to walk by Burte's office to say hi or invited in just to talk a few about life or business. Burte will be truly missed .
- David and Rose Stanhope, Garden City , Ga.
Blessings to your family in this time Ge was quite the character from what I have heard quite the fisherman, May God help heal the families hearts in this time of loss My Sympathies.
- Vanessa Edelen, Tallahassee, FLORIDA
We did not know Mr. Wall personally, but we both do have the pleasure of knowing his kind son, Ben. Betty joins me in expressing our sincerest sympathy to Ben, and all of Mr. Wall's family. May our shared faith and fond memories give your entire family some comfort.
- Billy S Wilson, Jr, Savannah, GA
Mildred, Albert, and families: I am so sorry to hear of Burke's passing. Please know of my prayers and concern for all of you. May God's peace be yours during this time of sorrow.
- Ken Jernigan, Round O, SC
A candle has been lit!
It has been a lot of year's, but I remember the first Trash Truck he started with and Mac painted it at his shop on Grove Point And Hubert Was always ribbing and picking at him about starting a Trash Company. He had a vision and he worked hard to make it come true and was very successful. Go rest high on that mountain you have made your final and most Successful Hunt.
- Brenda & Jim Cowart, COLLINS, GA., GA
A candle has been lit!
We are very sorry about Burkes passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.
- Claude and Ginger Shore, Savannah, Georgia
I was so saddened by the news of Burke's passing, my thoughts and prayers for his family and friends.
- Rhett Mouchet, Savannah, GEORGIA
Dear Wall family, We are so sorry for your loss. My aunt Mary Louise has shared so many stories and memories of Burke with us. We are thinking of the family and sending love from Burlington, Vermont. Love, Will Lanier and Alisa Kresge
- Will Lanier, South Burlington, Vermont
rip cousin Burke
- Richard Dudley lll., richmondhill, GA
This is such sad news and too close to home for many of us. Burke and I go back a long way. He and I were on the maintenance crew at Fort Pulaski during the summers of our college years along with David Barrow and Hermann Coolidge. Having grown up on a dairy farm, Burke was the only one of our crew who wasn’t a city slicker. As such, he was also the only one of us who was allowed to operate the big tractor at the Fort! We were college roommates at Georgia. True to Burke’s taste, we lived in a “12-wide” mobile home in a trailer park on Sycamore Drive, right across from the Arby’s on Atlanta Highway in Athens. We had a great Savannah group on Sycamore Drive, old friends like David Barrow, Hermann Coolidge, Rob Demere, Bob Roux, among others whose names I can’t recall. I was a groomsman in Burke and Alice’s wedding at St. John’s. He and I hunted ducks and deer down in Greene County, south of Athens. No doubt, many of his old friends have great remembrances and humorous stories of high times spent with Burke. He was a true friend and all of us will miss Burke. Rest in peace, old friend.
- David Carson, Savannah, GA
To the Wall Family, I was saddened to hear of of Burke’s passing. I remember in high school the bus stopping on Dean Forest Road to pick him up for school. I still can picture him with his Gold Groves lettered sweater. My God bless you all at this .
- Barbara Hodge Hudson, Savannah, Ga
It is with great sadness did I send my condolences to the family. Burke was in such a good mood the last time you come in to the barbershop for a haircut. He was admired by all of us it was a great joy I have a patron. It was always a pleasure cutting his hair for there were so many stories that came along with that. God bless and peace in heaven.
- The Barber Pole Barber shop, Gary Foust, Jenny Stone,Kelly Sanders, Savannah, GA
Burke’s persona will be missed,especially when he walked into the “BILGE CLUB” at the yacht club and with his southern drawl would ask,”well,what’s going on”?
- Billy McIntosh, Savannah, Ga
Sincere condolences to the Wall family. So very sorry for your loss.
- Mac & Brenda Salter, Savannah, GA
To All the Wall Family: My heart reaches out to your tragic loss of Burrke to COVID, not right at all! I just spoke with Albert who directed me to this marvelous obit with great stories of "Burke", love the "dog stories", the "Trashman", the huge marlin catch and the Impala - he lived a full life creating marvelous stories daily that will be retold with belly laughs for many years to come - there is an old saying that I hope each family and friend will hold close daily - "As long as you tell stories of those who have left this world, they will live forever." peace to all, Myrtle Heery, Petaluma, CA
- Myrtle Heery, Petaluma, CA
To Ben and family we are very sad about the lost of your dad he was a great man and will be missed by all I know you have big shoes to fill but you can do it he raised you right our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family lester and glenda claxton
- Claxton, Sav, Ga
Draggin’ bait and burning diesel fuel in heaven.
- Walter Carson, III, Savannah, GA
We lived across the road from the walls on Den Forest Rd in the late 50's -early 60's so I think I can call Burke a friend even though it's been forever since an in person contact. I trust he is in a better place and my heartfelt condolences to his entire family and large group of friends.
- Bette Drecktrah, RINCON, GA
Our sympathy to the Wall family in the loss of Burke. GHS Class of 1961
- Harriet Hartley, Garden City, GA
I send my sincere sympathy to family and friends. He will be missed, remember the good times.
- John Aubrey Brown, Savannah, GA
I send my sincere sympathy to family and friends. He will be missed, remember the good times.
- John Aubrey Brown, Savannah, GA
Services under the direction of:
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel
912-352-7200
- Visitation
- 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thu, March 04, 2021
- Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel
-
7200 Hodgson Memorial Drive (map)
Savannah GA 31406 - 912-352-7200
- Graveside Service
- 4:00 p.m. on Fri, March 05, 2021
- Greenwich Cemetery
-
330 Greenwich Road (map)
Savannah GA 31404 - 912-651-6843