William Thomas Helton

Mr. William Thomas “Tom” Helton, age 66, of Warthen, died Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at the Washington County Regional Medical Center. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 28th at 11:00 a.m. in the May and Smith Funeral Home Chapel with burial in the Brownwood Cemetery where arms will be presented by Stacer Helton. Reverend Danny Thomas will officiate.

Pallbearers will be Rodney Robinson, John Wright, Cliff Wright, Jay Jackson, Jamie Clark, Clay Brantley, Tray Jackson, Mark Harvey, Gary Beelcher and Barton Brezina.

Tom was born in Washington County, the son of the late Bernard Lamar Helton Jr. and the late Carolyn Thomas Helton. He was a graduate of Washington County High School and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Tom served an internship with Fred Haley’s Farm in Canton prior to returning to Washington County in 1972 to own and operate his own farm, a farrow to finish brood hog operation with row cropping. Later, Tom worked for Thiele Kaolin Company beginning at the Reedy Creek plant prior to Thiele’s Sandersville operation from which he retired due to declining health as a Quality Control Technician. He has been faithfully supported by his wife Angela for the last 17 years during his declining health. Tom enjoyed; helping others, laughing, fishing, cooking and introducing children to fishing in his pond. He was affectionately known as granddaddy to his grandkids and “Uncle T and Big T” to many. Tom is predeceased by a beloved son, Christopher Earl Helton.

Tom is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 42 years, Angela Byrne Helton; two sons, William Thomas “Billy” Helton, Jr and his wife Natasha, and Alan Byrne Helton and his wife Cynthia all of Warthen; grandchildren, Christopher Thomas “Chris” Helton, Will Roger Helton, and Trace Thomas Helton; his brother, Bernard Lamar Helton III and his wife Linda also of Warthen; and his sister Anne Helton Harris of Deepstep.

The family will be at the Helton residence on Stephens Creek Road north of Warthen and they will receive friends on Friday from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the May and Smith Funeral Home in Sandersville.

Donations may be made to the MUSC Liver Transplant Fund, 162 Ashley Avenue, MSC 586, Charleston, SC 29425, or to the American Kidney Fund 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, MD, 20852 or to kidneyfund.org.