About The Advance. (Vidalia, Ga.) 2003-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 2023)
The ADVANCE, April 19, 2023/Page 8A aHie Ahuance Obituaries Mrs. Carmen Beasley Mrs. Carmen J. Bea sley, age 84, of Oak Park, died on Friday, April 14, 2023, in the Community Hospice House in Vidalia after an extended illness. Mrs. Beasley was a na tive of Oak Park and spent most of her life in Prat tville, AL, before moving to Oak Park 4 years ago. She worked in the Social Security Administration for the Office of Hearings and Appeals and retired as a supervisor after 32 years of service. She attended the Church of Christ in Metter. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Minnie Williams; her step mother, Eva Williams; 4 sisters, Gerry White, Lynn Cross, Carolyn Bailey, and Francis Dillon; and 1 brother, Donald Williams. Survivors include her husband of 31 years, Wes ley Beasley of Oak Park; her children, Jenny Dunn and husband Glenn of Prat tville, AL, Dale Mathis and wife Kelly of Ridgeville, SC, Cameron Beasley and wife Catina of Stillmore, Alice Pippins and husband Donald of Bonifay, FL, and Gen Salyers and husband David of Four Oaks, NC; 10 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. The funeral service was held Monday, April 17, at 11:00 a.m., in the chapel of Wilkes Funeral Home, with Pastor Carl Jones offi ciating. The burial followed in Oak Park City Cemetery. The pallbearers were Trey Cross, John Lewis Richardson, Lamar, Rich ardson, Billy Richardson, Raymond Richardson, and Mickey Lindsay. In lieu of flowers, me morial contributions may be made to Community Hospice House Founda tion, P.O. Box 2277, Vida lia, GA, 30475. WILKES FUNERAL HOME Ms. Shelia Sharp Ms. Sheba Tapley Sharp, age 69, of Vidalia, died on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at her home after a sudden illness. Ms. Sharp was a native of Toombs County, living in Oak Park for several years, and in the Vidalia area most of her bfe. She worked for many years at Oxford In dustries, Sweat’s BBQi and Carter’s BBQ She was an active member at Pend leton Creek Community Church near the Norman- town Community, where she served as treasurer. She is preceded in death by her father, M.C. Tapley, and her stepfather, Wallace Waters. Her family includes 1 daughter, Angie Powell Bar- wick of the Center Com munity; 2 granddaughters, Harmony Barwick and fi ance Bryant Poss of Vidalia, and Hailey Barwick of Cen ter; her mother, Joann Wa ters of Oak Park; 6 siblings, Lynn Powell and husband Harry of Lyons, Ronnie Waters and wife Marilyn of Normantown, Melvin Tap- ley ofVidaba, Stacy Davis of Dublin, Kathy Peterson and husband Pete of Gray, and Renee Gault of Vidalia; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. The funeral service was Sunday, April 16, at 3:00 p.m., at the chapel of Ron ald V. Hall Funeral Home, with Pastor Gary Roberson officiating. Burial followed at Waters Cemetery near Normantown. Pallbearers were Roger Kramer, Landon Waters, Brandon Waters, Charles Tapley, Bryant Poss and Brian Byrd. Flowers are accepted, or memorial contributions may be made to Pendleton Creek Community Church, 3370 GA Hwy. 130, W., Vi dalia, GA 30474. Ronald V. Hall FUNERAL HOME "Memories, of a Lifetime of Love" Mr. James Hoffman Mr. James E. “Jim” Hoffman, age 89, of Tar- rytown, died on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Scott Health and Rehabilitation in Scott. Mr. Hoffman was born in Waterbury, CT, grew up in Terryville, CT, and was a 1951 graduate of Terryville High School. He studied Bacteriol- . ogy at the University of Connecticut. He served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1959. He lived most of his life in Thomaston, CT, and worked for Wheeler/Sper ry as a Quality Control Su pervisor. He was a member of the First Congregational Church in Thomaston, CT. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra Jean Barrett Hoffman, and his parents, Elmer and Mil dred C. Bergen Hoffman. Survivors include his children, Greg Hoffman (Terry), Southington, CT, and Tracy Kight (Cale), Tarrytown; 1 sibling, Joyce McBain, Rancho Palas Verdes, CA; his grandchil dren, Sarah Dlugoszewski (Scott) Southington, CT, Douglas Hoffman (Katie) Southington, CT, Alex Doe (Nathan), Charlton, MA, Jordan Sconziano, Tarrytown, Jaimee Scon ziano, Tarrytown, and Ja cob Sconziano, Dudley; his great-grandchildren, Wes ley, Leah, Esther, Claire, and Summer; and numer ous nieces and nephews. He will be laid to rest in Hillside Cemetery in Plymouth, CT. Sammons Funeral Home was in charge of ar rangements. Mrs. Rhonda Mosley Mrs. Rhonda Sanders Mosley, age 70, of Vidalia, died on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Memorial Health Meadows Hospital in Vida lia after an extended illness. Mrs. Mosley was a na tive of Dodge County, liv ing in Ocala, FL, moving to Millen, where she lived most of her life, before moving to Vidalia in 2014. She was a 1971 graduate of Forest High School in Ocala, and for many years was store manager at Crazy Tim’s BP in Eastman. Pre ceding her in death were her husband, Jay M. Mos ley; her parents, Jack Wil son Sanders, Sr., and Betty Jean Pitts Sanders; brother, Mike Sanders; and sister, Lynn Sanders Dowdy. Her family includes 1 daughter, Jaymie Lynn Conner and husband Bran don of Vidalia; 3 grand children, Jaylin Reynolds, Travis Michael and Jaxon Ryan Conner; 1 brother, Jack Sanders, Jr., and wife Tabby of Eastman; and sev eral nieces, nephews, and other relatives. The funeral service was Friday, April 14, at 12:00 noon, in the chapel of Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home. Burial followed at North Thompson Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were Larry Williams, David Couey, Zack Dowdy, Karson Jones, Chad Jones, and Calen Rowland. In lieu of flowers, me morial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation by visiting their website at al- zheimersresearchfounda- tion.com. Ronald V. Hall FUNERAL HOME "Memories, of a Lifetime of Love" Mrs. Laura Darley Mrs. Laura Mae Stew art Darley, age 97, of Dub lin, died on Saturday, April 8, 2023. Mrs. Darley was born in Laurens County and was a lifelong resident of Dub lin and Dudley. She worked her entire life in food service, starting at Quin cy’s and then Dublinaire Health and Rehabilitation Center. She retired from the Laurens County Public School System in Dudley in the cafeteria after many years. Upon retiring from the school system, she worked at Chick-fil-A in Dublin as a greeter and din ing room manager until the age of 88. While working in the school system, she mentored many children as a foster parent. She was a lifelong member of Central Drive Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Ash ley Stewart and Tiny Bes sie Johnson Stewart; her husband, Johnnie Darley; her children, Doris Mc Daniel, Johnny Lewis Dar ley, Sr., Margaret Hardy, Bobby “Lil Bob” Darley, Larry Don Darley, William Dale Darley, and Doyce Earl “Doughboy” Darley; and grandchildren, Elaine Steinkamp and Brenda Gil- lis. Survivors include her daughters-in-law, Dianne Darley, Brenda Darley and Diann Darley, all of Dublin; her grandchil dren, Betty Faye Newman (Buck), David McDaniel (Kelly), Cindy NeSmith (Milton), Johnny Darley, Jr. (Annita), Mary Ledford, Josh Darley (Holly), Cale Darley, Hannah Darley; 10 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-great-grand- son; and several cousins, nieces and nephews. Funeral services were conducted on Saturday, April 15,2023, at 1:00 p.m., in the Williams Chapel of Sammons Funeral Home, with Rev. W.L. Currie and Rev. Andy Lowery officiat ing. Interment followed in Blue Springs Cemetery. Pallbearers were Ben ny Allen, Milton NeSmith, Caleb NeSmith, Dylan NeSmith, Buck Newman, Trevor Barber, and Tristian Mitchell. Sammons Funeral Home in Soperton was in charge of arrangements. Amber continued from page 7A hand-held computers that can do numerous tasks from anywhere, I thought, “Wow. This is cool. This is going to be really big.” Not that I’m a fortune teller of any sort, but I know a revolutionary device when I see one, and AI and chat bots have the potential to be bigger than PCs, the Inter net, and smartphones. We can’t even fathom (at this point) what they will be able to do for humanity — or to humanity. There is a danger in un leashing a creature smarter and more capable than hu mans. In fact, humans have a poor track record when it comes to using technol ogy. We use it to benefit the world, and we use it in hor rendous ways, as well (the dark side of technology). To loosely quote Donald Rumsfeld, “We don’t know what we don’t know.” But in the foreseeable future, I think AI and chat bots will need “handlers” to oversee their processing and results — to look over their shoulders. For example, if we ask a chatbot to cure can cer, it may come back with a cure, but that cure may cause the patient to perish in the process. Someone will have to pose the problem with adequate, intelligent struc ture — teaching it principles like, “first, do no harm.” The genie is out of the bottle, and AI is here and gaining momentum. The fu ture is now, and we should all be paying close attention. Mrs. Doris Oliver Mrs. Doris William son Oliver, age 93, of Ly ons, died Sunday, April 16, 2023, at Oxley Health and Rehab in Lyons after an extended illness. She was a native of Aline, where she grew up on a small farm and was a graduate of Met ter High School. In 1949, she met the love of her life, Marvin Oliver, and lived in a few places while Mr. Oli ver served in the military. She lived in Lyons most of her life, was a charter mem ber of Fairview Baptist Church in Lyons and was a current member of Cal vary on Aimwell. She was a member of Live Oak Com munity Club, where she held many different offices. She was known in the com munity for having some of the most beautiful flowers in her yard. Working in her yard was her hobby and a passion that she loved so much. During her life, she worked many hours a day caring for her flowers. She cared for her flowers up to the age of 90, then had to cut back to one day a week. She is preceded in death by her husband of fifty-six years, Marvin Oliver; par ents, Wilson Williamson and Sadie Bell McDilda Williamson Murray; and a sister, Joe Nell Williamson Williams and her husband Paul. Her family includes two children, Drayton Oli ver and wife Lisa of Lyons, and Matilda Oliver Ed wards and husband Gary of Vidalia; three grandchil dren, Ryan Toole and wife Jessica of Uvalda, Roxy Toole Bacon and husband Bradley of Vidalia, and Dr. Darby Oliver and Ka lin Willhite of Marietta; five great-grandchildren, Dawson Brantley, Lawton Toole, Kamdyn Bacon, Blayce Bacon, and Maddox Toole; one sister, Allette Murray Brantley and hus band James of Metter; sev eral nieces and nephews, and her special pet, “Baby Kitty,” who was also her best friend. The funeral service was Tuesday, April 18, at 11:00 a.m. at the chapel of Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home with Pastor Efton Green and Pastor Vic Ford- ham officiating. Burial fol lowed at Lakeview Memo rial Gardens. Pallbearers were Ryan Toole, Eddie Williams, Joe Paul Williams, Greg Thig pen, Brent Thigpen, James Ferry, Steve Williams, and Mike Powell. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memo rial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association by visiting their website at alz. org. Ronald V. Hall FUNERAL HOME "Memories, of a Lifetime of Love" Full Paid Obituary Mrs. Judy Mason Mrs. Judy Mason, age 73, of Lyons, died on Wednesday, April 12,2023, at her home after a sudden illness. Mrs. Mason was born in Laurens County, moved to Lyons in 1962, attended Lyons High School, and worked 13 years at Moore’s Department Store in Vi dalia. She was an active member of Liberty Baptist Church in Lyons, where she sang in the choir and was a children’s Sunday school teacher. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arlie Cleo Watson and Elizabeth Lucy Camp bell Watson, and 1 brother, Bobby Watson. Her family includes her husband of 55 years, Arthur Mason of Lyons; 3 daughters, Shirley Coursey and husband Mike of Mas- sena, NY, Jeannie Biddle of Vidalia, and Paula Mason and fiance Brian Kelly of Aiken, SC; 2 sisters, Caro lyn Watson Clifton and husband “Frog” of Grif fin, and Beverly Watson Day and husband Steve of Huntsville, AL; 2 brothers, William Watson and wife Judy of Winder, and Ben Watson of Lyons; 3 grand daughters, Ashley Brantley of Vidalia, Adrian Dar ling and husband Andrew of Canada, and Chelsey Gibbs and husband Gary of Lyons; 2 great-grand children, Hunter Brantley and John Henry Darling; and several nieces and nephews. The funeral service was Saturday, April 15, at 2:00 p.m., at Liberty Baptist Church, with Pastor Mi chael Plowman officiating. Burial followed at Lakev iew Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Allen Coursey, Gary Gibbs, Tony Clark, Brian Kelly, Mike Coursey, and Charles Hol land. Flowers are accepted, or memorial contributions may be made to Liberty Baptist Church, P.O. Box 410, Lyons, GA 30436. Ronald V. Hall FUNERAL HOME "Memories, of a Lifetime of Love" Clark and Shaw Monument Company 856 Lyons Center Road, Lyons, Georgia 30436 Georgia Marble • Granite • Bronze • Mausoleums Office 912-526-4444 Fax 912-526-0508 Toll Free: 1-866-839-4563 Owners: Bill Clark and Chuck Shaw email: clarkshawmonu@att.net
