John Robert Setters, Sr., 82, of Tifton passed away Monday, April 3, 2023, at the Berrien Campus of South Georgia Medical Center in Nashville. His funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 7, 2023, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Nat McCalvin, the Rev. Craig Nalls and the Rev. Mike Patillo officiating. Mr. Setters will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery with the Rev. Gary Cadwell officiating. The family will receive friends on Thursday, April 6, 2023, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mr. Setters’ grandsons, Jonathon Cook, Hunt Sanders III, Walt Sanders and Turner Sanders; as well as his nephews, Harrell Willis, Darrell Lightle and Jason Willis will serve as pallbearers.
Born April 5, 1940, in Spokane, Washington, Mr. Setters was the son of the late Walter Henry Setters and Edith Edna Schell Setters. He was also preceded in death by his step-mother, Elma Schell Setters; and one brother and sister-in-law, William H. and Leeta Setters. He retired from the United States Postal Service and he was a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church in Kelltown. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and served from 1958-1962. He had lived in Tift County since 1961.
John loved the Lord, and he lived his life with a servant’s heart. He stayed busy working with the Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief, serving as a chaplain with Truckstop Ministries, and visiting with the homebound. He was also a Sunday School teacher and church clerk at Oak Grove for fifty years. After retirement from the Postal Service in 1996, he and Billie expanded their RV travel and enjoyed taking their grandkids all over the United States. He especially loved traveling to Washington State to visit his family and friends, having made a promise to visit often when he moved to Georgia in 1961. When they weren’t RVing, he was hunting and fishing with his son, son-in-law, and grandkids. He certainly loved life. John did have a second career at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. He took pride in comforting and helping people in their time of need and loss. He certainly lived a Godly life and will leave a legacy of love behind.
Mr. Setters is survived by his wife, Billie Dean Willis Setters of Tifton; one son and daughter-in-law, J. Robert Jr. and Tracey Setters of Tifton; two daughters and sons-in-law, Deanna and Hunt Sanders of Tifton and Valerie and Jeff Footh of Longview, Washington; one sister and brother-in-law, Anna and Don Tinney of Sedra Woolley, Washington; ten grandchildren, Landon Connerton, Tricia Connerton Fielding, Sean Footh, Jonathon Cook and his wife Micky Lynn, Kristy Kirkland, Molly Kirkland, Hunt Sanders III, Walt Sanders, Turner Sanders and Sophie Sanders; and six great-grandchildren, Charlotte Cook, Casey Cook, Madelyn Cook, Stormy Fielding, Luna Connerton and Braxton Tyson.
Flowers will be accepted, or memorial gifts may be made to Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief, 6405 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097-4092.