Winston Wallace Exley, Sr.

7/1/1941 – 3/4/2021

Clyo – In the early morning hours of Thursday, March 4, 2021, Winston Wallace Exley, Sr. departed his earthly home to enter his eternal heavenly home. He had fought a hard fight against dementia. At 1:46 am, he gently and peacefully took his last breath while holding his wife's hand. He was preceded in death by his parents, Miller Franklin Exley and Amanda Marie Exley.

To those who knew Winston, they knew that these major things were important to him. His first love was the love he held for his family and family history. He was always proud to be a Salzburger and still lived on the original land area deeded to his family when the original Salzburgers came. He was so proud of his entire family from children and grandchildren to his cousins. The time he spent with them was his number one love.

His second love was education. He attended school in Effingham County where he was an honor student and excelled in track and field. He and his cousins sang in a quartet as his father had done and also had a band called the "Country Cousins". He graduated from ECHS in 1959 and from Newberry in 1963 with an Education degree in Social Studies. His Masters degree in Social Sciences was from Georgia Southern. He returned to Effingham County and taught World History, Psychology and Civics at ECHS. During his time at ECHS, he taught almost all the students in the county. In 1983 he began a 27 year teaching career in Hilton Head, SC. He amassed many awards, set many records, and influenced so many students during his 47 years of teaching.

His third love was that of being a gentleman cattle farmer while he also taught. He loved the peace of being with his cows and his dogs.

He had hobbies of spending time boating, meat cutting, walking/jogging/running and enjoying nature, spending time with children and being active in his church. He was a member of Georgia Salzburger Society, SC Social Studies Association, Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Geography Bee Board of SC, Who's Who in America, Who's Who Student in America, Phi Kappa Phi, NRA, and Historic Effingham Society.

The family would like to thank all the local caregivers for their love and help including Eva Goldwire, and Cindy Beebee, plus the staff at Legacy at Savannah Quarters Memory Care unit in Pooler, and Brandy at Amedisys Hospice Care in Pooler. Great thanks to Shereas with Home Instead in Pooler. Their love and care for Winston was outstanding.

He is survived by his wife, Dianne P. Exley; children and grandchildren, Lisa Woods and her husband Jim, and their children Russ Woods and Emily Coleman (Lance), Wally Exley and his wife Karmen, and their children, Kaleb Beasley (Starr) and Hannah Lee, Mindy D. Gentry and her husband Chris, and their daughters, Allison Gentry, Sarah Gentry, and Ella Gentry, and Angela Lord and her husband Chris, and their sons, C.J. Lord, Jacob Lord, and Michael Lord; and his siblings and nieces/nephews, Cordell (Shirley) Exley and their daughters, Susan Chapman and Laura Exley, Bonnie (Kent) Morgan and their children, Clay Morgan and Kim Morgan, Douglas (Mary) Exley and their children, Grant Exley and Kyler Exley; sister-in-law, Gail (David) Hinson; and many cousins on both Exley sides.

Graveside Service: 2:30 pm, Sunday, March 7, 2021 at Jerusalem Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Remembrances: St. Jude Children's Hospital.

Thomas C. Strickland & Sons Funeral Home Effingham Chapel (912) 754-6421