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Rev. Frank Colladay's two favorite things were ministering to young people, and performing weddings. This is a 2008 photograph of his office wall, full of images of babies, toddlers, teens and the newly married from 26 years of pastoring Dahlonega Presbyterian Church.
Retired Dahlonega Presbyterian Church pastor Rev. Frank Colladay died of natural causes Saturday as he was on his way to perform one of his favorite religious rites—a wedding. He was found, dressed in his ceremonial robes in his parked car in the driveway, after he did not show up for those planned nuptials.
“He was still in a lot of pain and recovering from back surgery, but he told me he wanted to do the wedding, even if he had to use a walker,” his brother Steve told The Nugget.
“Weddings were definitely his thing,” said current Dahlonega Presbyterian Church (DPC) pastor, Rev. Mari Turner. “I constantly ran into people who said Frank has married them—even people uncomfortable with being married in a church. It was quite the ministry.”
Children, especially teens and young adults were a big part of his ministry. Frank often called Montreat, the North Carolina conference center where Presbyterian summer camps were hel,d his “happy place.” The man known as “Creature Preacher,” (Frank’s nickname at Montreat) looked forward to going every summer.
Back in the mid-‘80s he took a young Tony Owens along with him.
“To see the impact he had on all those kids was amazing. He was a great example of unconditional love,” said Owens — who owns and operates Dahlonega’s Fudge Factory and The Corner Kitchen.
Frank was a mentor to Owens for many years, he said.
“I’m thankful he was in my life,” said Owens. “He brought a new perspective to me. He showed me inclusivity, acceptance of people for who they are, and not to be afraid to speak your heart. I think one of his best qualities was his ability to connect the church and the Word to everyday life, and relate that to even teens and young people.”
Montreat is where Rev. Hansen Wendlandt first met Frank, when he was “a very young 20-year-old adult advisor” at one of the camps. When asked why he thought Frank was able to bond with teens and young adults, Wendlandt said, “He cared, therefore he listened, and therefore he looked at you. Those open ears and open eyes made him disarming.”
FRANK THE ANGEL
One summer, after Wendlandt got to know Frank, he found himself going through what many young people go through, “a dark night of the soul. You meet that junction point where things can go one of two ways. I was depressed, l had lost control, maybe even suicidal. But an angel stepped in at just the right time.”
The angel was Frank.
A few years later Wendlandt went to seminary. He worked with youth for about 10 years, and is now an ordained Presbyterian minister at Community of Grace Presbyterian Church in Holladay, Utah.
Turner said Frank’s influence could likely be traced to many Presbyterian pastors today.
“He touched so many lives throughout northeast Georgia and beyond at Montreat. He is part of the lives of generations of young people,” she said.
Frank was like a grandfather to Melissa and John Line’s adopted children, and had always been there for John’s three children by his first marriage. He was John’s pastor when the two married.
“Frank celebrated our adoption and baptized our youngest son,” Melissa said. “He stood in as grandfather on Grandparents Day events when my or my husband’s parents could not attend. He loved my kids unconditionally and showered them with God’s love. He even seemed to enjoy taking our children out into public for lunch or ice cream, which nearly always ended in disaster. He let my kids throw a pie in his face, played countless board games with us and will always be in our hearts.”
BUDDY BUDDHA
Frank was a part of the lives of many young people in Dahlonega who were not Presbyterian as well. He had a big impact on the Lumpkin County High School football team as their chaplain for a number of years. The team, however, also had an impact on Frank. The 1988 team is responsible for one of his most distinguishing characteristics—his bald head.
It came about when Frank offered to let the boys shave off his curls on the 50 yard line, in front of the fans, if they would win all their games that year until homecoming. They did. And he kept it shaved ever since.
That’s how he got the nickname many in Dahlonega know him by, "Buddha."
Frank was also the announcer for the school’s wrestling bouts.
Former high school principal Rudy Hampton said Frank was “always volunteering to do things,” and “an integral part of all that’s gone on in Dahlonega.”
Frank made many friends in other denominations. He shared the facilities of the Presbyterian Church with several congregations just getting a start during his 26 years as pastor—Lutherans, Episcopalians, and members of Shalom B’harim, a Jewish congregation.
DPC was also used for many community meetings, including AA.
He worked with the Baptist, Methodist and Catholic churches, and often said he was blessed by the ecumenical spirit of the religious community in Dahlonega.
HIGHER CALLING
Frank preached the love of Christ, and lived that love for all. After retiring from the pulpit in 2009, Frank took a position as a chaplain at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where he traveled every Thursday to minister to the needs of people in all kinds of crisis. He prayed with the nervous flyers; counseled with family members facing a flight that wold take them to attend the funeral of a loved one; helping the lost; the person who missed a plane; and even those who ended up at the airport because they had nowhere else to go. And yes, he got to perform a few weddings, too.
“He touched the lives of people wherever he went,” Steve said. “He was always caring about people.”
Even when he was young, it seems he cared and was ready to show it. Steve remembers when his older brother jumped into the river in a town in northern Michigan and pulled a girl who fell from a boat to shore. An Eagle Scout at the time, Frank made the local small town paper for his brave deed.
“He was my hero, and a wonderful brother,” Steve said.
Born to Margaret and Franklin Grimes Colladay Sr. in 1940, Frank was the oldest of three boys—Steve in the middle and David, the youngest. David passed away in 2006, spending his last years with Frank as his caregiver in Dahlonega.
Steve said he considered Dahlonega like a second home, as he visited his brother here often.
“When Frank landed in Dahlonega that was his home. There was no question he would ever leave,” Steve said. “He loved it here. It was like a dream with its historic buildings. He was living the dream, and loving on the people.”
A SOCIAL PASTOR
When Frank was no longer physically able to continue working at Hartsfield-Jackson he became a prolific poster on Facebook. He used social media to post uplifting memes, and as a pulpit to preach God’s love, compassion, and acceptance of all people. One of the last posts Frank made turned out to be prophetic. It featured a picture of Snoopy and Woodstock watching a falling star, and stated “When we lose someone we love, we must learn not to live without them but to live with the love they left behind.”
Frank left much love behind in the lives of the many, many people he touched.
“We’ve lost another big part of Dahlonega’s heart. He had so much care for this town and community,” Owens said.
His service will be held at Dahlonega Baptist Church because extra pews will definitely be needed.
“We’re afraid there is not enough room at the Presbyterian Church for everyone who wants to come,” said Turner.
People will be able to visit with Frank’s family Friday, 5-7 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church. Services will be held Saturday, 1 p.m. at Dahlonega Baptist Church. A reception will follow at a location to be announced.