THOMSON --- John David "Jack" Baston Jr. made friends easy and it paid dividends for many years in his line of work as a banker.

Mr. Baston went on to serve in public office as a member on the McDuffie County Board of Education. He also was a leader in his church and several community organizations.

Mr. Baston died Wednesday at Doctors Hospital. He was 79.

"He was a fixture in our community," said George Lokey, president of First Bank of Georgia in Thomson. "He was always there to help out in our community for as long as I can remember. He was the kind of man who was involved in all aspects of the community."

Graveside services for Mr. Baston will be held at 2 p.m. today in the Westview Cemetery with Dr. Tom Kerr and the Rev. Chad Norris officiating.

Mr. Baston's banking ca- reer began and ended at First National Bank in Thomson. He first began there as a teller/cashier and rose to the position of executive vice president. He kept up with the latest trends in the banking industry as a member of the Georgia Banker's Association. After his retirement from the bank in 1990, he continued to serve as a member of the bank's board of directors.

A graduate of the University of Georgia, Mr. Baston understood the importance of getting a quality education, friends said. He later was elected to public office as a school board member.

Mr. Lokey recalled how Mr. Baston enjoyed singing in the choir at First United Methodist Church in Thomson.

"I always enjoyed hearing him sing," said Mr. Lokey.

Mr. Baston's son, John David Baston III, of Gainesville, Ga., said his father liked doing things to help people.

"He loved helping people get started out in a life with a loan," said his son. "And he loved all the people that he worked with at the bank all of those years."

Aside from his deep dedication at the bank, Mr. Baston also had a deep sense of loyalty to his community.

He was a member and former president of the Kiwanis Club and helped raise money to promote Easter Seals and the Boy Scouts of the Central Savannah River Area for many years.

Besides his son, Mr. Baston is survived by his wife, Martha Baston, Thomson; a grandson, John David Baston IV, and a granddaughter, Caroline Baston.