Lanier Charles Bagwell

Lanier C. Bagwell, 79, passed away peacefully on Friday May 12th, 2023.  He was born to Haldene and Catherine Bagwell on June 4, 1943, in Alpharetta, Georgia.  Lanier was a native of Forsyth County, where he grew up and lived his entire life.  Lanier was introduced to Diane, the love of his life, by both ofLanier’s two sisters as well as Diane’s two sisters, who were all friends. All of them had a hand in it!

He was a walk-on and lettered in Soccer at Oglethorpe University.  Lanier earned a Batchelor of Business Administration (BBA) in accounting in 1965. Lanier and Diane started getting serious after Lanier graduated college.  On June 8, 1966, Lanier took Diane for a boat ride on Lake Lanier and proposed and she accepted.  They were married on September 4, 1966, and without question, were soulmates and enjoyed their life together for 57 years!

Lanier found an excellent job working at Cotton Producers Association (CPA) in the Peanut Division. Thereafter, he quit to attend Georgia State University (GSU) to earn his Master of Business Administration (MBA); however, after discovering that GSU only had classes part-time at night on Tuesday & Thursday, Lanier quickly went and begged to get his job back at CPA! He later worked as a recruiter for CPA which became Gold Kist, Inc.  Lanier was able to hire many individuals from Forsyth County for various jobs at Gold Kist or Cotton States Insurance.  He recruited heavily from his own community giving any person a chance to grow.  Some of the people he hired went on to key management roles or ran their own companies with enormous success.  Lanier graduated from GSU with his MBA in May 1967 and in June, he was blessed with his first son, Benjamin, being born a week ahead.

Once he was transferred into the Grain Division at Gold Kist as a buyer of commodities, Lanier found his calling that he loved!  He had a successful career in Grain Business trading commodities for over 40 years with Gold Kist, Inc. and operated Bagwell Trading Company, LLC for 7 years, with the help of Diane, as a Grain Broker before retiring. He purchased soybeans and corn to feed the chickens and had a reputation as a tough negotiator securing the lowest price per bushel and holding great positions in the market. Lanier was President of The Georgia Feed & Grain Association two years and served on various boards & committees for other similar associations. According to Diane, “Lanier started CPA/Gold Kist working for Peanuts and ended up working for chicken feed.”  Lanier traded commodities with a lot of different brokers and managers across the United States and developed great friendships with some that he continued after retiring on May 16, 2007.

Additionally, besides being successful in business and being a strong family man, Lanier also was incredibly involved and generous with his community and church.  He was the Sunday School Superintendent and Sunday School Teacher for the Teenagers for many years and involved in helping plan Church activities over many years as a member of Pleasant View Baptist Church before moving to Brookwood Baptist Church which was his church that he attended as a kid and young man. He loved the people in his community and church family and always offered to help anyone in need. 

Lanier was an avid and experienced fisherman enjoying both fresh and saltwater fishing.  He had a gigantic fish fry on his 50th birthday with live music and a truck load of drinks packed with ice up to the top of the truck bed.  Lanier also had a ski boat for many years on Lake Lanier that was used almost every day of the spring and summer.  He taught most of his nieces as well as countless friends/family how to water ski. Lanier was always available to either teach or pull someone waterskiing or take a boat ride.  He taught a lot of people how to swim as well.  

Lanier centered his life around the interests of his children and grandchildren and enjoyed taking them on trips to places like Ski Beech, Ponte Vedra Inn & Club and Disney World.  He and Diane also enjoyed traveling to places like Paris, France, Germany, and Bermuda, just to name a few.  There is no one more dedicated and interested in spending quality time with his family like Lanier and Diane did during their 57 years together.  Lanier always had tickets to the Atlanta Braves, Hawks, Falcons, or Masters in Augusta. There are many interesting stories about Lanier and his Cattle Business aka Broken Knee Farms that his son Brian can share!

Lanier was highly intelligent, inquisitive, persuasive, and outspoken all through his life.  His unpretending manner and fearless determination made him a great leader but also was very intimidating to many that misunderstood Lanier.  Lanier always said that if you could not take an ass chewing then you would never amount to anything in life.  If you received one from Lanier, truth be told, you deserved it!  

He is preceded in death by his son, Benjamin Bagwell; sister, Diane Bagwell Batchelor; parents, Haldene and Catherine Bagwell; brother-in-law, Douglas Nalley, and his wife Norma Nalley.  Lanier is survived by his wife of 57 years, Diane Nalley Bagwell, and his son and daughter-in-law, Brian and Charo Bagwell; grandchildren, Andrew (Karina) Bagwell, Mathis Bagwell, Brendan Bagwell, and Robert Bagwell; sister, Pam Bagwell Tallant; brother-in-law, Wade Tallant; brother-in-law, Ed Batchelor; sister-in-law, Brenda Nalley Shoemake; brother-in-law, Marvin Shoemake; sister-in-law, Janie Nalley Ditmore; brother-in-law, L.K. Ditmore; nephew, Jason (Jessica) Batchelor; nephew, Eric Batchelor; niece Ellen (Keith) Vinson; niece April (Harouna) Koudougo; niece Meredith (Ricky) Bryan; niece Kerensa (States) Wing; niece Kim (Justin) Medlock; niece Adena (Matt) McDaniel; niece Heather (Chris) Colbeck; niece Megan (Steve) Endicott; niece Julie (Michael) Bennett; as well as many cousins and extended family surviving.

Lanier had a wonderful marriage and was successful in business and enjoyed life to the fullest! It was a life well lived until his health began to decline in recent years.  Now, he is with the LORD and has no pain, sorrow and/or suffering – only happiness forever! Don’t be ashamed of Jesus!

The family will receive friends at Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory (210 Ingram Ave, Cumming, GA  30040) on Wednesday May 17, 2023, from 1pm until 4 pm and 6 pm until 9 pm. On Thursday May 18, 2023, visitation will be from 11 am until the hour of service.  Funeral services will be held on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at 1:00pm, in the chapel of Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory with Rev. Joey Gilbert and Rev. Tommy Weldy officiating.  The interment will follow in the Maxwell Cemetery (9600 Westside Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA  30009). 

The service can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/live/tM40MrKQ1d4?feature=share