Rev. Ronald C. Griner, 80, of Fitzgerald, died Monday, March 30, 2026, at his residence surrounded by his loving family.
Funeral services will be held 4 PM, Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Paulk Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Buddy Clark officiating. Interment will follow in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Wilcox County, Georgia. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Mr. Griner was born March 16, 1946, in Fitzgerald, Georgia, to the late Cleave & Alma Louise Miller Griner. He served in the National Guard during the Vietnam Conflict and worked under Sheriff Therman Ellis, as the first Detective for Ben Hill County Sheriff’s office. He worked for White’s Pest Control, White’s Radio & TV, insurance for over 21 years for Independent Life Insurance Company, and later taught wood working, defensive driving and CPR for Wiregrass Technical College. In his spare time, he loved to fish and be outdoors. Mr. Griner also pastored numerous churches throughout the community, including Pinetta Baptist Church, Cornerstone Christian Baptist, and Mt. Zion Baptist Church. He was a member of Christian Home Baptist Church in Wilcox County, Georgia.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Linda Giddens Griner; a son, Allan Griner (Jill) of Largo, Florida; a daughter, Valerie Parrish (Curt) of Fitzgerald; grandchildren: Shane Griner, Justin Griner (Jana), Shawna Luke (Jeremy Fowler), Zachary Griner, Gregory Langston (Samantha), Molly Banas (Kyle) and Seth Griner; 12 great grandchildren; as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Philip Griner.
Paulk Funeral Home, Fitzgerald, is in charge of arrangements.