Joe M. Barfield

Mr. Joe Marical Barfield, Sr., 79, 124 Shirley Road, Americus, passed away on Sunday, April 28, 2013, at Phoebe-Sumter Medical Center. The family will receive friends at Hancock Funeral Home, 427 South Lee Street, from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 2, in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Matt Stewart and Rev. Brooks Partain officiating. Interment services, with full military and masonic rites, will follow in the interment shelter at Andersonville National Historic Site. Born March 13, 1934, in Ideal in Macon County, Georgia, Mr. Barfield was a son of the late Paul Lee Barfield and Ruby Lee Hendricks Barfield. He was an active member of Morningside United Methodist Church and was a retired U.S. Army medic. He was a member of the local American Legion post. He received a Vietnamese Presidential Medal of Valor, an honor reserved for very few recipients. He was a member of M.B. Council Lodge #13, Free and Accepted Masons and had served as the Worshipful Master several times. He was also the director of Masonic funeral services for many years, retiring from that activity just a few weeks ago. He was a member of St. Paul Commandery #5, Knights Templar of Albany, Georgia, and Middle Georgia York Rite College #201 of Cochran, Georgia. For many years he served as Custodian of Uniform Work for District 3, teaching Masonic catechism. Surviving family members include two daughters and sons-in-law, Terrie and Ferrell Smith of Americus and Ellen and Damon Summerlin of Traphill, NC; a daughter-in-law, Debra Barfield of Americus; a son-in-law, Tony Smith, of Americus; two brothers, Daniel Barfield, and Henry Barfield and his wife, Bonnie, all of Americus; a sister-in-law, Harriet Barfield of Ellaville; a brother-in-law, Montey Monteith of Virginia; three grandchildren, Austin Smith, Danielle Summerlin, and Marshall Summerlin; an uncle and aunt, Randy and Margie Blackburn of Kansas City, MO; and a number of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Monteith Barfield, a sister, Mary Ann Dozier, a brother, Auburn Barfield, two daughters, Waved Ann Reese and Marcella Jo Smith, and his son, Joe M. Barfield, Jr. To sign our online guestbook and express your condolences to the Barfield family, please visit www.hancockfuneralhomeinc.com Hancock Funeral Home, 427 S. Lee St., is in charge of arrangements.