Mr. James Kerlin McLendon, Jr., age 81, of Cedartown, Georgia, passed away on Sunday, September 27, 2026, after a brief illness. He was born on February 22, 1945, in Rome, Georgia. He was the son of Kerlin and Theresa Davis McLendon.

Mr. McLendon served in the United States Army as a combat engineer from 1965-1972. He worked for the Polk County Police Department for 28 years, retiring in 2002 and for the Polk County Sherrif Office for 11 years and was a member of the American Legion Post #86.

He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He had a special love for his two cats, Ziva and Gizmo.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Nancy Hackney McLendon, and his brother William Kim McLendon.

He is survived by his children, Kelly (Laura) McLendon, Teri Smith, Paige (Bob) DeWitt, Stacey Oliver and Amy Lameka, twelve grandchildren and ten great grandchildren, his sisters Kaye Hardy, Margie Guthrie, and brother, Joe McLendon.

We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to the staff at Heyman Hospice for the excellent care given to our dad during his brief illness.

The family of Mr. McLendon will receive family and friends on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from eleven o'clock in the morning until the funeral service hour.

The funeral service for Mr. McLendon will be held on Saturday October 3, 2026, at one o'clock in the afternoon in the chapel of the Gammage Funeral Home. Rev. Doyle Kelley will open the service with a welcome and prayer, and Rev. Wayne Benefield will officiate. Interment will follow at the Pine Bower Baptist Church Cemetery.

The following gentlemen will serve as pallbearers: Kelly McLendon, Will McLendon, Alex Byers, Connor Snow, Bob DeWitt, and Josh Kirkpatrick.

The family respectfully requests that all floral arrangements be omitted, and that memorial contributions be made in his honor to Worldview Baptist Church, 500 N. College Drive, Cedartown, Georgia or Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Heyman Hospice Care, 420 E. 2nd Ave #103, Rome Georgia 30161.

Messages of condolence can be made to the family by visiting our website and signing the online guestbook at gammagefh.com. 

The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for Mr. James Kerlin McLendon, Jr.