Johnny (Buck) Truelove

Mr. Johnny (Buck) Truelove age 74 of Cleveland passed away Wednesday June 20, 2012 at his residence following a long battle with cancer.

Mr. Truelove was born August 16, 1937 to the late Frank C. and Ruth Truelove. He was
preceded in death by his daughter Denise Truelove Pardue, brothers, Franklin Truelove, Elwin Truelove Scott Craven and sister Bonnie Mae Nix.

In 1966 he opened Truelove Welding and operated in the same location for 46 years. Every year on February 12, he dressed as Abraham Lincoln and made hundreds of children smile by visiting the numerous schools. He was a member and Deacon of Cleveland First Baptist Church and Past Master of the Yonah Masonic Lodge. He has had the honor of serving on the White County Recreation Department board for over 13 years. He loved working with the youth of White county from chaperoning church youth groups, driving the band truck for 7 years in the 70's to playing the part of the "Grim Reaper" at the high school during several Prom seasons. He was a member of Northeast GA Truck Club and Northeast GA Cruisers Car Club.

Loved by everyone in the community, someone posted on Facebook , "If you want to know what a real man is, just look at Buck Truelove". Another said Mossy Creek has lost a cornerstone and Heaven has gained an awesome angel. He was first diagnosed in the late 1980's with skin cancer, followed with a diagnosis of prostate cancer in 1990. In 2005 he had part of his left lung removed, went thru chemo four times, bone cancer showed up and then the cancer returned in the right lung.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Willie Adams Truelove, Cleveland; daughters & son in laws, Dianne Truelove Gilleland and Claude Gilleland, Debbie Truelove Petty and Gary Petty, all of Cleveland; son and daughter in law, Denver and Victoria Truelove, Cleveland; grandchildren, Jonathan (JJ) Gilleland, Japan, Caleb Gilleland, Dallas Truelove, Cheyenne Truelove, Branson Truelove, Steven Petty, Daniel Petty, Tyler Gooch, Kenzi Gooch, Rylee Gooch all of Cleveland, Brittany Petty, Kristen Petty of Texas; special friends Eric Root, Mary Maples, Lawrence Pilgrim, Lowell Pilgrim, Billy Cagle, Warren Weaver, Stephany Zaic and Jerry Carpenter.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday June 23, 2012 at Cleveland First Baptist Church. The Rev. Dennis Turner, the Rev. Lindsay Helton, the Rev. Robert Nix and Dr. Mike Davis will officiate. Interment will be in Gateway Memory Park.

The family will receive friends 4-8 p.m. Thursday and 2-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home

Online condolences may be made to the family at barrettfh.com.

In lieu of flower, the family requests donations be made to Cleveland First Baptist Building Fund, P.O. Box 250 Cleveland, GA 30528 or Scottish Rite Children's Home of Macon 1985 Vineville Avenue Macon, GA 31201.

Buck Truelove was a great family man and an asset to his community and he will be missed.

Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland.