Hugh D. Broome

Published 4:06 pm Thursday, May 5, 2011

July 14, 1941 –

May 3, 2011

Funeral services for former Georgia State Rep. Hugh D. Broome Jr., 69, of Donalsonville, will be held on Friday, May 6, at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Donalsonville, Ga., with a private family interment to follow in Friendship Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Thursday evening, May 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Chapel of Evans-Skipper Funeral Home.

Mr. Broome died Tuesday, May 3, 2011, at Archbold Medical Center in Thomasville, Ga., following a lengthy illness. He was born July 14, 1941, in Donalsonville, to Beryl Spooner Broome and Hugh D. Broome, Sr.

He was a graduate of Seminole County High School, class of 1959. He attended the University of Georgia, Valdosta State College, and was a graduate of Southern College of Technology with degrees in gas engineering and air-conditioning engineering. Upon graduation, Mr. Broome had a career at Continental Oil Company in Huntsville, Ala. When he returned to Donalsonville he founded Broome Interiors in downtown Donalsonville. He later founded Broome Drying Plant, which he owned and operated for 25 years. During that time he was instrumental in providing jobs for many high school and college students. In 2000, Mr. Broome was elected to the Georgia General Assembly and served as a state representative for two terms. Mr. Broome was an Eagle Scout.

He was the current president and a lifetime member of the Tri-state Archaeological Society, honorary director of the Lake Seminole Association, and a member of the Donalsonville/Seminole County Chamber of Commerce. He was honored by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission in 2004 with a special achievement award in recognition of his untiring efforts to promote the arts in Seminole County, and heritage tours to the community of Lela. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Donalsonville.

He will be remembered for his love for his children and grandchildren and for his love of nature. He was a true conservationist. He taught all that he knew to love the land and to always leave it better than they found it. His greatest joy was to take young people on their first hunting trip. He was an avid Indian artifact collector, and had one of the most renowned collections in the southeast.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Hugh D. Broome Sr. and Beryl Spooner Broome; one brother, John Spooner Broome; and sister, Karen Broome Sheffield.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Brenda Houston Broome; daughter, Annette Broome Burkett and husband, Mark; daughter, Stephanie Broome Mathis and husband, Stanley; a son, Hugh D. Broome III and his wife, Dee; grandsons Ben Burkett; granddaughters, Beth and Brittany Burkett; grandsons, Davis and Dorsey Mathis; grandsons Hugh D. IV and Parker Broome; sister, Anne Broome Trawick and her husband, Chason; a brother, Brantley Broome and his wife, Jackie; brother-in-law, Tom Sheffield; sister-in-law, Janey Coxwell and her husband, Marsh; and stepfather-in-law, Peter Shea. He is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and caregivers Melisa Register, Christy Register Washington, Alma Williams, Tisha Bell, Yzetta Grant, Kirsia Gaines and Celia Ledbetter.

The family will accept flowers, donations to the Broome/Haddock Scholarship fund, Tri-state Archaeological Society in care of Richard Reed, P.O. Box 865 Eufaula, AL 36072, or memorials to the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, P.O. 33, Eufaula, AL 36072-0033.

Evans-Skipper Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.