Mr. Melvin "Leon" Golden died on Saturday, May 11, 2024. He was born April 21,1939 in Pauling County, Georgia to James Leonard Golden and Nellie Mae Norton Golden.

Mr. Golden was blessed with three wonderful children, Melanie Wilson, Caroline Golden and Joshua Ayers (Allison) along with five grandchildren Lauren Elise Gaston, Davd Anthony Wilson Jr., Tabitha Matheson, Lucas Ayers, Lillian Ayers; and three great grandchildren Ella Staples, Ax Staples and Shilah Gaston. Mr. Golden was preceded in death by his parents, and his daughter Caroline Golden.

Mr. Golden was a 1957 Honor Graduate and All State Football player at Buchanan High School in Buchanan, Georgia. While working at Sewell Manufacturing Company in Bremen, Georgia, in 1963, he was able to attend West Georgia College where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics in 1967. He began his teaching and coaching career at Bremen High School as a math teacher and assistant coach that same year. In 1971, he moved to Mt. Zion High School to teach math and become Head Football Coach. After completing two successful seasons at Mt. Zion and completing his Master's Degree in Education Administration, in 1973, he became the Principal of Whitesburg Elementary School. While at Whitesburg he completed his Specialist Degree in School Administration in 1976. This just happened to be the year Mt. Zion High School and Mt. Zion Elementary School became separate schools. He was given the opportunity to move back to Mt. Zion as principal of the high school. During his ten years as principal of Mt. Zion High School he was blessed with an excellent faculty and staff that adapted/developed seven education programs that were either state or nationally recognized. In 1985 he was given the opportunity to be Superintendent of Chickamauga City Schools. He often said those four years there prepared him to once again return to Carroll County Schools in 1989, this time as Executive Director of Facilities and Finance. While in that position, he was elected President of the Georgia Association of School Facilities Administrators. He was appointed Superintendent of Carroll County Schools in 1993 and spent the last four years of his career as superintendent, from which he retired in 1997. Later, he ran for and was elected to the Carroll County Board of Education in 1998. He served one term as Vice Chairman before again retiring in 2002.

In 2003. Mr. Golden was inducted into the Mt. Zion Shining Eagle Hall of Fame.

Mr. Golden loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He served as a Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church and taught the Adult Sunday School Class at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church.

The family will receive friends at Almon Funeral Home on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm.

A celebration of his life will be at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 11:00 AM.

Interment will follow in Carroll Memory Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 591, Mt. Zion, GA 30150.

Memories and messages of condolences may be expressed to the family at www.almonfuneralhome.com

Almon Funeral Home of Carrollton has charge of arrangements.