Sept. 21, 1928 –

April 5, 2011

Funeral services for John Paul Boutwell, 82, of Vada, Ga., will be held Friday, April 8, at 11 a.m. at New Home Free Will Baptist Church No. 2 near Climax, Ga., with the Rev. S.E. Newberry officiating.

Interment will follow at the church’s cemetery with Mr. Boutwell’s grandsons serving as active pallbearers and the Deacons of New Home Free Will Baptist Church No. 2 serving as honorary pallbearers.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, at Ivey Funeral Home.

Born Sept. 21, 1928, in Decatur County, Ga., Mr. Boutwell, who died on Tuesday, April 5, 2011, at his residence, was the son of Judson Boutwell and Littie Sadler Boutwell.

He earned a business degree from Valdosta State College and was a veteran of the U. S. Army, serving as an Airborne trooper for two years. Mr. Boutwell was a retired manager from SEFCO in Camilla, Ga., and was a Deacon of New Home Free Will Baptist Church No. 2 for 48 years. He was a leader of a gospel group for many years. Mr. Boutwell was a wonderful husband and exceptional father and grandfather. He was a great fisherman and hunter all of his life.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Janice Boutwell Miles; his brothers, Andrew Judson “A.J.” Boutwell and Douglas Boutwell; and his great-grandson, Brandon Dean Hornsby.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Mary Lou Heard Boutwell of Vada; his daughters, Belinda Cumbie and her husband, Benny, of Vada, Donna Boutwell of Bainbridge, and Teresa Henry and her husband, Mike, of Donalsonville, Ga.; his son-in-law, Larry Miles of Bainbridge; his sisters, Mamie Howard of Bainbridge and Bernice Boyd of Bainbridge; his 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Ivey Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.