James Edward "Ed" Cleghorn, 87, of Richmond Hill, Georgia, died Sunday, January 4, 2026, at Hospice Savannah in Savannah, Georgia.
Funeral services will be 2 PM, Thursday, January 8, 2026, at The Paulk Funeral Home Chapel in Fitzgerald, Georgia, with the Rev. Ray Johnson officiating. Interment will follow in Arp Cemetery, Irwin County. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the services at the funeral home in Fitzgerald.
Mr. Cleghorn was born April 23, 1938, in Ben Hill County, Georgia, to the late Avery & Essie Parks Cleghorn. He was a 1956 honor graduate of Irwin County High School. He served his country honorably in the United States Army during the Vietnam war. He returned home to farm before moving to Macon in 1958. He formerly worked for the Georgia Forestry Commission and retired from the Department of Natural Resources as an environmental specialist. He enjoyed fishing, golfing, playing pool and bowling on the Wii. He was a devoted Christian and Gideon and a longtime member and Deacon of Arp Baptist Church. He was a member of Bethel Baptist in Richmond Hill.
He is survived by his sister, Wynell Oliver of Macon along with many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mitylene Agee Cleghorn as well as four brothers: Avery Cleghorn, Jr., Frank Cleghorn, Jesse Cleghorn, and Sam Cleghorn and seven sisters: Ruby Hall, Dora Hall, Mary Harper, Nancy Tribble, Lucile Neisler, Frances Marie Cleghorn, and Martha Fletcher.
Paulk Funeral Home, Fitzgerald, is in charge of arrangements.