Norman Otis Weatherford, affectionately known as Otis to his friends and family, passed away on December 21, 2024, at the age of 77 in Conyers, Georgia, leaving behind a legacy of laughter, kindness, and an unparalleled sense of camaraderie. Born on October 5, 1947, in Ashville, North Carolina to Annie and Melzer Weatherford, Otis grew to be a pillar of his community, touching the lives of all who had the pleasure of his company. Otis will be lovingly remembered for his lifetime spent as a barber, a career that spanned an extraordinary 61 years and allowed him to weave his own tapestry of stories and jokes into the community. Outside of the barbershop, he was often found at his produce stand in Oxford or indulging in his love of playing cards. His friends will fondly recall his great sense of humor, and family members will cherish the memories of his warm, booming laughter at gatherings. His parents, Annie and Melzer Weatherford; sister, Vida Lee Johnson; and brother, Delma Weatherford, preceded Otis in death. He is survived by a family who adores him: his daughter and son-in-law, Wendy and Jason McCrackin; his son and daughter-in-law, Gerald and Kim Weatherford; his grandchildren, Megan Sorrells, Craig Weatherford, Justin Autry, Jaron Autry, and Abby McCrackin; great-grandchildren; great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Each will miss his kind and selfless nature—traits that made Otis the epitome of a true friend and a cherished family man. Otis’s love for history and people enriched his storytelling, and his absence will be profoundly felt by the many lives he touched. His memory will continue to inspire those he left behind, to live each day with a spirit as generous and friendly as his own.
A Funeral Service for Otis will be held Friday, December 27, 2024, 1:00 P.M., at the Chapel of Caldwell & Cowan, 1215 Access Road, in Covington, with Pastor Larry Clayton and Steve Horton officiating and interment following in Sewell Church Cemetery. Friends are invited to visit with the family at the funeral home Thursday December 26, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M.
