Lister was born in Tampa, FL on February 24, 1950, the son of the late Elvin Jackson Lister and Wanda McNutt Lister. He spent his formative years in Tampa, growing up camping, fishing, and learning the value of hard work at his parents’ side, along with his younger sister.
After graduating from Robinson High School in Tampa, Lister moved to Forest Park in 1968 where he worked as a uniformed police officer and later as a detective with the City of Forest Park. He was recruited by then District Attorney William H. Ison as an investigator in the Clayton County District Attorney's Office in 1973. While serving Clayton County in this capacity Lister was responsible for and participated in a number of investigations involving public corruption and numerous other major investigations which led to indictments and successful prosecutions in high profile cases.
Lister attended law school while working in the DA's office and was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1981. He dedicated much of his life to the practice of the criminal law, becoming both a successful attorney, entrepreneur and judge.
Professionally, he became known for being a skilled negotiator. His work took on more and more of an entrepreneurial nature, and he expanded into Indigent Defense, with the law firm Lister & Holt, which was established in 2004.
Lister has been a member of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers since 1982, serving a year as vice president; he maintained membership in the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; was a member of the Clayton County Bar Association since 1981, serving as vice president and president; he was a member of both the Clayton and Henry County Bar associations as well as an approved mentor through the Georgia Supreme Court in the mentor program of the State Bar of Georgia. Lister was also admitted to practice in the Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court, the United States 5th and 11th Circuit Courts of Appeal and was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
Lister is survived by his wife of 24 years, Kimberly Rayner Lister; his daughters, Stacey Lister Merritt (John), Stefanie Lister Wardrep (Andy) and Brandy Walker Hodge (Chris). He is also survived by his four grandchildren, Cameron Merritt, Isabel Merritt, Walker Hodge and Weston Hodge, sister Debbie Lister Holt, (Scott) and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 11:00 AM at First Christian Church of Jonesboro, (2272 Walt Stephens Road, Jonesboro, GA). In lieu of flowers, which he loved, donations can be made to the First Christian Church of Jonesboro Benevolent fund, or the American Brain Tumor Association.
Bernstein Funeral Home, www.BernsteinFuneralHome.com, is in charge of funeral arrangements.
