Mr. Carlton Donald Hildreth Sr.

Carlton Donald Hildreth, Sr., age 77, of Columbus, GA., died Friday, November 14, 2008 at St. Francis Hospital. Funeral services will be held Monday, November 17, 2008, 2 p.m. at the Chapel of Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, Columbus with Reverend Richard Collins, Reverend Watson McKemie, and Reverend James Adams officiating. Interment will follow at Evergreen Memory Gardens on St. Mary’s Road, Columbus. Mr. Hildreth was born July 27, 1931 in Enterprise, Alabama. He was the youngest son of Reverend Homer Hildreth and Lucille Hildreth. Mr. Hildreth moved to Columbus at an early age and completed high school at Jordan Vocational High, where he was President of the Diversified Cooperative Training Class and played saxophone in the Bob Barr band. He attended Columbus College and graduated from Columbus Technical Institute. While still in high school, he became employed at Eagle Phenix Division of Reeves Brothers, Inc. He worked there for 33 years as Electrician, Electrical Foreman, Power House Superintendent, Assistant Plant Engineer, and Plant Engineer. One of Mr. Hildreth’s responsibilities with Reeves Brothers was the operation and maintenance of the two hydroelectric power plants located behind the mill on the Chattahoochee River. He spoke often of his years with Reeves Brothers. His office for many years overlooked the river and he had a picturesque view of the river and the water overflowing the dam. He told of times when he was called back at night on a problem that he could look across the river in the winter and see fishermen huddled around a fire they had built to keep them warm. In the spring, he could walk a few feet from his office and look over the bridge that runs between the mill and the power house and see schools of fish lining the banks of the river on either side. Mr. Hildreth’s career with Reeves Brothers ended abruptly shortly after the mill was sold to Fieldcrest Cannon. He often stated how he missed his friends at the plant and how he hated to learn that another one of them had passed away. After leaving the mill, Mr. Hildreth worked for West Point Pepperell in Opelika, Alabama as Assistant Plant Engineer; was an outside salesman for Fulton Supply Company; Industrial One Supply; and Columbus Carbon and Stainless Company. Most recently, he worked part-time for Procter and Gamble Company, and the Crown Bolt Company as a merchandiser. Mr. Hildreth was a member of the Georgia Engineering Society and Gideons International. He was on the Board of American Little League for 12 years and was a volunteer for the Ronald McDonald House. The church was always an important part of his life. He was an active member of Evangel Temple where he was a Deacon, served as an usher, greeter, and song leader for the Pares and Spares Sunday School Class. Don and his wife Frances conducted a monthly service at Valley Rescue Mission for Evangel Temple for many years. Recently Mr. Hildreth and his wife held services at Magnolia Manor Nursing Home with Mr. Ed Roop and had musical services at Heritage Hills Assisted Living Facility and at the Riverplace Retirement home on River Road. Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Frances Ragsdale Hildreth of Columbus, whom he met while she was pianist for Riverview Assembly of God Church; three sons, Kenneth Charles Hildreth and his wife Theresa of Columbus, Bobby Don Hildreth and his wife Gail of Thomson, Georgia, and Carlton Don Hildreth, Jr., of Salem, AL; three grandchildren, Lindsey Welch and her husband Seth of Columbus, GA., Justin Hildreth of Athens, Georgia, Chuck Olson and his wife Michelle of Ozark, Alabama; one great-grandson, Samuel Olson of Ozark, Alabama; three sisters, Genelle Schaffer and her husband Bill and Melba Baenen, both of Orlando, Florida, and Catherine Garlick of Milford, Connecticut; other brother, Charles Hildreth and his wife Peggy of Columbus, Mississippi; one niece, Sylvia Schaffer of Casselberry, Florida; several nieces; nephews; and a host of friends and neighbors. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, JoAnn Hildreth; and a brother, Wilson Hildreth. “For I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”