Major Bernard Wetherington, 74, of Tifton died Wednesday, January 23, 2008, at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 26, 2008, at Lakeview Baptist Church. Rev. Dillard Ensley will officiate with a eulogy given by Jimmy Jones. Burial will follow in Leila United Methodist Church Cemetery with full military honors. Members of the military will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Grandsons and nephews. The family will receive friends on Friday, January 25, 2008, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Major Wetherington was born on April 23, 1933 I Cook County and was the son of I. C. Wetherington and Stella Gray Wetherington, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by one brother, Colonel Andreul J. Wetherington, Sr. He graduated from Norman Park High School in 1950. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from North Georgia College in Dahlonega in 1956; a Master of Education and Education Administration from Valdosta State in 1975; and graduated from the University of Alabama with studies in bacteriology. He was a Distinguished Honor graduate from the United States Army Chemistry Training Course; the Nuclear Energy Response Team; and the United States Army Bacteriology Response. He was a retired Major in the United States Army, where he served with the 82nd Airborne Division; was a Jump Master with the 101st Airborne Division; and served in the Korean War. He taught Science and Biology at Cook County High School from 1976 to 1984. He was a former Federal and State Ag Inspector for peanuts. He was a member of Lakeview Baptist Church; the Retired Officers Association; and the Disabled American Veterans Association.
Major Wetherington is survived by his wife, Annette Foreman Wetherington of Tifton; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Bernard J. Wetherington, Jr. and his wife, Roxanne, of Clarkesville, Tennessee, and Brett F. Wetherington of Tifton; two daughters and one son-in-law, Caryl W. and Albert Coburn of Tifton, and Cheryl W. Young of Omega; five grandchildren, Jay Young, Andrew C., Young, Ivey Cal Wetherington, Levy Wetherington and Kelli Anne Coburn; one nephew, Andreul J. Wetherington, Jr.; two nieces, Nancy W. Haman and Susie Wetherington.