Jemes Derward Tolbert, 80, of Tifton, died Monday, January 5, 2015, at Tift Regional Medical Center. His funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 8, 2015, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with Rev. Larry Layfield officiating. Mr. Tolbert will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, January 7, 2015, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Blake Tolbert, Bryce Tolbert, Craig Clark and Rusty Jordan will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of Tifton’s BPOE and Springhill Country Club, who were among some of his closest friends.
Jemes was born on August 2, 1934 in Omega to the late Christie Heard and Grace Whitley Tolbert. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Virginia “Faye” Shaw Tolbert, who died in 1998. He graduated from Tifton High School in 1952, where he was a member of the Blue Devils football team. He also attended Abraham Baldwin College. He retired after 33 years as an inspector with the Georgia Department of Agriculture. He was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Chula. Jemes loved his family and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He was an avid lifetime golfer and an honorary member of Springhill Country Club. He won the club’s annual championship in 1977 and 1978 and developed life-long friendships. He was a long-time member of the Tifton Elks Lodge, where he served as secretary from 1966 until 1978.
Jemes leaves behind three children, Angie Thompson, Valerie Tolbert and Chris Tolbert, all of Tifton; five grandchildren, Ashley Thompson, Blake Tolbert, Bryce Tolbert, Shelley Thompson Jordan (Rusty) and Lexi Bray; a sister, Elaine Tolbert Clark; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews, including Alesia, Kyle and Craig Clark, his sister’s children.
In lieu of flowers or food, the family encourages friends to send memorial donations to Change for Alzheimer’s Research Trust, Rotary Club of Tifton, P.O. Box 1354, Tifton, GA 31793.