Tillman Arthur Sandifer, 75, of Tifton died Saturday, January 24, 2009, at Southern Care Assisted Living. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 26, 2009, in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton's First Baptist Church. Dr. Wayne Roe will officiate with burial to follow in Tift Memorial Gardens. Grandsons, Tyler Sandifer, Brant Sandifer, Lucas Hand, Sam Hand, Adam Davis, Billy Sunday, and brother-in-law, Billy Johnson will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 25, 2009, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mr. Sandifer was born on August 22, 1933 in Tift County and was the son of Cecil Sandifer and Matha Whitley Sandifer, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, C. W. Sandifer and Carroll Sandifer. He graduated from Tifton High School in 1952 and attended ABAC. He graduated from the University Of Georgia School Of Forestry and then worked for the Georgia Forestry Commission, as well as the St. Regis Paper Company and retired from ITT Rayonier. He was an avid bass fisherman, quail hunter and golfer. At the age of 28, he accepted Christ at Central Baptist Church in Americus and was a member of Tifton’s First Baptist Church. He served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956.
Mr. Sandifer is survived by his wife, Marjorie Sikes Sandifer of Tifton; three sons and two daughters-in-law, Mark and Venita Sandifer of Tifton, Steve and Vicki Sandifer of Eufaula, Alabama, and Paul Sandifer of Tifton; one daughter and son-in-law, Dawn and Mark Hand of Tifton; one brother, Bill Sandifer of Tifton; two sisters, Edith Adcock of Tifton and Barbara Johnson of Tifton; nine grandchildren, Amy Black, Becca Sunday, Erin Davis, Taylor Hand, Lucas Hand, Sam Hand, Kate Sandifer, Tyler Sandifer and Brant Sandifer; four great grandchildren, James Black, Jadyn Black, Abigail Black and Catherine Black; and two, devoted care-givers, Nia Austin and Dee Dee Jennings.