John Aulds

Funeral services for John Thomas Aulds, 81, of Cookeville, will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 19, at Poplar Grove Baptist Church. Interment will be in Cookeville Cemetery in Cookeville. The family will receive friends from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, December 18, and from 11 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday at Poplar Grove Baptist Church. Mr. Aulds died on Monday evening, Dec. 14, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center after being sick for a month and a more intense struggle over the past week’s stay in CRMC. He was born April 3, 1939 in Downsville, Louisiana to the late Ellis Aulds and Josie Noble Aulds. He was the youngest of 5 children born into a close, much respected, and loved family in the Eureka community. John accepted Jesus as his Savior at an early age and answered God’s call to pastor, going on to Dallas Bible Institute to study and prepare for the pastorate. While there, he met a lady who became his wife and partner in ministry. He married Loralee Stolebarger on June 17, 1961. He pastored his first church in Lincoln, Kansas. In 1965, he and his small family moved to Georgia to pastor Friendship Congregational Christian Church, beginning a lifelong time of ministry within the South Georgia Association of Congregational Christian Churches, a group of independent Congregational Christian churches spread out across rural Georgia. During his span of ministry for 50 years or more, he pastored Hebron Congregational Christian Church in Thomaston, Georgia, Sardis Congregational Christian Church in Oxford, Georgia, First Congregational Christian Church in Douglas, Georgia, and Pleasant Hill Congregational Christian Church in Roberta, Georgia. Having grown up attending a vibrant church camp in Louisiana, John had a vision for establishing a camp ministry in Georgia for the South Georgia Association of Congregational Christian Churches. The first camp was held in 1965 or 1966, beginning a ministry that continues to this day. In 1974, the first camp was held on their own campground, Camp Eunice, in Roberta, Georgia. John was honored to be director of this camping program for around 40 years, under the leadership of a board of directors. Countless lives have been impacted for eternity by God’s work through this camp ministry. In 2016, John and Loralee moved to Cookeville, Tennessee, after a brief period of time in Alabama, where they helped to care for their youngest daughter and family during her illness. They moved to Cookeville to be near their daughters and families. They were a part of Poplar Grove Baptist Church and John loved going to the church services there as long as he was able to do so. John was a loving and kind man, who loved his family and the people who God brought across his path in life. He loved sharing the gospel, expository preaching, and will forever be remembered by his encouragement to pray, pray, pray. He had a great sense of humor, with which he made people feel at ease in his presence. He was a good leader who often brought people who were at odds to a place they could work together in the service of Christ. He was a servant leader who was willing to do the most menial of tasks, because they needed to be done, and in doing so, he could serve others. He was a good athlete and an avid sports fan. In his younger years, he loved to play basketball, baseball, softball, sockball, and volleyball. He often used his athletic abilities and love for sports to relate and minister to others in the church and community, playing on various church sports teams and serving as a chaplain for the football teams. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Loralee Stolebarger Aulds, children Lori Starkey (Donnie) of Cookeville, Ricky Aulds (Sherrie) of Phoenix, AZ, Juile Campbell (Colin) of Cookeville. He is survived by his grandchildren, Caleb Starkey, Cassie Cunningham, Kaylin Campbell, Lucas Starkey, Garrett Cunningham, Hillary Cunningham, Claudia Campbell, Aidyn Casey, Rosalie Casey, and Lydia Casey. He is also survived by a host of spiritual children and ones he discipled through the years. He is preceded in death by his children Danny Aulds and Kristi Casey. Pallbearers will be family and friends. Memorial contributions may be made to : Camp Eunice in Roberta, Georgia at ℅ 4452 Mt. Carmel Road Culloden, GA 31016 Mercy Ministries Contributions can be made on the giving page on mercyministriesphx.com to either Mercy Ministries or Ricky and Sherrie Aulds. Or mail to: 745 West Fillmore Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007 Personal gifts can be made to Loralee Aulds at Poplar Grove Baptist Church 4365 Rocky Point Rd Cookeville, TN 38501 Hooper-Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements (931) 526-6111. Share memories and condolences at www.hhhfunerals.com.