David Peyton Page, Sr.

David Peyton Page, Sr., Yulee, 88, passed away at the Warner Center for Caring on Thursday, August 25, 2022.  David was born on August 8, 1934 in his family’s home on Page’s Dairy Road and lived on the same road most of his life. His parents were John and Clara Belle Higginbotham Page.  David grew up working on his family’s dairy and enjoyed riding his horse to Yulee School when he “accidentally” missed the bus. He wasn’t a scholarly student. He remembered that one of his favorite teachers would let him sleep in class, saying “He was up working during the night.”  That was true because he had been milking cows at 2am. David excelled in 4-H activities, particularly in cattle judging. He won many awards including several state awards that gave him the opportunity to travel to other states as a Florida cattle judging team member. David was a proud Yulee Hornet, graduating in 1952. He said it was his class that chose green for the school color, adding that it was chosen because green was his favorite color. 

David married Betty “Betsy” Satterfield in 1955. They attended his home church, Yulee Baptist Church, with their children, Patti and David, Jr, and David felt led to become a Pastor. His family moved to Macon where he went to Mercer University and then with baby Angie moved to Goldston, NC and attended Southeastern Baptist Seminary. In 1971, after the birth of their 4th child, Jonathan, and several months in Fernandina, David accepted the pastorate of Silk Hope Baptist Church in Savannah, GA. In 1974, the family moved back to Page’s Dairy Road to stay. David continued to preach at churches in the area (Ruhamah Baptist in Kingsland, GA,  Pleasant Park Baptist in north Jacksonville, North 14th Street Baptist in Fernandina, and Harriett’s Bluff Baptist in Camden County, GA). He especially loved the children in his churches. Many of their earliest words was “preacher” because they loved him, too. He also loved to sing and often added beautiful harmony. He was on the Nassau County School Board for 12 years and owned and operated Page’s Nursery for 40 years. Many Nassau residents fondly remember their visits to the nursery and their golf cart rides and talks with Mr. Page. David was an active member of Yulee Baptist Church until February 2021 when he moved into the Jane Adams House for memory care. 

David was preceded in death by his wife Betsy, daughter Patti, and grandson John-Curtis Page. Survivors include his sons: David (Kim), and Jonathan (Moya) all of Fernandina Beach, daughter Angela “Angie” (John) of Yulee, his grandchildren: Crandall (Kristin) McClellan, Annie Page (Austin) Barnhill, Page McClellan (Michael) Thorne, Laura Page, and Katherine Page, and a great-granddaughter, Elizabeth “Libby” Barnhill.  

Service information:  Sunday, September 11, 2022, 5:00 p.m., Yulee Baptist Church.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Yulee Baptist Church Nehemiah Fund.