Mr. Clifford Ponders, age 76, of Chatsworth, Georgia, departed this life Sunday afternoon, October 27, 2013 at the Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Georgia. Clifford was born May 29, 1937 in Murray County, Georgia, a son of the Lawrence Acworth and Roxie Southerland Ponders. He was also preceded in death by his sisters, Ruby Rogers, Bonnie Ruth Cloer, Geraldine Verhine, his brothers, Garland, Wilburn(Jay), Willard(Mutt), Willie, Clem, Neal and Tony Ponders.

Clifford was a member of Central Community Church in Chatsworth, Georgia, and loved to sing. He was retired from Collins and Aikman Company after forty-years of service and his last job was answering the telephone at Ponders Funeral Home.

He is survived by his son, Ronnie Ponders and the mother of his son, Estelle Parker Ponders both of Dalton, GA; sister and brothers-in-law, Anna and Richard Harkins of Chatsworth, GA, Walter "Pete" Verhine of White, GA; sister-in-law, Sandra Ponders of Chatsworth, GA; special nieces, Tammy Witt and her fiance, Lynn Allen of Copperhill, TN, Tina and Jay Spuduck of Chatsworth, GA; special friends, Julia Ridings of Dalton, GA, and Pricilla Painter and her sons of Tampa, FL; other nieces and nephews.

Services to celebrate the life of Mr. Clifford Ponders will be held Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at Ponders Melrose Chapel with Reverend Edwin Puckett and Reverend Lonnie Starnes officiating. He will be laid to rest at Smyrna Baptist Church Cemetery in Murray County, Georgia, with Johnny Rogers, Marvin Rogers, Ricky Cloer, Johnny Cloer, Junior Verhine, Terry Ponders, Jerry Smith, Ricky Kendrick and Joseph Wright servings as pallbearers.

The family will receive friends at Ponders Melrose Chapel from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Tuesday and after 11:00 a.m. Wednesday until the service hour.

Arrangements by, Ponders Melrose Chapel, 138 Melrose Drive, Dalton, GA 30721, 706-226-4002.

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