Mr. Bobby J. Ledford, Sr., 85, of Valley, passed away on June 12 at his residence.  He was born on March 15, 1934, in Chambers County, to the late William Alton Ledford and Ruth Rice Ledford.

He is survived by his children, Carolyn (Brian) Kelly, Annie (John Rollins) Suttles, Bobby J. Ledford, Jr., Catherine “Sissy” Ledford, John (Tracey) Ledford, Linda (Anthony) Woods and Artie Hutchinson; his stepchildren, Kermit Kelley, Barbara (Ed) Currington, Robert (Chiek) Kelley, John (Kelli) Kelley, Kenneth Kelley, Patrick Kelley, Debbie (Bill) Waltman, Brenda (Harry) Cunningham and Lynda Brown; his grandchildren, Scotty Suttles, Timmy (Carmen) Suttles, Rhianna Sanders, Patrick “P. J.” Sanders, Telina Breeze, Ryan (Tamara) Ledford, Erin Ledford, Abby Brumfield, Jonathan (Jessica) Ledford, Chris (Amy) Ledford, Antonia Woods, Destiny Woods, Mashaila Woods, Martin (Christy) Martinez, Juanita Martinez and Matthew Kelley; his great-grandchildren, Mason Suttles, Kailey Eudy, Beau Ledford, Olivia Ledford, Caliyah Ledford, Osaeon Diaz Maldonado, Alexa Ledford and Cameron Ledford, Estella Martinez, Hunter Martinez, Moriah (Paulo) Martinez, Sierra Martinez, Cannon Suttles and Avery Suttles; his great-great-grandchildren, Lakelynn Rogers, Maddox Martinez and Izaac Suttles.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his three wives, Juanita Ledford, Cathy Ledford and Mary Bailey; his siblings, Frances Ledford Tartaglio, Gillie Ledford Lucas, Evelyn Ledford Jones, Betty Ledford Weldon, Mildred Ledford Carter, William Ledford and Charles Ledford, who was killed in combat during World War II while serving in the US Navy.

Funeral services will be held on June 17 at 2 p.m. EDT at the Fairfax United Methodist Church in Valley. Interment will follow in Fairfax Cemetery. Brother Mitchell Smith and Brother Jim Dykes will officiate the service. The family will receive friends Monday afternoon from 1 p.m. EDT until the service hour at the Fairfax United Methodist Church.

Ledford was a U.S. Army veteran who served with distinction in the wars in Korea and Vietnam. He was a former Golden Gloves boxer with a 58-4 record. He was a big Auburn University fan. He was a very kind, generous, and loving man who enjoyed gardening and giving his crops to those in need. He was known throughout the community as the “Tomato Man.”

Visit www.johnsonbrownservicefh.com to leave a condolence for the family, to share a memory of Mr. Ledford, or to light a remembrance candle in his memory.

Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home of Valley directing.