Hugh Winston Sonny Bedingfield

Augusta, GA- Mr. Hugh Winston “Sonny” Bedingfield, 91, beloved husband, father andgrandfather entered into rest on Tuesday, Augusta 5, 2014. He was the son of the late Hugh and Inez Bedingfield of Bartow, GA.

Funeral Services will be at 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 9, 2014 at Platt’s Crawford Avenue Chapel with the Reverend Charles Broome officiating. Burial will follow in Westover Memorial Park.

Sonny was born in Bartow,Ga on January 15, 1923. He completed the Bartow School and attended Augusta Junior College before graduating with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1943. During his time at Georgia Tech he was a charter member of Theta Chi Fraternity. He was a veteran of WWII. During the war he was stationed on the battleship U.S.S. California in the South Pacific. His ship took part in many engagements, but it’s most important was the “Battle of Surigao Strait” in the Philippine Islands. The California and its squadron performed the classic naval maneuver of crossing the “T” and destroyed a Japanese fleet that could have devastated MacArthur’s Philippine landing. He was in training in the Naval Air Corps when the war ended. He took reserve status and trained at the Naval Reserve Center on Central Avenue, where he served as Commanding Officer for a period of time. After returning from the war he graduated from Augusta Law School. He practiced as a tax attorney from 1950-1965. He then took the Uniform Certified Public Accounting Exam and practiced as a CPA for Bedingfield, McCutcheon and Perry until he retired in the late 1990’s. He was an avid outdoorsman, a tree farmer, and a sailor. Sonny was a member of Pinetucky Skeet Club, the Beech Island Agricultural Club and a charter member and former commadore of the Augusta Sailing Club. He was a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church where he served as an usher and member of the finance committee.

Sonny is survived by his wife of 69 years- Velma Sharpe Bedingfield, a sister - Barbara McCutcheon of Augusta; a daughter - Sheryll Bedingfield of W. Hartford, CT; a son - Hugh Winston “Windy” Bedingfield ( Betsy) of Evans; two grandsons - Ken Nonken (Pam) of Washington, MA and Reed Nonken (Susan) of Limestone, ME; two granddaughters - Katie Purvis of Marietta and Kriston Chandler (John T.) of Augusta, and ten great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Ken Nonken, Reed Nonken, John T. Chandler, Jack Chandler, Jerry Purvis, III, Guy Purvis, Bates McCutcheon, and Hugh McCutcheon.

The family is very grateful for all of the ResCare girls, most especially - Sonya, Allison, Nikki, Jasmine, Chevonne, Ophelia, Barbara and Elaine.

If so desired, memorials may be made to St. Marks United Methodist Church Building Fund, 2367 Washington Rd, Augusta, GA 30904.

Please join the family for visitation at Platt’s Crawford Avenue on Saturday, August 9, 2014 prior to the service from 12:30 PM until 2:00 PM.