Derrek Vaughn | The Valdosta Daily Times Robert Morris, president of the Home Builders Association, and Pete Arroyo, associate director for HBA, present a $750 donation check to Molly Ferris, executive director of Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity, Thursday afternoon at the HBA's golf tournament. 

VALDOSTA – The community came together Thursday afternoon to honor the late Stuart Mullis. 

He was the executive director of Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity before he died in June 2017.

The Home Builders Association sponsored an annual golf tournament at Stone Creek Golf Club where 21 teams gathered to play in the tournament.

Prior to tee off at Stone Creek, the HBA presented Habitat with a $750 donation check in Stuart Mullis’ name.

Molly Ferrier, Habitat executive director, said the funds will be used for a current build.

“With their help, we get to build more homes,” she said.

Jill Maine, HBA executive director, said HBA has a relationship with Habitat that stretches back years thanks to Mullis.

When he became Habitat executive director, the nonprofit became a member of HBA. Since then, the association has supported Habitat.

“Stuart was phenomenal to our community and to the association and our industry,” Maine said. “We love Stuart and want to keep his memory alive.”

Marcus Mullis, his son, said the HBA golf tournament is an honor for his family.

He said his father truly enjoyed assisting people in the community.

“My dad really, really loved this town and he loved working for Habitat and just helping people,” he said.

The golf tournament would instill in Stuart Mullis a sense of pride, his son said.

Ferrier said she wishes for him to be remembered as he was while he was alive.

“He was such a great man, great pillar of our community. I can’t say enough about Stuart without busting out crying because he was my friend, he was my mentor (and) he was my boss,” she said.

“Everybody who knew Stuart had a best friend. He loved this community, and he loved to help people, and we’re just lucky to have had him for as long as we did.”