Michael Thomas Llop

October 1, 2010 Michael Thomas Llop, Sr., 47, of Yarborough Mill in Fairmount, peacefully passed away Thursday, September 30th, 2010 after a year long battle with cancer. Michael was born in Atlanta on May 20th, 1963. He is survived by his devoted wife, Karen, the love of his life and his stronghold; and, his two devoted children, Michael Thomas and Sadie Jo, who fondly referred to him as "Daddy Ocho" because he was number eight of eleven children. Michael began his career in Atlanta in 1979 with Big Red Firewood, a school co-op project, which escalated into a successful and thriving landscape business. In 1998, he and his wife fell in love with Gordon County and left Atlanta, purchasing property near Fairmount where he spent the next five years meticulously restoring the historic 1849 Victorian home, Gristmill and surrounding property to its original grandeur. His affinity for business and landscape design led him to start a tree farm and open another landscape company in Calhoun, Georgia, Lawnscapes Northwest in 2005. Michael was a gifted artist and landscape designer with the unique ability of incorporating the natural beauty of the landscape into gracious settings. His landscape designs made an indelible mark on the community which will forever be admired and appreciated throughout Atlanta and Northwest Georgia. Michael is preceded in death by his father, Joseph L. Llop and mother-in-law, Madeline Blaha. He is survived by his loving mother Adele. Being the 8th of 11 children, he was fondly referred to as #8 by Joe, Marianne, Olivia, William, Rita, Louis, Adele, Carmen, Christina and Georgia. He is also survived by his father-in-law, George, friend and brother-in-law, David, along with 27 nieces and nephews and 6 other special in-laws. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Thomas Funeral Home, 535 Red Bud Rd, Calhoun, Georgia with a Rosary beginning 6:45. Funeral Services will be held at St. Clement's Catholic Church, 875 Highway 53, SW, Calhoun, Monday, October 4th at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to Gordon Hospital Cancer Center. Gordon Hospital Foundation is currently raising money to open a state of art radiation therapy treatment center to provide cancer patients in Gordon County access to local treatment. Checks may be sent to Judy Jackson, Radiation Treatment Center, Gordon Hospital Foundation, P.O. 12938, Calhoun, GA 30703. Online condolences may be made at www.thomasfuneralhomecalhoun.com