Joe Eastburn

Joseph "Joe" Raymond Eastburn was born on Nov 13, 1943 to Ray and Sybil Eastburn in Columbus, GA. He passed away in his sleep early on Mar 11, 2025. At the time Joe was born, his father Ray was a pilot in the Army, flying in Japan in WWII. Soon after, in 1946, Joe's sister Janet was born.

Joe enlisted in the Army just prior to his graduation from Columbus High School in 1961, and later that year finished at the top of his recruit class at Fort Jackson, SC. He was discharged from the Army Reserves in 1968.

After completing his initial Army service, Joe first attended Duke University in 1962, where he met his wife Gail Kinard. He soon left Duke and attended the Georgia Institute of Technology. Upon Gail's Duke graduation in 1965, she moved to Atlanta where they were married in 1967. Joe graduated from Georgia Tech in 1968 with a BS in Industrial Management. In 1971, their first child, Reid was born, then Karen & Kevin in 1974. Joe was working at a bank and completing his MBA from Georgia State University, which he completed in 1976. Joe then began a sales career with AFLAC and drove between the Midwest, North Carolina, and Georgia until 1978, when the family moved to Fort Wayne, then Carmel, IN in 1980.

Following settling in central Indiana, Joe worked on mainframe computers for insurance companies across Indiana. Ever the independent, in the late 1980's he started his consulting company, Imaging Resources Plus, to serve as his own boss. Joe loved baseball, and he played church softball until his mid 40's, carrying the kids with him to games, until they did their own sports. He also loved old cars and American muscle cars. Joe and his father Ray owned a restored 1954 Chevy Bel Air, fondly known as the Green Dragon, which he would drive in Carmel 4th of July parades and take to classic car shows. Joe was also proud of his 35th anniversary 1999 Ford Mustang GT convertible, which is currently being restored. Joe always had a stack of baseball hats, many being Georgia Tech or Emory hats proudly representing his children's alma maters. Joe was always diligent at attending Columbus HS reunions and GT class reunions, and he served in the Indianapolis GT alumni club for several years. Joe stayed heavily involved with Carmel United Methodist Church, ushering and participating on the church board. He was long involved with the Athletic Board at Carmel High School, working the fireworks at Friday night football games, and being a band and orchestra dad, including working concession stands at Indianapolis Colts games for the band boosters. With Gail active in performing arts, he joined her endeavors by serving as Treasurer of the board of Carmel Community Players.

Joe retired in 2013 and they immediately returned to Georgia upon the births of Isaac & Fiona, settling first in Cumming and relocating to Atlanta in 2021. While in Cumming, Joe and Gail attended Cumming First UMC and were active in their neighborhood Newbury Village.

Joe loved M&Ms, Oreos, chocolate covered cherries, and Canada Dry Ginger Ale. As a proud GT graduate, he also loved Waffle House which was founded by fellow alumni. He enjoyed attending his children's and grandchildren's sporting events, a highlight

being Reid's 1990 GT national championship game in Orlando, FL. He was famous for saying, "Go, Yellow Britches!" He was a rock to many people, especially given his stature and often booming presence.

Joe is survived by sons Reid and Kevin, daughter Karen, sister Janet Overstreet, grandchildren Sophie, Margot, Fiona, and Isaac.

Joe passed peacefully at their assisted living residence, Holbrook of Decatur, in Atlanta.