Alton Hildreth, 87 of Columbus, MS passed away Friday, January 20, 2017, at Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle, Columbus, MS.

Visitation will be Sunday, January 22, 2017, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS.  A funeral service will be Monday, January 23, 2017, at 2:00 PM in the Lowndes Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. James Black officiating and Bro. Ed Maurer assisting.  Interment will be in Beersheba Cemetery, Columbus, MS with Lowndes Funeral Home directing.

Mr. Hildreth was born February 27, 1929, to the late Charles Melbourn and Mary Laudice Pridmore Hildreth in Lowndes County, MS.  He was a veteran of the United States Army. Mr. Hildreth was a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Columbus, MS, the American Legion Post #69 and attended the VFW Post #67.  Mr. Hildreth retired in 1991 after working as a truck driver for 50 years. He enjoyed gardening, cattle farming, working the front gate at the Columbus Fair and Livestock Association and checking on his friends and neighbors.  Mr. Hildreth loved attending and promoting gospel singings.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son – Billy Wayne Pennington.

Mr. Hildreth is survived by his wife – Virginia Eloise Carr Hildreth, Columbus, MS; daughters – Nancy (Don) Borderlon, St. Amant, LA, Janice (George) Brown, Mt. Pleasant, TX, Mary (Warren) Guin, Starkville, MS and Carolyn (Tim) Andrews, Ethelsville, AL; son – Eddie Ray (Debbie) Pennington, Vernon, AL, 9 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Greg Lewis, Jamie Pennington, Eric Pennington, Jimmy Hildreth, Bobby Barksdale and Braxton Bright.  Honorary pallbearers will be George Brown, Christopher Lewis, Eddie Ray Pennington, Warren Guin, Cody Guthrie and Tim Andrews.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN  38105, Shriners Hospital, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL  33607 or Palmer Home for Children, P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS  39703.