John Edward Hester (EVANS, Ga.)

EVANS, Ga. - John Edward Hester, 73, of Evans, Georgia, son of the late Marvin and Laura Mae Conner Jones and grandson of Hattie Mae and John R. Hester, died on Friday morning (May 16, 2008) at Hilton Head, South Carolina. John worked for several Augusta businesses, including: Dowdy's Grocery; Carpenter's 50-50; Ye' Ole Grocery Store, and Cee Gee's Open Air Market. He was a devoted member of Pineview Baptist Church of Martinez and a former member of Union Baptist Church of Thomson. He was an Honorary Deputy for the Richmond County Sheriffs Dept., a "die-hard" Braves fan, loved fishing and bowling. He enjoyed traveling from the mountains to the seashore. He loved his family, his pets - but most of all- he loved people, he knew everybody, and never met a stranger. He lived his "dash" extremely well! Survivors include his sister Kathleen and her husband Dannie Ernce; nieces: Tiffany and Chris Futo and children: Kylee, Skyler, and Charlie; Nikita and George Futo and children: Gracie, Blake, Clayton, and Daisy; uncles: Luther and Kathy Jones, Johnnie and Ann Jones; cousins: Bob and Carla Gerle, W.J. (Bubber) and Judy Conner, Allen and Virginia Conner, Mary Ellen and Larry Case, Carol Redd, Betty and Mack Bowen, Edna Jones, Janice Jones, Joe and June Jones, Norma and Doug Nelson, Jerry and Phyllis Campbell, and very special friends Barbara Hanchew and Mary and Robert Benning. Funeral service will be held today, Monday, May 19, 2008 at 1:00 P.M. in the chapel of Thomas Poteet & Son with Dr. Michael Davenport and Rev. C.E. "Butch" Baston officiating. Pallbearers will be Danny Conner, Chris Futo, George Futo, Berry Videtto, Reggie Galbreath and Larry Bradda. Honorary pallbearers will be Alex and Dot Darabaris, Fred and Betty Pressley, Hubert Conrad, Gary and Carole Harden, Staff and Agency Volunteers of The Senior Citizens Council and The Brotherhood of Union Baptist Church. Interment will follow in Westover Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to The Senior Citizens Council at 218 Oak St. North, Suite L, Augusta, GA 30907, Pineview Baptist Church at 117 Pleasant Home Road, Augusta, GA 30907 or Union Baptist Church at P.O. Box 1435, Thomson, GA 30824. Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. www.thomaspoteet.com .

The Augusta Chronicle-May 19, 2008