the time Rusty was a child, he loved
hanging out at his father’s business.
“The big tobacco warehouses were across
the street where the shopping center
and police station are now,” said Rusty.
“Momma would boil peanuts, and I
would go over there and sell them.”
In 1965, the summer after Rusty’s
tenth grade school year, Harry said,
“I’m going to give you ten days off for
summer break, but on June 1st, you’re
coming to work full-time until school
starts back.” That summer, Rusty
learned everything there was to know
about tires. He continued to work
every summer and many days after
school. And while Rusty worked at the
tire shop, his older brother Harry, Jr.,
worked in construction, which would
later become his career. Their younger
sister Mary Ann would
eventually become a school
teacher. “The question was
not if we were going to work
every summer, but where
we were going to work,” said
Rusty with pride in his voice.
In 1967, Rusty
graduated from Vidalia
High School and moved to
Atlanta to attend school at
Georgia Tech. But he was
back at the tire shop helping
out during every school and
summer break. In December
1971, Rusty married his
wife Charlotte. When he
graduated from Georgia Tech
in the spring of 1972, he
knew he had a big decision
to make and one only he and
his wife could make together.
“My mother worked
as the bookkeeper, and
Daddy was pretty much
running things by himself.
They couldn’t ever take off
and do anything unless I was there to
see about things. He had already said
to me, ‘If you want to come work here
and work, it’s waiting on you. But if you
decide to come, it’s not to try out. It’s a
lifelong commitment. We have people
here who depend on our business in this
community.’”
Rusty and Charlotte talked it over.
“I’d been in Atlanta long enough to
know I didn’t want to live there. But
I told Charlotte, ‘Vidalia is a small
community where everybody knows
each other. It’s really a great place to
live, and I think you will be happy
there. But if I take over the business,
it’s permanent. We won’t be leaving.’
Charlotte had grown up in a small town
in Florida. She had moved to Atlanta in
high school and had missed the smalltown
life she had known as a child ever
since. She told me, ‘That’s what I want.
Let’s do it.’ So, we bought a house on
the corner of Virginia Lane and Cheney
Drive in Vidalia, and Charlotte went
to work in the office of Darby Dental
Services.”
Back in 1969, Harry had decided
it was time for the business to have
its own place. “He bought a building
that formerly housed A B Newton
Construction Company. It was located
where Wendy’s is today,” said Rusty.
“When I took over the business, I told
Daddy I wanted to close down the
retread shop.” Even though it had been
a main stay of business in the 40s and
50s, it was difficult and
dangerous work. “Daddy
said, ‘I’ll help you all I can,
but you’re making the
decisions now.’”
Rusty sold the
retread business and
began updating the tire
lines. “In 1974, Goodyear
started supplying tires to
a competitor in the same
town as our business, so
we switched to Michelin,”
said Rusty. Michelin was
a French company that
was just getting started
in America. “I also signed
up with the Carroll Tire
Company. Mr. Bobby
Carroll was the largest
independent wholesale
One Big Family
Having served the community for almost
75 years, Georgia Tire Company has many
long-standng patrons. According to Rusty,
they also have "a great family of employees,"
many of whom, like Tim Horton, Gary Fowler,
and Simpson Sanders, have been with the
company for decades.
50 TOOMBS COUNTY MAGAZINE