A.T. Hornsby Jr.

We celebrate the Home-going of our dear wonderful, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, Andrew Thomas (A.T.) Hornsby Jr., age 99, of Cumming, formerly of Decatur. He died on his 99th birthday, Aug. 21, 2014.
Chief Hornsby grew up and raised his family in West End (Atlanta). He graduated from Tech High. He played baseball for the Atlantic Steel Company and was drafted by the White Sox for their minor league farm team, the New Orleans Pelicans.
A.T. married his sweetheart Carolyn "Ouida" Shivers in 1937. He joined the Atlanta Fire Department in 1939. Just after Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942. Prior to World War II ending in 1945, he was elevated to the rank of Chief Petty Officer and assigned to the USS Albert T. Harris, a destroyer escort in the North Sea.
After receiving his Honorable Discharge, he returned to duty with the Atlanta Fire Department rising to the permanent rank of Battalion Chief, 4th Battalion. Serving 39 years, he retired in 1977. In their retirement, A.T. and Ouida loved to travel and visited all 50 states, Europe and the Panama Canal.
He was a member of Oak Grove United Methodist Church for 45 years. He loved to bird hunt and woodwork. He was also an avid gardener and had 300 azaleas. He was a wonderful cook, and was known for his cream cheese pound cake. A.T. was a gentleman who truly loved to celebrate everyday life, especially with his friends and family.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ouida; son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Cindy Hornsby; granddaughter, Claire Cohen; and son-in-law, Allen Bryant.
Mr. Hornsby is survived by his daughter, Carol O'Neal and her husband Ron; sister, Muriel Smith; grandchildren, Cathy Shuman and Jenny Bryant; great-grandchildren, Jason Willis, Andy (Ruby) Houser, Alex Cohen, Amanda Cohen, Brendan Shuman, and Hannah Shuman; great-great-grandsons, Christopher Willis and James Patrick Houser; and a host of precious nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Aug. 23, at 11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of H.M. Patterson and Son, Spring Hill Chapel, with the Rev. D.B. Shelnutt Jr. officiating. The family will receive friends Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
Memorials may be made to the Georgia Burn Foundation for Firefighters and the Cumming United Methodist Church Prayer Shawl ministry. Online condolences may be made at hmpattersonspringhill.com.
H.M. Patterson and Son, Spring Hill Chapel in Atlanta is in charge of arrangements.