Albert Julian Rawls
December 31, 1936 – February 20, 2026
Funeral services for Albert Julian Rawls, 89, of Cairo, GA, are at 11:00 a.m., Monday, February 23, 2026, at Cairo First Methodist Church, Cairo, GA. Dr. Bill Baker will officiate. Interment will be in the Cairo Cemetery, Cairo, GA. Mr. Rawls passed away at his home on February 20, 2026.
Active pallbearers will be Horry Rawls, Stanley Elkins, Tommy Bennett, Stacy Watkins, Wally Stone and Lee King. Honorary pallbearers will be the members of the CHS Class of 1955, the Burleigh Law Sunday School Class, and the 8:00 a.m. Worship Group.
Mr. Rawls was born on December 31, 1936, in Cairo, GA, to the late Albert Leland Rawls and Ethel Williams Rawls. He was a member of the CHS Class of 1955. He graduated from ABAC in Tifton with a degree in farm machinery and sales. Julian inherited much of his humble and resourceful nature from his parents. He fondly remembered trips to Laura Walker State Park for 4-H camp. Later he was very active in FFA. A few of the awards he won included 1st place in corn production with 127 bushels per acre, and Grand Champion of Showmanship with his steer. He later served on the livestock judging team. He also won reserved champion at the State Poultry show as part of the Triple-G Club. He soon married Betty on January 28, 1962 while working at the Chastain Tractor Company. Later his Uncle Stacy Williams got him on with HE-PO Gas Company. In 1973 he began his 50 year career as a Grady County Tax Assessor and Tax Appraiser.
Julian was mechanically inclined, allowing him to fix almost anything on the farm. He was a jack of all trades. Retirement allowed him to tinker with all sorts of projects, including gardening, grafting fruit trees, pulling the pine straw rake he invented behind the tractor, watching birds from his back porch and loading up for the next road trip. The larger the crowd, the less he spoke, but when he did, his words carried wisdom, integrity and a gentle, steady faith.
He was a devoted husband of 64 years to his wife, Betty Elkins Rawls of Cairo, GA. Survivors include their daughter, Julianne Stone (Mitch) of Barwick, GA; granddaughter, Elizabeth Connell (Daniel) of Cairo, GA; niece, Stacie Rawls of Cairo, GA; plus a host of nieces and nephews, and an adoring extended family through marriage.
He was preceded in death by: his parents, Ethel and Albert Rawls; baby daughter, Karen Rawls; brother, Leland Rawls (Loretta); brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Hubert Elkins (Dot and Alma); Margaret Tyus (Frank), James Elkins (Charlene), and Helen Knight (Melvin, Jr.).
In lieu of flowers donations in Julian’s memory can be made to: Cairo First Methodist Church, 318 South Broad Street, Cairo, GA 39828.
The family will receive friends at Clark Funeral Home on Sunday, February 22, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.
