Stanley Matthew Rawlins Obituary

On Tuesday, December 29, 2020, Stanley Matthew Rawlins, loving husband and father of three children, passed away at the age of 49. Stan was born on March 23, 1971, in Augusta, GA, to William E and the late Hazel (Parks) Rawlins. On February 19, 2000, he married the love of his life, Judith Rena (Jankus). They have three sons: Gabriel, Michael, and Anthony.

After graduating Lakeside High School in 1990, Stan spent several years traveling and even lived for a time in Daytona, Florida, and West Virginia. When he returned to the Augusta area in his mid-twenties, he went to work at the former Castleberry's Foods Company. He started there in Quality Control and eventually became a supervisor in this department.

By the time the company closed it's doors, he held the position of Purchasing Manager. After this, he worked several factory jobs before deciding he preferred to make his own way, and he became Self-Employed. He made and sold exquisite Native American flutes under the name Peaceful Pilgrim Flutes, and he was a successful online bookseller under the name Peaceful Pilgrim Books.

Toward the end of his life, he continued in the vein of self-employment, but this time he wanted to be around more people, so he became a gig worker and delivered for companies such as Waitr, Door Dash, Uber Eats, and Postmates. He was once heard saying that he enjoyed the freedom of the work, the great income he could make, and being able to meet the most amazing people.

Perhaps unknown to most, Stan was also a man of deep personal faith. He was reared Baptist, and he converted to Roman Catholicism in 2003. He was a faithful member of St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church as well as a 1st Degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He loved taking retreats to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, GA, and his wife often said that if he hadn't been married, he most likely would have become a monk.

In his free time, Stan enjoyed many varied pursuits such as playing video games with his sons, dabbling in Day Trading, photography, fishing, programming, metal detecting, and playing instruments such as his flutes, his harmonica, or his banjo. He loved living a simple life and would have preferred to live unplugged in a little cabin in the woods.

Always joyful, he never met a stranger and always had a ready smile, a firm handshake, or a tight hug to whomever he approached. He is survived by his brothers David (Cathy) Rawlins, the late Terry Rawlins, Phillip (Dianne) Rawlins, Richard Rawlins, Mark (Angelina) Rawlins, Willie (Angie) Rawlins, Grady Rawlins, and Ben (Dana) Rawlins; his in-laws, Dorothy Jankus and the late Jonas Jankus, his brothers-in-law Robert (Sheila) Jankus, and Christopher Jankus; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, at 3:00 PM in the main sanctuary of St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, 4921 Columbia Rd, Grovetown, GA.