John Hugh Eley of White Plains, GA, died Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at Chaplinwood Health and Rehabilitation in Milledgeville, Georgia, surrounded by his loved ones.
He was 88.
A native of Greene County, he was born in White Plains on December 15, 1935, to the late Thomas Bennett and Christine Wheeler Eley. John grew up in White Plains and graduated from Greensboro High School. From 1954 to 1958, he served his country in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. On November 28, 1963, he married the former Betty Moncrief, and they have spent the last fifty-six years in White Plains.
In 1990, he retired from dairy farming and transitioned to beef cattle farming. His many interests included caring for his beef cattle and working with the hay crop, and he especially enjoyed his tractor when working in the garden. Caring for his family is what he loved the most. He was an active member of the White Plains Baptist Church, serving as a deacon from June 18, 1978, to September 30, 2012, then Deacon Emeritus, church clerk for twenty-two years ending October 7, 2001, and also taught Sunday School.
In addition to his wife of sixty years, Betty Moncrief Eley of White Plains, he is survived by his sons, Kendall Eley (Mandy), Michael Eley (Kelly), and Mitchel Eley; six sisters, Patsy Matysiak (Al) of Milledgeville, Georgia, Nita Cannon (Steve) of Dahlonega, Georgia, Hilda Eley of Oxford, Georgia, Christine Doggett of Oxford, Georgia, Vonda Landrum (Doug) of Watkinsville, Georgia and Teresa Dolvin (Bobby) of Watkinsville, Georgia; brother, Ted Eley (Linda) of Watkinsville, Georgia; four grandchildren, Davis and Erin Eley and Evan and Emma Ellis; and numerous other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Tommy Eley (Georgia) and Jimmy Eley (Joan), and his brother-in-law, Jim Doggett.
Funeral Services were held on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at White Plains Baptist Church, 1020 Main Street W, White Plains, GA 30678, with Rev. Scott Mathews officiating. The family received friends Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time for the service at the church. Al Matysiak, Christopher Dolvin, Andy Moore, Bob Moore, Dock Shelnutt, and Jeff Eley serve as pallbearers. The family requests that any memorials be made to the White Plains Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, P. O. Box 38, White Plains, Georgia, 30678.
McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, Georiga, (706) 453-2626, handles arrangements. Visit us at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign up for the online guest register.