Mr. Thomas Poncela, age 41, of Oak Grove Road, Carrollton, Ga., passed away February 18, 2011. He was born June 12, 1969, in East Point, Georgia, the son of Raymond Poncela and Linda Walker Meeks.

Mr. Poncela was a lieutenant with the Coweta County Corrections Department serving as assistant supervisor of the Work Release Center.

Survivors include his wife, Julie Rooks Poncela; daughters, Nicole Poncela and Elizabeth Poncela; mother and stepfather, Wanda and Kenneth Meeks of Newnan; father and stepmother, Raymond and Barbara Poncela of Griffin; sister and brother-in-law, Sandy and Ricky Collins of Newnan; brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Paige Poncela of Denver, Col.; step-sister, Teresa Toland of Atlanta; step-brother, Sammy and Laurie Toland of Griffin; also nieces and nephews, Rebecca Rooks, Abigale Toland, John Nelson Rooks, Bailey Collins, Casey Collins, Chase Poncela and Taylor Toland.

Funeral services will be conducted Sunday, February 20, 2011, at 4 p.m. from Martin & Hightower Heritage Chapel with Rev. Harry Parkerson, Chaplain Ed Floyd and Sgt. Voltair Dunson officiating. Coweta County Correction Department Officers will serve as pallbearers and honorary pallbearers. Interment will follow in Emaus Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.

You may pay respects Saturday at the funeral home from 12 noon to 5 p.m. and the family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m.

Messages of condolences may be sent to the family at www.martin-hightower.com.

Martin & Hightower Heritage Chapel, Carrollton.