Dr. John Leonard Tolbert, age 55, died Friday, October 12, 2012 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford, MS. He was born June 7, 1957 in Ripley, TN to the late James Lewis and Virginia Irene Estelle Moore Tolbert. Dr. Tolbert was the pastor of Pine Grove Baptist Church in Coffeeville, MS, and he loved his church family and serving the Lord. He enjoyed woodworking, photography, working with computers, watching sports, reading, and he was a Civil War history buff.
Visitation will be Wednesday, October 17, 2012 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Seven Oaks Funeral Home in Water Valley, MS. Funeral services will be held Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 2:00 PM in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks with Rev. Steve Edmonds and Bro. Truman Scarbrough officiating. Burial will be in the Pine Grove Church Cemetery in Yalobusha County, MS with Jeremy Rogers, Austin Groner, Robert Mays, Mac Williams, Jonathan Kent and Will Eubanks, Thomas Johnson and Hunter Stanford will serve as pallbearers. Derrick Gooch, Johnathan Tolbert and Jared Tolbert will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Dr. Tolbert is survived by his wife, Betty Sharpe Tolbert; one daughter, Lauren Tolbert; and two sons, Johnathan Tolbert and Jared Tolbert all of Water Valley, MS; one sister, Barbara Hamsley (Larry) of Chattanooga, TN; one sister-in-law, Glenda Tolbert of Covington, TN; a nephew, J. R. Tolbert (Phyllis) of Covington, TN; and his step-mother, Novella Tolbert of Ripley, TN.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Jimmy Tolbert.
Online condolences may be made at www.sevenoaksfuneralhome.com