Jerry Carlile Hartsfield
March 4th, 1943 - July 17th, 2014
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Jerry's Obituary
Jerry "J.C." Hartsfield, 71, of South Haven, MI passed away Thursday, July 17, 2014 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, MI, due to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident July 3rd, 2014. He was born March 4, 1943 to James A. and Dorothy M. (Ganger) Hartsfield in Delay, Mississippi.
J.C. developed his love of music at a young age. He started playing the guitar when he was 12. There wasn’t an instrument he couldn’t play. After serving as a Marine in the Vietnam War, J.C. played with a band called “Eddie & the Citations”. It was during this time he met his wife, Janet Hartmann. They were married November 14, 1964. From this marriage, their two daughters were born; Lisa (Putt) & Leslie (Brooks).
J.C. was instrumental in forming the band “Heartsfield”. Heartsfield toured in the 70’s and early 80’s; producing 4 top-selling albums. Heartsfield earned #1 Chicago Rock Group of the year in 1973 in the Chicago Tribune’s Reader’s Pop Poll.
J.C. retired from life on the road in the early 80’s., and settled in South Haven, MI. It was in South Haven where J.C. started his own maintenance company; Hartsfield Maintenance, Inc. J.C. took care of all the condominiums on North Shore Drive. He was known as “The Man”. He formed lasting friendships with several of the owners. He retired in 2007 after 35 years of business.
In retirement, J.C. loved writing and playing music, fishing, traveling across the country on his Harley and spending time with his daughters and grandchildren; Kristin and Katie.
Jerry is preceded in death by his father, James Hartsfield.
He is survived by his daughters - Leslie (Greg) Brooks of Sturgis, MI, Lisa (Robert) Putt of Ponce Inlet, FL, two grandchildren Kristin and Katie Higgs, his mother, Dorothy Tarver of Apple Creek, OH and his sister Dorothy Ann (Denny) Amily of Apple Creek, OH, nephew Tom Ball, and niece Robin Young.
Visitation will be held on Friday, July 25, 2014 at the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. The memorial service will follow at 6:00 P.M. officiated by J.C.’s cousin; Chaplin David Leslie
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