I.J. “James” Clemons, 78, of Fitzgerald, died January 21 at Dorminy Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held 2 P.M., Wednesday, January 24 at the Paulk Funeral Home Chapel, Fitzgerald with Masonic Rites and Rev. Talmadge Wilcox and Rev. Kelly Brown officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. Visitation will be held 7 until 9 Tuesday evening at the funeral home.
Mr. Clemons was born September 19, 1928, in Troupe County, to the late William Barney and Annie Ruby Rogers Clemons. He lived in the community most of his life from LaGrange. Mr. Clemons was a former employee of Fitzgerald Mills and Modern Fibers. He was a member and former song leader at Callie Garbutt Baptist Church (now Calvary Baptist). He was a Master Mason and Commander, a life-long member of the Shriners Eye Foundation and a former Auxiliary Policeman. Mr. Clemons was one of the original Ben-Hillbillies. He was an Emeritus member of the Eastern Star and worked with the Rainbow Girls. He was actively involved with the Boy Scouts.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Annie Ruth Clemons of Fitzgerald; sons & daughters-in-law, Jimmy Ray & Lisa Clemons, Navarra, FL, Ronald B. & Peggy Clemons, Fitzgerald and William B. & Donna Clemons, Macon; daughters & son-in-law, Barbara S, Tucker, Fitzgerald and Deanna Lynn & W.A. McCollum, Jr., Sylvester; special nephew and his wife, Rodney & Wilma Clemons, Fitzgerald; 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; brother. John J. “Jack” Clemons, Fitzgerald; sisters and brother-in-law, Rosella Grantham, Americus, Ruby Clemons and Patricia Smith, Fitzgerald and Nadine & Tony Ware, Opelika, AL. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Dorothy Ann Clemons, 3 brothers and 3 sisters.