Kermit Hocutt

Kermit Mell Hocutt Funeral services for Kermit Mell Hocutt, 60, of Washington were held Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at the First Baptist Church, Washington, with Rev. Albert Huyck and Rev. Chris Townsend officiating. Interment was in the Crawfordville City Cemetery. He died Sunday morning, January 3, 2010, in Wills Memorial Hospital. Mr. Hocutt was a native of Wilkes County and the son of the late James E. Hocutt and Lucy Lunceford Hocutt, and Whitney Ward. He was a member and non-active deacon of the First Baptist Church, Washington. For many years he worked as an active volunteer for the church preschool program, preschool Sunday School Department, Mission Friends, and conducted the Children’s Church and sermon until 2003. He was also a faithful and energetic participant in all other churchwide events. He attended Alexander Stephens Institute, Crawfordville, and graduated from Greene County High School, Greensboro. Following graduation he entered the U.S. Army and received training as a medical corpsman and was based in Korea until 1971. After returning to the United States he attended cosmetology school in Augusta and was a parttime hairdresser in Washington while also working as a medical assistant for Doctors Edward and Eugene Pollock until 1985. Since that time he had operated Kermit’s Salon. Mr. Hocutt was involved with many community programs including Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School Band Boosters, Washington Little Theater, Friends of the Mary Willis Library, Washington-Wilkes Historical Foundation, and the Washington- Wilkes Tiger Club. Many classes of primary school children received his special creations through the years. He and his wife Cynthia were professional caterers for many years. Mr. Hocutt was an accomplished gardener, baker, and self-taught cake decorator, and floral designer and he generously shared the fruits of his labor with his many friends and neighbors. Currently he was a member of the Washingiton-Wilkes Arts Foundation. Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Kermit Wayne and Blake Hassett Hocutt, of Charlotte, N.C.; two grandchildren, Madeline Grace and Thomas Edward Hocutt, Charlotte; and other close relatives, including Calvin Fort of Warrenton; Barbara Lunceford Griffith, Crawfordville; Debra Griffith Brown, Watkinsville; Darrell Griffith, Atlanta; David Griffith, Sandersville; Carol Lunceford Saddow, Titusville, Fla.; June Lunceford Griffin, Forest Park, Arizona; and Jerry Lunceford, Monte Vista, Colorado. Pallbearers included Jeremy Goldman, Billy Hopkins, Kenneth Lindsey, Dr. Gene Pollock, Jerry Stover, and Tom Wells. Music for the funeral was by Chuck and Paula Stewart, Tom Wells, Jo Randall, and Jane Newsome. Memorial Contributions may be sent to the Pre-K School Ministry, First Baptist Church, c/o Debbie Lindsey, P.O. Box 603, Washington 30673. Hopkins Funeral Home of Washington was in charge of arrangements.