Willie was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jo Ponders; parents, Roxie K. Southland Ponders and Lawrence A. Ponders; brothers and sisters, Bonnie Ruth, Garland, Willard "Mutt", Wilburn "Jay", Clem, Geraldine, Ruby, and Tony.
Survivors include his children and their spouses, Willie L. Ponders Jr. of Chatsworth, Rocky and Kay Ponders of White, Brenda and Robert Finnemore of Cartersville, and Michael and Sheri Ponders of Chatsworth; brothers and sisters, Clifford, Neil, Anna Mae, and Mary Jewell; grandchildren, Jason Ponders, Jonathan Ponders, Justin Finnemore, Jennifer Hazelwood, Rebecca Ponders, Ashley Finnemore, William Ponders, Joseph Ponders, and Hannah Ponders; great-grandchildren, Emily, Abby Grace, Lily, Hadley, Madeline, and Conner; very special friends, Maria Mathis and Family, Roel Castro-Avila and family; nieces and nephews also survive.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, in the Chapel of Peeples Funeral Home with the Rev. Jon Ponders, the Rev. John Bagley, and the Rev. Duane Smith officiating. Interment will follow in the Smyrna Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday, Aug. 13, from 4 to 8 p.m.
Peeples Funeral Home and Crematory of Chatsworth is in charge of the funeral arrangements for Mr. Willie L. Ponders Sr.