George Douglas Tatum, Sr., 82, of Irwinville died Monday, June 4, 2007, at Dorminy Memorial Medical Center in Fitzgerald. Graveside funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 7, 2007, in Zion Hope Baptist Church Cemetery with interment to follow in Zion Hope Baptist Church Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be his grandchildren, Taylor Rae Graham, Joel Douglas Taylor III, Colby Lee Childs, Spencer Tatum, Doug Tatum, Hannah Grace Hancock and Hope Elizabeth Hancock. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, June 6. 2007, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mr. Tatum was born on September 12, 1924 in Lagrange and was raised in Tifton. He was the son of Robert Turner Tatum and Bertha Lee Drake Tatum, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by one brother, Robert Cecil Tatum. He was retired from the United States Navy, having honorably served for over 20 years. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He was also retired from the State of Georgia's Department of Natural Resources, where he was a State Park Manager at Roosevelt State Park, Jefferson Davis State Park and General Coffee State Park. He was a member of Big Creek Baptist Church in Irwinville.
Mr. Tatum is survived by his wife, Charlene Elixson Tatum of Irwinville; one son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Dea Tatum of Ocilla; two daughters and sons-in-law, Lee Ann and Michael Hancock of Tifton and Sherri Lynn and Charlie Childs of Irwinville; and six grandchildren, Taylor Rae Graham, Doug Tatum, Colby Lee Childs, Spencer Tatum, Hannah Grace Hancock and Hope Elizabeth Hancock.