The Sandy Springs Foundation unveiled a bench recognizing U.S. Marine veteran Eddie Mobley at Veterans Park on May 25 at the former site of his auto shop at Roswell Road and Mount Vernon Highway.
Several community members spearheaded the Eddie Mobley Memorial Bench project, including Police. Capt. Andrew Spears, Sandy Springs Foundation Board Chair Christine Propst, and longtime residents Donna Hiller and Roger Solomon.
Sandy Springs’ trusted mechanic
Each person involved with the Eddie Mobley Memorial Bench shared their connection to him during an unveiling ceremony. People loved Mobley, whether they took their first car to his shop as teenagers, worked with him, or admired his work as a customer.
The plaque commemorating “Fast Eddie” reads: “On this site stood Eddie’s Auto. Owner Eddie Mobley, U.S. Marine and mechanic for the community, dedicated his life to service. We honor him with this memorial.”
Before the City of Sandy Springs incorporated in 2005, Eddie’s Automotive was the Fulton County Police Department’s contracted mechanic. The Sandy Springs Police Department remains a client of the business today, which is located in East Cobb.
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While Mobley passed away more than a decade ago, his generosity stuck with longtime customers and police officers, spurring them to mount a campaign to memorialize the Vietnam War veteran on the site of his former auto shop.
Sandy Springs Police Capt. Andrew Spears said Mobley always went out of his way to help people who really needed it at his auto shop. Spears began working on the memorial with fellow officers and resident Roger Solomon about three years ago.
“This was a no-brainer,” Spears said during the Memorial Day ceremony. “Where you’re standing was the shop, and it’s what he did for the community.”
‘Finest man I knew’
Sandy Springs Foundation Board Chair Christine Propst said her family of eight took its fleet of cars to Eddie’s shop growing up in Sandy Springs, as the trusted mechanic. Propst said Mobley and her father became good friends.
“As we grew up and moved out, we were in charge of our own cars, but dad made sure that we still took them to Eddie,” she said. “He also insisted that he come with us … I thought he wanted to go with me because he was gonna make sure I wasn’t cheated … no, that wasn’t it at all. My dad came with us when we got our car service so he could visit with Eddie.”
Sandy Springs resident Donna Hiller made a large donation to the foundation’s memorial bench fund, making the holiday ceremony possible, according to Propst.
Council Member John Paulson, a U.S. Marine and Vietnam veteran like Mobley, shared a story about one of his friends meeting his wife while they were both getting their cars worked on at the auto shop. Other former customers shared their lasting impressions of Eddie: “the finest man I knew,” “like a rabbit, hopping around, always somewhere,” and “special.”
Michael Monetta, the longtime owner and operator of Mobley’s former shop, now called Magic Mike’s Automotive, said Mobley gave him one of his first jobs in college.
“He opened up on Sunday, so I could work myself,” Monetta said. “He was almost like a dad to me … my daughter’s godfather. Treated me like a son, and I learned a lot from him. This is awesome.”
