Joe Brown Piper, Jr., 75, of Snellville went home April 8 after a courageous 9-year battle with cancer. Mr. Piper was a loving husband, father and grandfather and avid fisherman who will be dearly missed. Mr. Piper was a former member of Glen Haven United Methodist Church in Decatur for 34 years and served faithfully in many capacities, and he was a current member of Zoar United Methodist Church in Snellville. Mr. Piper was retired as an account executive with Colonial Baking Company after 33 years of service.

Mr. Piper was preceded in death by his parents Joe Brown Piper Sr. and Idell Malcom Piper; brother Jimmy Piper; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Marvin and Lois Autry; and brothers-in-law Holder Autry, William "Buck" Gravett and Steve Chevalier.

Mr. Piper is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 54 years Dorothy Autry Piper of Snellville; daughter and son-in-law Kay and Tom Young of Dacula; son and daughter-in-law Joe and Pam Piper of Loganville; grandchildren Jason and Erin Young of Kathleen, Joseph Young of Dunwoody, Laura Kay Young of Birmingham, Ala., Joe Piper IV of Loganville and Bobby Piper of Loganville; sister and brother-in-law Betty and Roy Walden of Mobile, Ala., sisters-in-law Suzanne Autry of Monroe, Sara Gravett of Snellville, Martha and Harold Marks of Mansfield and Patsy Chevalier of Blounts Creek, N.C., many nieces and nephews and cousins.

Funeral services will be Saturday, April 11, at noon at Mount Paran Primitive Baptist Church in Monroe with interment in the church cemetery. Flowers are acceptable or donations can be made to Zoar United Methodist Church, 3895 Zoar Church Road, Snellville, Ga. 30039, In memory of Joe B. Piper Jr. The family will receive friends today, April 10, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Bill Head Funeral Home and Crematory, Lilburn-Tucker Chapel.