Kennon Tatum

Kennon Tatum, age 78, passed away peacefully at Community Hospice of Vidalia on September 1, 2015, surrounded by his family. The only child of DeWitt and Eletha Jones Tatum, he was born on August 6, 1937, in Tattnall County. After graduating from Glennville High School in 1956, he returned to the family farm, establishing the roots that would carry on after his generation. He married Lyndal Thomas Tatum later that year and they were blessed with three children. Mr. Tatum retired in 2014, with fifty years of service as a bus driver, from the Tattnall County Board of Education. Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and Senator Jack Hill honored Mr. Tatum with a commendation for his well deserved retirement. He served as a director at the Glennville Bank and the Tattnall County Farm Bureau. Mr. Tatum served on the Georgia Farm Bureau State Poultry and Tobacco Advisory boards. He also served on the Canoochee Electric Membership Cooperation Foundation Advisory board. He was a past member of the Tattnall County Young Farmers and the Tattnall County Cattlemen's Association. Throughout the years, Mr. Tatum assisted young people, including his grandchildren, who participated in livestock shows and 4-H projects. He was an active member of Pineview Baptist Church and served as a deacon and the church treasurer for 35 years.

Mr. Tatum is survived by his wife of 57 years, Lyndal Thomas Tatum of Reidsville; his daughter and her husband, Kay and Thomas Wicker of Macon; his sons and their wives, Ken and Kim Tatum of Reidsville and Kevin and Cathy Tatum of Douglas. His grandchildren; Jared (Trisha) Wicker of Sharpsburg, GA; Caroline (Kelly) Jackson of Jackson, Mississippi; Victoria (Chase) Hollingsworth of Macon; Kay-Lyn (Trevor) Boyett and Kameron Tatum of Reidsville; Kitt, Collin, Carrie and Kayla Tatum all of Douglas. His great-grandchildren, Tatum and Peyton Wicker of Sharpsburg, GA; Nora Jackson of Jackson, Mississippi; Sawyer Hollingsworth of Macon. Mr. Tatum is also survived by his uncle, Joe (Joann) Tatum of Glennville; aunt, Nell Tatum of Glennville; sisters-in-law, Jackie Thomas of Glennville; Wanda T. Lopez and Anita T. Kelley of Reidsville; his brothers-in-law and their wives, Kerry (Mary) Thomas of Elberton and Ronnie (Susan) Thomas of Reidsville. Also surviving are his double-first cousins, Marjorie (Lemmon) McCorkle of Claxton and Betty (Wayne) Kennedy of Glennville. Several nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives also survive.

Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 3, 2015, at Brannen-Kennedy Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 4, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at Pineview Baptist Church with Rev. Gregg Usry officiating. Burial will follow in the Pineview Baptist Church Cemetery.

Remembrances: Tattnall County C.A.R.E.S. (Cancer Association Relief Effort and Support), P.O. Box 2356, Reidsville, GA 30453.

Brannen-Kennedy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.