In Loving Memory - - -

Of a Life Well Lived -

Of a Friend Well Loved -

James Renford (Ren) Heartsill died on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Crowne Health Center in Greenville following an extended illness.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, February 29, 2024, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Fort Deposit Methodist Church with Brother Bruce Coker officiating and Dunklin Funeral Home directing.  Burial will follow the service in Bethel Methodist Church Cemetery.  The family will receive friends for visitation on Wednesday evening, February 28, 2024, beginning at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the chapel of Dunklin Funeral Home.

He was born in Fort Deposit, Alabama, to the late Kathleen and Zollie Heartsill on January 1, 1949.  He is a 1967 graduate of Lowndes County High School in Fort Deposit and attended Troy State University.  He served in the Alabama Air National Guard from 1969 until 1982.

Ren began his working career at an early age in Redden's Store on the corner of Jones and Milner Street in Fort Deposit where he learned necessity for customer satisfaction.  His knowledge was further extended when he began working with his father in the logging business and learned about hard work.

He began his Birmingham career at Swope Company where he was warehouse manager responsible for tracking sales and inventory control.  This was followed by a time at Bendix Forest Products where he was in sales and service Using the knowledge and experience, he had learned over the years, in 1978 he and a partner opened United Supply Company.  In 1986 he opened Trans Load Limited, Inc. which employed approximately 25 people and served as a transloading, warehousing and distribution center in the Birmingham area.  He was totally involved in every aspect of the operation.  He sold the company to Savage Services in December 2017.

Ren was an active member and Board Member of the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders and was inducted into the GBSHB Hall of Fame in 1997.  He was a founding member of the Cahaba Valley Lions Club in which he was active for over 25 years and was named Lion of the Year numerous times.  He was a charter member of the Transload Distribution Association and a member of the Southeastern Association of Railways and Alabama Railway Association.

He built a home and returned, part time, to his beloved hometown, Fort Deposit in 2000 where he was totally committed to anything that was beneficial to the well-being of the Town.  He has been a member of the Fort Deposit Arts Council for over 30 years and was involved in Calico Fort and Pulling In The Pines.  He was also a member of the Economic Development Board and the Fort Deposit Volunteer Fire Department Board.  He donated the land and built the Fort Deposit Fire Station, which was partially funded by a grant, a project which would greatly benefit the residents of Fort Deposit and the surrounding area.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Kathleen and Zollie Heartsill, his sister, Wanda Heartsill McCarty; his brothers Charles Moses Heartsill and Timothy Michael Heartsill.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Leta Payne Heartsill of Fort Deposit; one brother, Darrell Heartsill and his wife, Cathy; his nieces, Emily Heartsill (Allen) Mendenhall, Jenna Heartsill (Justin) Jones; nephew, Matthew Heartsill; and numerous other extended family members.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Butler County Humane Society, P. O. Box 264, Greenville, Alabama 36037.