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“There are some who bring a light so
great to the world that even after they
BURL JACKSON BANDY
OCTO B E R 1 7 , 1 9 2 6 - M A RC H 2 9 , 2 0 2 0
have gone the light remains.”
Author Unknown
The good works of Burl Jackson “Jack” Bandy are so interwoven through the benevolent organizations and noble causes of
our region that it would be far easier to list those organizations he has not bestowed his time and talent on than to count
those where his time has been spent. From religion to education to health, from civic board memberships and campaign
chairmanships to major philanthropic gifts, Jack has elevated the quality of life and spirit of our region.
Over the years, Hamilton Health Care System has been the fortunate beneficiary of Jack Bandy’s leadership. For 19 years,
he served as a member of the Dalton-Whitfield County Hospital Authority during a period of explosive population growth,
which required a rapid expansion in medical services. When the hospital was restructured in the early 1980s, Jack became
an officer of the holding company, and concurrently, chairman of the Medical Center’s operating company. In this post,
Jack shared with the Medical Staff and other members of the hospital family his belief in the power of cooperation to move
mountains. And move we did. Jack’s extraordinary volunteerism earned him the Georgia Hospital Association’s highest
honor, the Distinguished Service Award. Jack also served as a trustee of the Whitfield Healthcare Foundation and was named
a Life Associate in 1984, a Foundation designation that recognizes an extraordinary level of service and support. In 2008,
Jack received the Foundation’s prestigious Humanitarian Award which recognizes the best among us–individuals who have
dedicated a large portion of their time and resources to improving the quality of our healthcare system and the life of our
community.
Jack’s guidance and generosity have helped Hamilton stay at the forefront of healthcare. The Bandy-McCutcheon
Intensive Care Unit, a gift from the Bandy family, was the first and one of the best-equipped ICUs in the state of Georgia
when it opened in 1963. The Whiteside Department of Rehabilitation Care was a gift of Jack and Aggie Bandy in honor
of her parents. The Bandy Parking Plaza which long graced the front of our Medical Center is now the home of the Bandy
Endoscopy Center. Prior to his passing in March 2020, Jack had been working closely with the Foundation and marketing
teams to plan an official open house for Bandy Endoscopy Center. Unfortunately, the event had to be postponed due to the
impact of COVID-19, and Jack’s untimely death followed thereafter.
Despite his involvement in many endeavors outside the home, family life is what Jack cherished most. If you asked him to
list his proudest achievements in life, it would begin with the wonderful family he and Aggie raised, their three children B.
J., Murray, and Tana, and six grandchildren. Later in life Jack’s family continued to grow, as grandchildren married and great
grandchildren were born. Jack, along with second wife Marg, continued to be great friends of the Foundation, staying active
with fundraising events and attending the Foundation’s recognition celebrations. Jack also was a fixture for years at the
Foundation’s annual golf invitational.
Jack was a blessing to us all. His fervor for doing good, his approachable, laid-back style of leadership, and the spirit of
cooperation he engendered in others are noble traits we all can emulate. Few people have enjoyed as full a life as Jack,
balancing family and faith, good works, and, we dare not overlook, the game of golf. As exemplified through his many selfless
acts of kindness and compassion for others, there is no finer example of humanitarianism than Jack Bandy. For that and so
much more, all of us at Hamilton will be forever grateful.