Piedmont, Alabama

Services for Rufus Carlton Fitzpatrick, 87, of Piedmont, AL will be 6 p.m today at Piedmont Congregational Holiness Church of Hughes Street with Hayward Clark officiating. Graveside services will be 9 a.m. Friday at Goshen Cemetery with Thompson Funeral Home of Piedmont in charge. The family will receive friends 11 a.m. until service time at the church.

Mr. Fitzpatrick died Tuesday at Piedmont Health Care Center.

Survivors include two daughters, Sandra Ford and Ginger Blythe and her husband, Rick all of Piedmont; two sons and their wives, Ronald and Sue Fitzpatrick of Albuquerque, N.M.,and Carlton and Theresa Fitzpatrick of Brunswick,Ga; a brother-in-law and his wife J.D. and Eloise White of Piedmont; 10 Grandchildren, Mike Fitzpatrick and his wife, Valorie, Karen Mattox and her husband, Ron, Tony Ford, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Rachel Faulk and her husband, Marty, Sarah Fitzpatrick, Carissa Lloyd and her husband Bob, Melanie Troxell and her husband Mike, Marion Blythe and Brandy Barber; and 10 great- grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Tony Ford, Matt Ford, Derek McFry, Leroy Fitzpatrick, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Art Ingram, and Hank Douthit. Honorary pallbearers will be grandchildren, nieces and nephews,

Mr. Fitzpatrick, a Piedmont, Al native and lifelong resident was a member of Hughes Street Congregational Holiness Church where he served as deacon for many years, played the violin, and visited the sick and shut-ins. A World War II Army veteran, he retired from SCT Yarn with 48 years of service. he was preceded in death by his wife, Violet White Fitzpatrick; his parents Arthur and Geneva Fitzpatrick; a granddaughter, Rhonda Ford McFry ; four sisters and five brothers.

Rufus was born 7 September 1917 in Oconee, GA

Married Violet White 15 October 1938 in Anniston, AL

Died 14 December 2004 in Piedmont, AL