Longtime Gilmer County Board of Education member and avid Bobcat fan Michael Bramlett has passed away.
Bramlett, 70, died last Saturday, Aug. 26. He was a lifelong Gilmer County resident and worked 42 years in the banking industry before retiring from Truist in 2020.
That same year, the Georgia School Boards Association recognized Bramlett for 30 years of service as a Gilmer County Board of Education member. He had multiple stints on the board over the years, which included several tenures as chairman.
Bramlett loved sports and was an ardent supporter of Gilmer athletics. He spent many years volunteering his time by running the chains at GHS home football games along with his brothers. Bramlett was a grandfather of eight and could often be found at Clear Creek Middle School and the rec department cheering on the latest generation of Bobcats and Lady Cats.
Fellow banker and current board chairman Doug Pritchett was close friends with Bramlett for 45 years. They met back when they started working at First State Bank of Gilmer County in 1978.
“It’s a devastating loss to our community. He served as a school board member for over 30 years. It’s hard to know the impact he has had on education working quietly behind the scenes,” Pritchett said.
“But I think we can see the results, whether it’s in academics or facilities. You can’t replace someone like that. Just the knowledge he had of how things came about and the things we’ve done over 30-plus years. You just can’t replace that. He loved his community and had a real servant’s heart.”
Gilmer superintendent Dr. Brian Ridley worked with Bramlett since taking the position in 2021 and discussed his dedication to the county.
“Michael was one of the first five people I ever met in Ellijay,” Ridley said. “We developed a really good working relationship over the years. He was a great man and is going to be missed. Being a school board member is one of the most thankless jobs in public service. Anyone who does it at all is to be commended, and anyone who puts that amount of time into it is a really special person.
“I think the state of Gilmer County Schools is a testament to his contribution. We’re a much stronger system for his work.”
Ridley plans to meet with attorneys in the coming weeks to discuss the process of filling Bramlett’s vacant seat on the board.
“We’re going to wait until things settle down a little bit before we start that process just out of respect for him. Also, it’s still so shocking,” Ridley said. “He was on the board so long, and everyone down at the district office had known him for so many years.
“He was just like part of the family.”