Harold Brickle, 89, of Fitzgerald, died Tuesday, March 1, 2016, at his residence.
Funeral services will be held 3 PM, Friday, March 4, 2016, at The Paulk Funeral Home Chapel in Fitzgerald, with the Rev. Dewain Joiner and the Rev. Earlie Holt officiating. Interment will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery with Masonic Rites. The family will receive friends from 6-8 Thursday evening at the funeral home in Fitzgerald.
Mr. Brickle was born March 4, 1926, in Ben Hill County, to the late Edward L. Brickle & Lillian Mae Clark Morris. He was an avid baseball player having played minor league ball in Cooperstown. He was drafted into the Majors but returned home to start a family. Mr. Brickle owned and operated ESSO Humble Oil Service Station and retired from General Motors as the service manager at Pool Chevrolet. He was a certified technician through General Motors. He also worked for Industrial Plastics. Mr. Brickle was a devoted member of Pine Level Lodge #353 F.&A.M. having recently earned his 50-Year Award. He was named Mason of the Year in 2002 and for many years cooked meals for the monthly meetings. He will be remembered by many for his participation in the Lodge’s annual pancake breakfast. Mr. Brickle was given the key to the city on his 80th birthday and was an avid fisherman, spending many hours on the Ocmulgee River. A member of the Fitzgerald Church of God, Mr. Brickle’s pride and joy was his family and he enjoyed spending time with the love of his life “Little Margie”, as well as his daughter, grands, and great-grands.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Margie Rakestraw Brickle of Fitzgerald; daughter, Harriet Brickle Richardson of Tifton; grandchildren: Harold Bradley Richardson of Tifton and Hara Richardson Overstreet of Tifton; two great-grandchildren: Landon Brewer Overstreet and MaryMadalyn Lea Overstreet; one brother, Dr. Fred Brickle of Wilmington, Florida; two sisters-in-law: Yvonne Brickle and Pam Brickle, both of Florida; as well as many special nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers.