William “Pete” Pike, who founded Pike Nurseries in metro Atlanta over 60 years ago, has died at 90.
His family announced Pike died at his home Saturday.
“Pete Pike was an icon in the lawn and garden industry” said Monte Enright, CEO Pike Nurseries & Armstrong Garden Centers. “He built his reputation on his honesty and straight forward way of doing business. I know Pete to be very caring and generous to a fault with all of his friends, relatives and employees. I have known Pete since 1990 and was honored that he called me a very good friend.”
Pike was born January 25, 1930 in Hoganville, Georgia.
Pike started his career when he worked part-time for a local nursery in the 1950s while he served at the Naval Air Station in Chamblee.
Pike and his wife Jerri decided to open their own nursery in 1958 with three employees and a small location on Highway 41 in Marietta.
Today, Pike Nurseries has 18 retail stores with 500 employees in metro Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Pike and his wife donated to many charities in metro Atlanta, including the DeKalb Medical Centers in Decatur and Lithonia, the Ford African Rain Forest at Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta’s Ronald McDonald House and the Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross.
A celebration of life will be held Tuesday at noon at Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain with visitation starting at 10 a.m