Mr. Alton Jerry Cleveland Sr., 77, of 1243 Cleveland Mill Rd, Hartwell, died Sunday, December 06, 2009 at his home.

Born on September 11, 1932, in Hart Co. GA, he was the son of the late Fred W. Cleveland and Cecil Morris Cleveland.He graduated from the University of Georgia with bachelor's and master's degrees in education and a specialist degree in administration.He taught and served for over 30 years in the Hart County School System and State of Georgia, serving as a teacher, a principal, and the school superintendent for Hart County and as a Resource Center Director for the State of Georgia.Mr. Cleveland also retired from the Anderson County School System as a middle school assistant principal in Starr-Iva.He was a former member of the Hartwell Lions Club, Hart Co. Jaycees, and Rotary International and was a member and past chairman for the Hart Co. Salvation Army board.He was a member of the Masons, the Shriners, the Hart Co. Golden K and its ramp committee, the Friendship Force of Lake Hartwell, the American Legion Post 109, the VFW, and Hart Co. Retired Teachers.He was a bailiff for the Hart Co. Superior Court and member and former chairman of the Hart Co. Water Authority.He was a member of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, where he taught the McDoyle SS Class for over 50 years, was a former deacon, and served on various church committees.He was a Korean War veteran, serving in the U S Army in Germany.
Survivors include his wife, Kay Tucker Cleveland of the home; three sons, Al Cleveland and his wife Elaine of Buford, Chris Cleveland and his wife Karen of Cumming and Morris Cleveland of Hartwell; four grandchildren, Erin Roberts and her husband Brian, Anna Cleveland, Virginia Kay Cleveland and Will Cleveland; four sisters, Margaret Hollar of Savannah, Helen Fordham of Columbus, Betty Alsop of Douglasville and Ann Strickland of Hartwell also survives.Mr. Cleveland was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Max Cleveland, Dan Cleveland and Charles Cleveland and a sister, Ginger Crawford.

The body is at the Strickland Funeral Home of Hartwell, where the family will receive friends from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday night.

A memorial service will held on Wednesday, December 9 at 11:00 a.m. at the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.The family is at the home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alton Jerry Cleveland Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Pinnacle Bank, 135 E. Franklin St, Hartwell, GA30643.