Fred Hester

Fred Hester, of the Waterloo Community passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at the age of 90.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 14, 2024 in the chapel of Albritton Funeral Directors with Rev. Tim Harsey and Rev. Greg Blanchett officiating. Eulogy will be given by Teresa Leggett. Interment will follow at Waterloo Baptist Church Cemetery with Military Honors being rendered. The family will receive friends on Friday, September 13, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home.

 Jeremy Mullis, Arthur Perrin, Felton Hayes, Avery Leggett, Eric Fletcher, Joseph Hester, Jamie Hester, Todd Hicks and Ed Kelley will serve as pallbearers. 

 He was born on March 17, 1934 in Irwin County, Georgia to the late James Gordon Hester and Hattie Martin Hester Hammock. He was a man of great integrity and strength; whose life was a testament to hard work and Christian devotion.

 After graduating from Pierce County High School in Blackshear, Georgia, in June, 1953, Fred then joined the United States Army where he spent the next three years serving his country. After his honorable discharge from the military, he then dedicated the next thirty-two and a half years of his life to Georgia Power, where he served diligently as a lineman. His career was not just a job but a reflection of his commitment to serve the community and his strong work ethic. 

Fred's life was infused with a love for the outdoors and a passion for adventure. He enjoyed hunting, fishing traveling, truck and tractor pulls, tractor shows, and the thrill of mud and off-road racing. His spirit for exploration was matched only by his fondness for his treasured 1956 International truck, a vehicle that became a symbol of his rugged spirit.

 His pride extended beyond his hobbies, as one of his greatest accomplishments was his deep-rooted faith. A devoted member of Tift Avenue Baptist Church in Tifton, he loved the Lord with all his heart and made it a mission to share his faith with everyone he met. His compassion and willingness to witness were hallmarks of his character, leaving an indelible mark on those who knew him.

 Fred is survived by his beloved wife, Betty Joyce Hardee Hester, whom he married on June 8, 1996; his daughter, Susan Pitts of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; his sons and daughter-in-law, James Hester of Waterloo and Joey and Stephanie Hester of Tifton, his grandchildren, Joseph Hester, Jennifer Wygle, Cameron Hester, Melissa Pitts, Jamie Hester, and Stephanie Pitts; His great-grandson, Jaxon Pitts his step-children, Teresa and Carlos Leggett of Patterson, GA, and Gary and Bonnie Hardee of Blackshear, GA, as well as his step-grandchildren, Amy Stokes, Erica Rivas, Madison Walley, and Avery Leggett, along with his step-great-grandchildren, Gentry Stokes, Kager Stokes, Mary Ellen Stokes, Emory Rivas, and Berkley Rivas, all added joy to his life. He is also survived by his brother, Jimmy Hester of Donaldsonville, GA.

 Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Sydney Hester; and three sisters and brothers-in-law, Lucy and John Karasik, Ruth and Franklin Busbin, and Frances and Warren Eidson.

The family would like to give special thanks to Jennifer Plair, and her staff of sitters, along with Pray Gill, Rebecca Young and the staff of Hospice of Tiftarea

 Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.