Samuel Alton "Bud" Hester, 93, of Tifton died Monday, November 25, 2013, at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 27, 2013, at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Tifton. Rev. Kevin Harris, Rev. Robert Thompson and Rev. Nat McCalvin will officiate with a eulogy to be given by Buddy Lindsey. Interment will follow in Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Kelltown. His grandsons will serve as pallbearers and honorary pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, November 26, 2013, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Mr. Hester will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service.
Mr. Hester was born on September 26, 1920 in Heard County and was the son of James Robert “Jim” Hester and Betty Carr Hester, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by his first wife, Willie Mae Newell Hester, who died in 1958; and two step-daughters, Shirley Peters and her husband, Junior and Debbie Kelley; four sisters; and five brothers. He was a retired farmer and a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church in Kelltown, where he served as a deacon for many years.
Mr. Hester is survived by his wife, Vercie Howell Hester of Tifton; two sons and daughters-in-law, Donald and Sue Hester and James and Lynne Hester, all of Tifton; four daughters and two sons-in-law, Carolyn and Freddie Kelly, Brenda Gershon, Peggy and Johnny Lindsey and Shirlene Goodrich, all of Tifton; three step-daughters and their husbands, Diane Goff of Sylvester, Cindy and Mark Thompson of Tifton and Patty and Jimmy Davis of Mississippi; 27 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and several great-great grandchildren.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to SouthernCare Hospice, 412 First Street, SE, Moultrie, GA 31768.