Albert Keith Law of Clayton, Ga., passed away on June 15, 2022, age eighty-six. Albert was born on July 1, 1935, in Mountain City, Ga., the son of the late Clyde T. and Lassie Taylor Law. He was a member of the 1949 inaugural Rabun County High School football team. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Army and served overseas in South Korea from November 1955 to September 1957. Following his discharge, he reunited with the love of his life, Eleanor Deal, then living in New York City. During his time in New York, he attended New York State University, the Pho Institute of Real Estate, and worked as a security guard for Burns Detective Agency.
Albert married Eleanor on June 1, 1959. In 1961, the couple returned to Georgia where Albert initially worked as a sales representative for American Repographics. In 1968, he, Eleanor and young daughter Debbie, returned to Rabun County where they took over ownership and management of Deal’s Drug Store which he and Eleanor operated until their retirement in 2006. Albert was active in Clayton civic affairs, as a member at the Rabun County Chamber of Commerce, Clayton Merchant’s Association, and the Clayton Rotary Club in which he served as its president (1970-71). In 1970, he joined the Clayton Baptist Church where he remained an active member until 2019.
Together with his wife Eleanor, he served as a regional representative for Youth for Understanding, a non-profit international student exchange program. He and Eleanor opened their home to and warmly welcomed students from France, Finland, Colombia, Denmark, and Japan, as well as placed students in homes throughout Rabun and neighboring counties. In addition, he and Eleanor helped secure scholarships for American students and placed them in study programs abroad. Following his retirement in 2006 with passion and enthusiasm for Rabun County, Albert volunteered at the Rabun County Historical Society.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Evelyn Law Thomas; and brothers, James “Jimmy” Law and Ted Law. He is survived by his daughter, Debbie Law Fairchild (Mark), of Alpharetta, Ga.; three grandchildren, Matthew Fairchild (Megan) of Alpharetta, Sean Fairchild of Atlanta, and Laura Fairchild Williamson (Julian) of Hong Kong; and two great-grandchildren, Ember Fairchild and Camden Fairchild, both of Alpharetta; siblings Wayne Law (Joan) of Birmingham, Ala., and Sarah Walch (Bob) of Arlington, Texas.
The funeral service was held on June 18, 2022, at Clayton Baptist Church. Burial immediately followed at Rabun Memory Park in Tiger. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations kindly be made in his name to the Rabun County Historical Society P.O. Box 921 Clayton, Georgia 30525.
The Clayton Tribune
June 23, 2022