Mr. Joseph William "J.W." Grider, 96, of Dalton, departed this life Monday, Feb. 22, 2010, at the local hospital.

Mr. Grider was born Feb. 1, 1914, in Chattanooga, Tenn., a son of the late Joseph Griffin and Alice Evans Grider. He was retired from Georgia Power Co. where he worked for over 36 years as a substation operator. He was a member and former trustee of the CrossPointe Christian Centre (Dalton Church of God) for over 60 years.

He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Opal Mae Pritchett Grider of the home; sons and daughters-in-law, Robert Jeffrey "Jeff" Grider and Dianne Bechtold of Bonney Lake, Wash., James William "Jimmy" and Barbara Grider of Chatsworth; grandchildren, Bill and Angie Grider, Karen Grider and David Hunter; great-grandchild, Will Grider; several cousins and nieces and nephews.

Services to celebrate the life of Mr. J.W. Grider will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at CrossPointe Christian Centre with Rev. Raymond McCranie, Rev. Stan Lester and Phil Johnson officiating. He will be laid to rest at the Whitfield Memorial Gardens with Doyle Pritchett, Kenneth Pritchett, Bruce Longmire, Paul Porter, Ray Broadrick and Wayne Martin serving as pallbearers. The family will receive friends at the Melrose Chapel of Ponders Funeral Home from 6 until 9 p.m. Thursday.

In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to the CrossPointe Christian Centre building fund, 2681 Underwood St., Dalton, GA 30721. Messages may be sent to the Grider family at www.pondersfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are by locally owned and operated Ponders Funeral Home, 138 Melrose Drive, Dalton; (706) 226-4002. Your Selected Independent Funeral Home.