Rocky Ford, Ga. – Mr. Matthew P. Ozbolt, 87, died Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, at his home under the care of Ogeechee Area Hospice.

He was born in Screven County on June 10, 1925, and was a retired welder with Torrington Industries. He was a member of Rocky Ford Baptist Church, where he was a member of the Brotherhood and the Adult Men's Sunday School class.

He was volunteer fireman with the Rocky Ford Volunteer Fire Department and attended training for crash/victim Jaws of Life training. In his younger years he farmed the family land, and then worked at the shipyard in Savannah. Served in the Merchant Marines from 1943 to 1946, worked as a pipeline welder and afterwards was employed as a welder by Grinelle, BASF, and Torrington. He retired from Torrington Company in 1991. Was a well known vegetable gardener and always enjoyed sharing with the community. His hobbies included fishing , hunting and being together with friends and family particularly celebrating special occasions such as Holidays and birthdays when there was always a feast of fish, BBQ and the harvest of his gardening.

He was predeceased by his wife of 66 years, Ruth Cauley Ozbolt; his parents, Peter and Annie Krulic Ozbolt; sisters Louise Cornelius Mobley and Frances Ozbolt; brother Edward Ozbolt; and brothers-in-law Ike Thigpen and Richard (Bubba) Mobley.

Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday in the sanctuary of Rocky Ford Baptist Church. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m., with Rev. Charles Jones officiating. The graveside service will follow at the Rocky Ford Cemetery.

Survivors include his daughters Barbara (Webster) Frawley, Sandra (Dan) Rahn and Pam (Levy) Lowery of Rocky Ford, Sharon (Robert) Burns of Marietta and Paula (Brian) Palmer of Savannah; sisters Olga (Marvin) Etheridge and Carol Thigpen, both of Dublin; grandchildren Tammy F. (Patrick) Razuri of McDonough, Paul L. (Stephanie) Reid of Canton, Jodi R. Collins of Statesboro; and Brian Lowery and Ashley M. Lowery, both of Rocky Ford; and great grandchildren Kelsie Razuri, Caitlin Razuri, Jordan Collins, Joey Tortorici, Lanie Reid and August Lowery.

Pallbearers will be grandsons Brian Lowery, Patrick Razuri and Paul Reid and nephews Chuck Cornelius, Buddy and Pat Thigpen, Tommy Harrod, Bennett Smith, Keith Beaty and Fred Brinkley.

Honorary pallbearers will be Grayson Ellis, Wendell Ellis, Russell and Grace Pressey, Dot Cauley, Charles and Linda Lee, Bud Gaskins, Phil Cowart, Lewis Jeselnik, Johnny Jeselnik, Dr. Ed Hagan, Lynn Derriso, Tommy Markovcic, Edward Markovcic, Franklin Newton, Jimmy Joyner, Glenn Parker, and active and inactive deacons and Brotherhood members of Rocky Ford Baptist Church.

Memorials may be made to: Ogeechee Area Hospice, P.O. Box 531, Statesboro, GA 30459; Rocky Ford Baptist Church, P.O. Box 36, Rocky Ford, GA 30455; or the American Cancer Society.

Crowe-Fields Funeral Home in Millen is in charge of arrangements.