James Rufus Willingham

Macon-James Rufus Willingham, 70, passed away Wednesday September 2, 2009. Funeral Services will be held Sunday September 6, 2009 at 2:00PM in the chapel of Hart's Mortuary on Cherry Street with the Reverend Robby Kerr officiating. Burial will be private. The family may be contacted at 565 Rogers Drive. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, 120 Wall Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10005. Mr. Willingham graduated from Lanier High School in 1957 and was a National Merit Scholar. He attended Georgia Tech and graduated from Mercer University in 1961 where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order. Mr. Willingham was a veteran of the United States Army serving as an officer in Army Intelligence from 1961 to 1964. He was a real estate broker in the Macon area for over 30 years. Mr. Willingham was preceded in death by his parents, Clanne Lois Adamson Willingham and Raymond Rufus Willingham, and his brother, Ray Willingham. Survivors: Wife, Patti Coleman Willingham of Macon; Son, James R. "Jay" Willingham, Jr. of Macon; Daughter, Lee Willingham (Charlie) Fuller of Macon; Daughter, Laura Willingham (Jonathan) Merrill of Macon; Daughter, Jessica Kenton (David) Bury of Greensboro, NC; Son, Thomas Harold (Bridgette) Kenton, IV of Gray; 3 grandchildren, Tristan Derrick Benns of Macon, Elijah Lee Merrill of Macon and Madalyn Ruth Bury of Greensboro, NC. Online register available at www.hartsmort.com. Hart's Mortuary and Crematory on Cherry Street has charge of arrangements.