Sulula Elizabeth Garland, a woman of warmth and grace, passed away on March 1, 2025, and joined her beloved mother, father, and sister in glory. Fondly known as “Su Beth,” she was born on June 23, 1955, to the late L. Mac and Floyce (Vickers) Tillman. She was sunshine personified, and the sound of her laughter filled any room she entered.

Su Beth’s life was a tapestry of love and cherished moments. Her childhood was a delightful one, filled with adventures and family. Su Beth often played with her cousins and her niece and nephew, Jennifer and Robert, who were relatively close in age. She attended half-day kindergarten in her early life, and her older sister, Maxine, regularly dropped her off in the mornings. These car rides were just the beginning of the sisters’ adventures together. They spent endless time together, sharing laughs and making a myriad of memories. Later, when Su Beth was in middle and high school, she spent summers on her Aunt Cat’s farm picking tobacco alongside her cousins. Aside from work, these days were filled with laughter, sunshine, and swimming. She learned to waterski around the age of 10 when her father, who owned an automotive body shop, was called to haul off a tractor-trailer full of ski boats and received one as payment. Su Beth spent many weekends on the lake with countless friends and relatives. She was, by all accounts, a very skilled skier, and once slalom skied around the entirety of Twin Lakes in one try.

Su Beth attended Valdosta High School (VHS), where she was a member of the Valdosta Marching Cats Flag Corps. She twirled her flag and baton on the field every Friday night during football season. She was always vibrant, and later in life, Su would occasionally entertain her daughter and grandchildren by twirling sticks like a baton to show them she “still had it.” She also participated in the work study program and worked alongside her father at Tillman Body Shop. It was here that she watched him paint her first car (a dune buggy) and made many fond memories, such as attending monthly fish fries the family held with the other shop employees. Some weekends, you could find her “cruising” Ashley Street with other teens- sometimes with her younger cousin, Tari (whom she was supposed to be babysitting!), hiding in the backseat. She graduated from VHS in 1973, leaving behind a legacy of camaraderie and lasting friendships.

After high school, Su Beth attended Valdosta State College (now VSU), where she lived on campus and joined the Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) sorority. She forged many lifelong relationships as a member of ZTA and served in various roles- secretary, second vice president, and president of the alumnae group. In addition, she was a sweetheart and little sister for the Delta Chi fraternity. Su Beth originally declared a major in psychology. However, after winning the Miss Valdosta title in 1975, she changed her major to education, with a focus on social studies. This led to her thirty-one-year career as a teacher, first at Valdosta High School and later at Lowndes High School.

As a teacher, she made an indelible mark on countless lives. Her classes were memorable, particularly her sociology class, where her students would dress up and participate in a mock wedding at the end of the semester- complete with a cake and reception. Su Beth cared deeply for her students and often served in voluntary roles, such as class sponsor. She would paraphrase Roosevelt, saying, “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This was evidenced in her teaching and mentoring. However, her role as a teacher did not end when she retired. Su Beth was a woman of strong faith, serving for 14 years as a small-group leader for Bible Study Fellowship and spending many hours each week reading the Bible, preparing lessons, and contacting her group members (“my ladies”). She could often be found praying with (or for) each of her “ladies.” The same was true for her family members and friends, many of whom she saw each week at First United Methodist Church of Valdosta.

In addition, Su Beth was a devoted wife and mother. She married her husband, Bill Garland, in 1990. As a blended family, they raised three children together- her daughter, Casey, and his two sons, Chris and Cy. Their family spent many nights around the dinner table enjoying meals that Su Beth lovingly prepared. This love extended beyond the children to her role as a grandmother, which brought her great joy. She relished spending time with her grandchildren. Su Beth and Bill helped raise their children’s five grandsons, and even had a pool built in their backyard so the boys could spend summer days swimming and playing with them. She was a fixture at each of her grandchildren’s schools and extracurricular activities. In fact, she saw her youngest grandson almost daily. She would take him to her house after school to play, often feeding him dinner and bathing him before bringing him home. (However, even the world’s best nana needs a break sometimes! Su Beth spent hers traveling with Bill. As recently as August of 2025, the pair journeyed abroad and enjoyed a trip to Spain and several other locales.) There is no denying the lasting impression Su Beth made on her family’s lives; each of us is better for having known her.

With her earnest personality, quick wit, hardworking spirit, and loving nature, Su Beth will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her legacy lives on through her children, Casey Jean Colson (Hunter) and Christopher Lawrence Garland, grandchildren Garrett Garland, Jack and Lex Kennedy, Warren Garland, and Maximus Colson, niece Jennifer Sasser (Ken), nephew Robert Kendrick (Renea), and numerous other great-nieces and nephews, cousins, and relatives. Su Beth’s impact on the lives she touched, her love for family and Christ, and her dedication to helping others will be remembered with fondness and gratitude.

A funeral service for Mrs. Garland will be held at 2pm on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at First Methodist Church with Reverend Dr. Anthony McPhail officiating. The family will visit prior to the service from 12:30-2pm at the church. The burial will be private. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Hospice of South Georgia, 2263 Pineview Drive, Valdosta, GA 31602. Online condolences may be shared at www.mclanecares.com.

Carson McLane Funeral Home is assisting the Garland family at this time.