Hal Gulliver

Hal Gulliver- Journalist, Editor, Columnist, Author, Lawyer.

Hal Gulliver died March 24th at Fellowship Home in Valdosta after declining health for some years. Harold Strong Gulliver, Jr. was born in Valdosta in 1935. He was one of two sons born to the late Dr. Harold Gulliver, Sr., Head of the English Department at Valdosta State College, and Augusta Rentz Gulliver, Registrar at the college. He graduated from Valdosta High School as the salutatorian. He entered Yale University in the class of 1957. At Yale, he was an editor and columnist on The Yale Daily News. In his senior year he entered the Directed Studies Program, which allowed him to pursue independent studies. He graduated Summa Cum Laude. He was awarded a Rotary Fellowship for a post graduate year of study at the Free University of Berlin in West Germany.
Upon return, he spent 6 months in the Marine Corps Reserve then 2 years as a reporter on The Macon Telegraph. Following that he spent 2 years as Public Relations Officer at Valdosta State College. He married Marion "Lovey" Godwin of Valdosta and they had a son Harold Strong Gulliver, III.
They moved to Atlanta, where Hal became the Press Secretary to State Insurance Commissioner. At this time, Hal met and came to admire an unknown State Senator named Jimmy Carter. Hal actively promoted Carter's first state wide campaign for Lieutenant Governor. Carter has often credited Hal Gulliver for his start in serious politics. After a year as a reporter for the Associated Press, Hal became associate editor of The Atlanta Constitution. He became the Editor of the Constitution in 1974. In the 1970s, he remained close to the Carter Administration and often stayed in the White House.
In May 1982, he resigned from the newspaper to become a Senior Fellow and Editorial Director of The Southern Center for International Studies. Seeking a second career, he graduated from Law School at Georgia State College, passed the Georgia Bar and practiced law in Atlanta until coming home to Valdosta. He was Baptist by faith.
With Reg Murphy, he published a political book titled "The Southern Strategy" about the presidential campaign. He also published a mystery thriller "Kill with Style". Later he wrote "A Friendly Tongue" which is a compilation of essays he wrote for the Atlanta Constitution.
He was predeceased by his wife Marian and his son, Harold Gulliver III. He is survived by a brother & sister-in-law, Bill & JoAnne Gulliver of Dayton, Ohio, cousins, Virginia Rentz Davison of Tiffin, Ohio and Martha Phillips Rowan of Lakeland, GA.
No formal services will be held. In lieu of flowers, family requests donations be made to Pruitt Hospice, 407 Cowart Ave, Valdosta, GA 31602 or Alzheimer's Association online at www.alz.org . The family thanks the wonderful staff of Fellowship Home and Pruitt Hospice for the excellent care Hal received. Sympathy may be expressed online at www.musicfuneralservices.com . Music Funeral Services/Azalea Crematory, Valdosta is serving the Gulliver family