Former pastor of First Baptist Church George Othell Hand dies at 95

From preaching in the pulpit to motivating employees in the Aflac boardroom, former pastor of First Baptist Church of Columbus, George Othell Hand was known for a positive message to everyone he met.

Hand died Saturday at age 95.

Hand made an impact on the entire community, said Jimmy Elder, pastor of First Baptist Church for the last 13 years and a friend of the Hand family.

“Dr. Hand was one of those people who absolutely touched the whole community in the name of Christ, in the name of the church and made everywhere he was a better place,” Elder said.

A celebration of life service will be held for Hand at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church downtown, according to Elder and Striffler-Hamby of Columbus.

Hand was born in Mississippi and educated in Kentucky. He served as a minister in positions in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida before arriving in Columbus in 1962.

Elder said he was very much aware of Hand before he arrived in Columbus in 2003 to preach in the same pulpit. He learned about Hand from his father, who also was a minister.

“Everybody knew about Dr. Hand,” Elder said on Saturday. “I first met him 13 years ago when I first became his pastor. He was still a member of First Baptist. I had known all about him. I just never met him.”

During his tenure at First Baptist, Hand was always a positive, forward looking visionary.

“He did not build for one generation, but he built for generations to come,” Elder said.

While at First Baptist, Hand was responsible for renovating the sanctuary.

“He brought it to its full glory,” Elder said. “We have recarpeted and repainted, but what he did, he brought it up to date and we just maintained it.”

Hand left First Baptist in 1973 to work for Aflac founder John Amos. At the time, he said he was going to become the minister to the market place.

“He did a lot of good for Aflac,” Elder said. “It is amazing.”

Hand was the top lobbyist for the supplemental insurance company headquartered in Columbus. Employees also were treated to motivational messages on the intercom system twice a week from Hand.

“He could make the simplest person or most important person feel like they mattered above everything else,” Elder said. “Whoever he was with would feel like they are the most important person in the world.”

Hand was always a flashy dresser. He could be seen at times dressed completely in white from head to toe. He was active at civic clubs and garden clubs.

Hand also was instrumental in securing a fountain on the north side of the building on 12th Street near its entrance. The fountain is a replica of one at the Congressional office building in Washington. Although it drew some controversy, the fountain was one of the early symbols in a city regarded as the fountain city, a claim supported by Hand.

Elder said Hand was a tremendous gift to all in the city.

“Being in the pulpit where he served is a very humbling thing for me,” he said. “I have deep admiration and respect for him. It’s a humbling thing to be in the pulpit where he once served.

This story was originally published August 13, 2016 at 8:59 PM with the headline "Former pastor of First Baptist Church George Othell Hand dies at 95."