Rev. W. Preston Batts

Rev. W. Preston Batts Forsyth . . . Rev. W. Preston Batts died Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m., Saturday, May 25, 2013, at Rocky Creek Baptist Church, 225 Rocky Creek Road, Forsyth, Georgia 31029, with burial in the church cemetery. The Reverend Scott Harrell will officiate. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Rev. Batts, the son of the late Daniel Bascom Batts and Bessie Killebrew Batts was born August 10, 1926, in Shorterville, Alabama. His brothers, Reginald Batts and Foy Batts preceded him in death. He was retired owner and operator of Batts Electrical Company, Batts Electrical Construction Company, Inc. and Central Electric Company, Inc. He was a graduate of Kansas City Electrical School, Kansas City, Kansas and a 1961 graduate of Mercer University. He was a veteran of the United States Navy, having served during World War II in the Pacific Theater as a Gunners Mate 2nd Class. During 56 years as a Southern Baptist minister, Rev. Batts served as pastor of nine churches in Middle Georgia. He was a private pilot with airplane single and multi-engine land instrument ratings and an avid golfer. Survivors include his wife, Sandra Scott Batts of Forsyth, children, Gary P. (Karen) Batts of Juliette, Paula B. (Leonard) Pender of Ft. Valley, Lynn (Richard) Bigelow of Cumming and Vicki B. (Randy) Lucia of Flowery Branch, step-children, J. Murray (Kathy) Malone of Milledgeville, Cheryl M. (Brant) Harrell of Gordon and J. Greg Malone of Jones County; siblings, Wanna Lee Gosdin of Columbus, Curtis Batts of Candler, NC, Thomas (Linda) Batts of Grand Ridge, Florida, Merlyn (Terri) Batts of Stockbridge and Lillian (AJ) Steverson of Plant City, Florida, eighteen grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren. Monroe County Memorial Chapel has charge of arrangements.