Hubert Franklin Addleton

Retired missionary, Bible translator and minister of the Gospel Hubert Franklin Addleton completed his life's work on this earth on March 22, 2022, having run the race set before him in exemplary fashion. Born in Middle Georgia on November 30, 1929, he was 92 years old. 

The tenth of fourteen siblings, Addleton was born and raised in Macon. He graduated from Lanier High School in 1947. A proud "Lanier Poet," he committed his life to his Lord and Savior as a teenager, becoming among the first in his family to complete high school and attend college.  A child of Depression-era Middle Georgia, he felt called to missionary service and devoted more than three decades of his life to a variety of Christian ministries in Pakistan. 

 Addleton attended Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University) in Columbia, SC which he credits with transforming his life. He also earned a Master's of Divinity at New Orleans Seminary and conducted post-graduate research at Hartford Seminary and the University of Chicago. While spending much of his life in Pakistan, he also pastored several churches in the southern United States including O'Zion Baptist Church in Meadville, MS; Houston Heights Baptist Church in Macon, GA; Southside Baptist Church in Cochran, GA; Hillcrest Baptist Church in Columbus, GA; and Antioch Baptist Church in Butler, GA. 

During his more than 30 years in Pakistan, Addleton mastered both the Urdu and Sindhi languages, working with colleagues from Greek texts to translate the Gospels into Sindhi. During his time of service in Shikarpur, Hyderabad and Karachi, he also translated and published Pilgrim's Progress in Sindhi; co-authored a Sindhi textbook with fellow missionary Pauline Brown; bought the land that later became Shikarpur Christian Hospital; trained pastors; ministered to the local Christian community; baptized Domji, one of the pioneers of the tribal church in southern Pakistan; and established an international congregation in Karachi. A New York Times article described his pastoral ministry to expats in Karachi during the late 1980s, when a horrific hijacking resulted in many deaths. 

 In 1995 he returned to Ben Hill Drive in Macon where he lived much of his childhood, recalling that he used to herd cows, plant corn and plow behind a mule during the 1940s in the place where his retirement home now stands. For fifteen years he commuted to rural Taylor County where he pastored Antioch Baptist Church until retiring again in 2010 at the age of 80. 

 Addleton was widely read and travelled extensively, visiting more than 38 countries. He celebrated his 90th birthday by skydiving and publishing a memoir, "Memories of Ben Hill Drive" (Doorlight Publications). He took special pride in his six grandchildren Adriana, Alexandra, John, Iain, Cameron and Catriona, and was delighted to learn only a few weeks ago that in August he would become a great-grandfather. 

Addleton is survived by his wife of 68 years, the former Bettie Rose Simmons who also grew up in Middle Georgia as a near-neighbor and to whom he was devoted; son David Addleton (Pam) of Franklin, NC; son Jonathan Addleton (Fiona) of Lahore, Pakistan; and daughter Nancy White (Jeff) of Macon, GA. He is also survived by two younger siblings, B.L. Addleton and Helen Tucker, both from Macon, and dozens of nieces and nephews who often expressed love and admiration for their "Uncle Hubert". 

Addleton lived a full life, inspiring many by his faith, commitment to service, sensitivity toward others and deeply spiritual attitude toward life. One of his favorite hymns was "To Be a Pilgrim" by John Bunyan. He knew many passages of Scripture by heart and was known for his heart-felt and moving prayers that were a blessing to others. As one of only a few Americans to master Sindhi as a second language, he had special appreciation for Shah Abdul Latif, the national poet of Sindh where he spent so many years: 

The sorrowful smell of the mist, 

Lingering over the Indus, 

Gentle waves of rice, dung and rind, 

This is the salt cry of Sindh: 

As I die let me feel 

The fragrance of tears. 

His life and the meaning and purpose he brought to it also beckon the memorable words of the great Persian poet Rumi: "The body goes its dusty way; the spirit walks, with Jesus, on the sea". 

Hubert’s memorial service will be 3 pm Saturday, March 26, at Vineville Baptist Church.  A reception with the family will immediately follow, where friends and relatives are welcome to share their memories of Hu.  In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Vineville Baptist Church, the International Mission Board in Richmond VA, or World Venture in Englewood CO. 

Please visit www.hartsmort.com to express condolences.  

Hart’s on Cherry Street, Hart's Mortuary and Cremation Center, 765 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201 has charge of the arrangements. 

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