Ernest Floyd Bouldin

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at McRae Funeral Home for Ernest Floyd Bouldin, 72, Cartersville, Ga., formerly of Albertville, who died Tuesday, June 16, 2009, in Cartersville. Bro. Wayne White officiating with eulogies provided by Gary Gore and Teresa Guess. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery with McRae Funeral Home, Boaz, in charge of the arrangements.

Mr. Bouldin was born in DeKalb County, in Rainsville, on July 23, 1936, to V.S. and Flonnie Haygood Bouldin. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Boaz. Mr. Bouldin spent most of his career in business. He was the manager for Redford's 5 and Dime stores in Boaz, Guntersville and Etowah, Tenn., from 1959-1974, during which time he opened the famous Shoetique shoe store in 1968. In 1973, he purchased Stephens Clothing Store. Mr. Bouldin became the director of human resources for Boaz Carpet Yarn in Boaz and Guntersville and was the human resource director for the old Guntersville and Arab Hospitals. With the merger of the two hospitals in 1990, Mr. Bouldin continued to serving as the hospital human resource director; he served on the board of Marshall Healthcare Authority as vice chairman for eight years.

Much of his life was spent in dedication to civic and community work. Mr. Bouldin was a past president of the Boaz Lions Club, secretary (for over 30 years) deputy district governor for Lions International, Past Master of the Boaz Masonic Lodge, secretary (for over 30 years), president of the Chamber of Commerce (two terms), chairman of the Boaz Retail Committee and co-founder of the annual Harvest Festival with Sirus Kilpatrick and Ralph McGee. The festival has been going strong for over 45 years.

Mr. Bouldin is survived by his wife of 51 years, Barbara Parker Bouldin, Cartersville, Ga.; daughter and son-in-law, Marsha and Ray Wallace, Cartersville, Ga.; grandsons, Matthew Wallace and David Wallace, both of Cartersville, Ga.; brothers and sisters-in-law, Preston and Betty Bouldin, Don and Linda Bouldin and Jean Bouldin, all of Boaz; nieces and nephews, Charles Bouldin, Delynn Boulding, Jason Bouldin, Jennifer Beck and Lindsay Farley. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Charles Durall Bouldin.

Pallbearers will be Darwin Bailey, Kenneth Brand, Wayne Crews, Jerry Fowler, Donald Horton, Beecher Hyde, Walter Sivils and Jeff Stone. Honorary pallbearers will be Jeff Beck, John Beck, Brian Bishop, Rodney Bishop, Charles Bouldin, Jason Bouldin, Tommy Dial, Martson Garrard, Bobby McNair, Ernest Reese, Randy Reese, Bruce Sanford, all Master Masons and all staff past and present of the Marshall Medical Centers.