Joe Murray Rivers

Born| 1939

Savannah, Georgia, U.S.

Died| April 5, 2017 (aged 78)

Savannah, Georgia, U.S.

Resting place| Oak Grove Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, U.S.

Joseph Murray Rivers (1939 – April 5, 2017) was an American businessman and transit advocate. He served on the Chatham County Commission beginning in 1985, and served as its commissioner between 1985 and 2004.[1]

The Intermodal Transit Center in Savannah, Georgia, is now named for him.

## Life and career

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Rivers was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1939,[2] to Joe Murray Rivers Sr. and Sarah Frazier.[3] Growing up in Savannah's "Old Fort" neighborhood,[1] near Emmet Park, he attended Savannah's Beach High School,[3] and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Institute (University of Maryland), City College of New York and Savannah State University.[2]

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the Merchant Marines.[3]

In business, he co-owned, with his friend James Holmes, the Olympic Sports shop in downtown Savannah, originally located on Drayton Street but later moved to Broughton Street.[4]

Rivers is noted for transforming Savannah's transit system from one of the worst in Georgia to one of America's best, a transformation which resulted in his winning an American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Award in 1989.[3] He served as chairman of the Countywide Transit Taskforce between 1985 and 1991, served on the Metropolitan Planning Organization, and served as Region III president from 1991 to 1992. He received a Special Achievement Award from the Coastal Area District Development Authority (CADDA), and served on CADDA's board of directors.[3]

He served on the board of directors for Chatham Area Transit, whose Intermodal Transit Center is now named for Rivers.[4] It opened in 2013.[5]

> He wanted to make sure transportation could be provided to all people. He and I used to go to Washington all the time to try to get funding from our legislators — anybody who would listen to us. Joe Murray Rivers was a person who did not give up. For people who did not have means to have a car, he really believed in public transportation. — James Holmes[4]

## Death

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Murray died, aged 78, at Savannah's Candler Hospital in April 2017 after a short illness.[4] He was interred in Savannah's Oak Grove Cemetery.[2] He was survived by his fiancée Virgie Williams.[3]

## See also

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* Public transportation in Savannah, Georgia

## References

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1. ^ a b "Joseph (Joe) Murray Rivers, Jr.: 1939–2017". City of Savannah. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
2. ^ a b c "Joseph Rivers Obituary (1939 - 2017) - Savannah, GA - Savannah Morning News". Legacy.com. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
3. ^ a b c d e f "The Savannah Community Celebrates the Life of Joe "Murray" Rivers - The Savannah Tribune". The Savannah Tribune. April 12, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
4. ^ a b c d Quimby, Kelly (April 6, 2017). "'A man of the people': Local activist, public servant Joe Murray Rivers dies". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
5. ^ "Joe Murray Rivers, Jr. Intermodal Transit Center | Chatham Area Transit (CAT)". Retrieved January 25, 2024.