Obituary: Rickey (Papa Smurf) Hazlegrove
Rickey (Papa Smurf) Hazlegrove, 67, passed from this life Thursday, November 24, 2022, at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.
Born in Bolivar, he was the son of the late Billy Gene Hazlegrove and Thelma Willis Hazlegrove Sumler. As a baby, his family moved to Highland, Indiana where he was a 1973 graduate of Highland Senior High School. Upon graduation, he joined the US Marines serving from 1973 – 1977. A proud Marine, he was often heard to say, “Once a Marine, Always a Marine.” In the late 1980’s, he returned to Hardeman County where he lived the remainder of his life.
A hard worker, Mr. Hazlegrove was a carpenter most of his life and was a faithful, regular member of the Pocahontas Baptist Church. A motorcycle enthusiast, he was known to many by the nickname, “Papa Smurf” and will be greatly missed by family and his many, many friends.
Services are at Pocahontas First Baptist Church on Monday, November 28, 2022, at 1 p.m. Burial will be in Middleburg Cemetery. Shackelford Funeral Directors 109 Mecklinburg Drive, Bolivar, Tennessee is in charge of professional arrangements.
He leaves a sister, Wanda McCalip (Vince) of Grand Junction; two brothers, Keith Hazlegrove and Kevin Hazlegrove (Kim), both of Pocahontas; nieces and nephews,
Adam McCalip, Isaac McCalip (Jazmine), Hannah McCalip, Kristina Murphey (Chris), Justin Hazlegrove (Tracy), and Heather Hazlegrove; and several great-nieces and
nephews.
Memorials may be sent to Pocahontas Baptist Church.
Courtesy of Shackelford Funeral Directors, Bolivar, Tennessee.
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