The Rev. Jethro "Floyd" Richards, 90, of Tifton passed away Sunday, December 5, 2004, at his residence. His funeral service was held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday December 8, 2004, at Macedonia Baptist Church in Chula with the Rev. Jimmy Franks, the Rev. John S. Gibbs Sr. and the Rev. Randall Gay officiating. Rev. Richards was laid to rest at Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery in Chula.
J. D. Player II, Rusty Richards, Britt Richards, Derek Richards, Ricky Richards and Billy King served as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were the deacons of Macedonia Baptist Church in Church, the deacons of Arp Baptist Church, Billy Phillips, Willie Gray, Jack Perrin and all attending ministers.
Born July 26, 1914, in Tift County, Rev. Richards was the son of the William Hamilton Richards and Mary Alice Yancey Richards. He was also preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Eunice Taylor Richards; two sons, Floyce Richards and Glenn Richards; three brothers; and five sisters. He was a Baptist minister; and he was a member of Macedonia Baptist Church in Chula, where he had served as pastor for many years.
Rev. Richards is survived by his wife, Joyce Bryant Richards of Tifton; two sons, Ronald Richards of Tifton and J. D. Player II of Land's Crossing; one daughter, Glenda Richards Peacock of Tifton; four grandchildren, Angela Goff, Derek Richards, Dana R. King and Ricky Richards; and seven great-grandchildren, Rusty Richards, Amanda Richards, Britt Richards, Anna Richards, Savannah King, Tanner Goff and Britny Peacock.
Memorial gifts may be made to Macedonia Baptist Church or Arp Baptist Church.