Beloved former Macon official Ed DeFore dies at 94, coroner says

Longtime Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Ed DeFore Sr. died Tuesday afternoon surrounded by family, according to Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones.

The 94-year-old died around 3:40 p.m. at a local nursing facility, Jones said. Family members reportedly shared that he died of natural causes.

DeFore, who was elected to serve on the Macon City Council in 1971, had a lengthy political career that spanned into other leadership roles, including serving on the Bibb County Board of Education for 13 years, as previously reported by The Telegraph.

DeFore was known for advocating for those most in need and often described himself as a “public servant” rather than a politician, according to Telegraph archives. After 45 years of service in Macon, DeFore retired in 2016.

But he also focused on what was best for the children of Macon. DeFore was inducted into the Macon Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and received an award from the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame for his long-term civic leadership, including coaching youth baseball and supporting park construction projects in Macon, The Telegraph previously reported.

“My desire was to help the boys and girls, not only baseball or basketball but to have recreation facilities in-house,” DeFore told The Telegraph in 2016. “I wanted them to have a place to go to when there was inclement weather.”

The Ed DeFore Sports Complex, formerly the Bibb County Sports Complex, was named after him.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Snows Funerals and Cremations at Macon Memorial Park, according to Jones.

This story may be updated as information becomes available.

This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 6:48 PM.