Mauldin, community leader and volunteer, died Saturday



Lanny Mauldin, a community leader and long-time member of the Rhea Medical Center Board of Directors, died Saturday at RMC of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was 66.

A retired professional photographer who owned successful businesses in Florida, Chattanooga and Dayton, Mauldin was a strong supporter of the Dayton community since moving from Florida in 1979.

He served as president of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce in 1984-85 and was a member of the Rhea County Commission from 1990 to 1998. He was also a member of the Rhea County Homeland Security Team. Mauldin was a long-time member of the Rhea County Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol and served as squadron commander for several years.

Bryan College President Dr. Stephen Livesay gave an informal eulogy for Mauldin Monday evening during the Dayton Chamber of Commerce annual banquet.

“Lanny helped virtually every institution in this community in some way,” Livesay said. “He was a man of diverse interests. The last trip we took together up to Muddy Pond to get some fresh sorghum molasses—something we both loved—he told me about how he used to work with the Civil Air Patrol and volunteer his time for search and rescue missions.

“Lanny was a friend to all,” Livesay continued. “It didn’t matter to him if you were a king on a hill or a peasant in the valley; he would treat you with the same respect.”

Mauldin was born in Mansfield, La., on Dec. 26, 1940. He served with the U.S. Army and was an award-winning professional photographer who was contracted to photograph NASA space shots and several presidents.

He and his wife, Barbara, former principal of Graysville Elementary School, moved to Dayton in 1979. A member of Dayton First United Methodist Church, he was well known for his fish fries and chili suppers, which he regularly prepared as fundraisers for local church and civic groups.

The owner and operator of Mauldin Photography in Dayton and then Quality Photo Services in Chattanooga, he also served on the President’s Conference on Small Business. Recently the Dayton Rotary Club named him an honorary member and a Paul Harris Fellow for his contributions to the club, although he had never been a member. Wal-Mart also recognized Mauldin as a Wal-Mart Hometown Hero.