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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 MAINSTREET NEWSPAPERS
Obituaries
Louis Howard Betts
Louis Howard Betts, 87,
died Sunday, September 25,
2016.
Bom in Madison County,
he was the son of the late
Carol Threlkeld Betts and
Edward Betts and brother to
the late Charles Betts. Known
as “Sonny” to many, Mr.
Betts served in the Nation
al Guard and worked many
years for Sears and Roebuck
in Atlanta before returning to
Madison County as a cattle
farmer. Mr. Betts served as an
elder at both Smyrna Presby
terian Church and New Hope
Presbyterian Church. He was
preceded in death by his son,
Kenneth Betts.
Survivors include his wife
of 66 years, Marion Betts;
children, Nancy (Jerry) Mill
er, Leigh Ann (Philip) Munro,
and Howard (Sandy) Betts;
and grandchildren, Rebecca
Weeks, Rachel Hunt, Ben
Munro, Esther Claassen,
Thomas Munro, Jamie Whid-
don, Jeremiah Miller, and
Bobby Betts.
Funeral services were held
Wednesday, September 28, at
noon, at New Hope Presbyte
rian Church.
Donations may be made
to the New Hope Presbyte
rian Church Cemetery Fund
at P.O. Box 556, Comer, GA
30629, or Thornwell Chil
dren’s Home at 302 S. Broad
Street, Clinton, SC 29325.
Lord and Stephens, Dan-
ielsville, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
Reba Bunn
WINDER - Reba Bunn,
75, passed away Wednesday,
September 21, 2016, at her
residence.
A native and lifelong resi
dent of Barrow County, she
was the daughter of the late
Buck and
Lucille Dal
ton Elder.
Mrs. Bunn
was a mem
ber of Gospel
Light Baptist
Church and
was a home
maker. She
was the most
giving and
caring person ever.
Survivors include her hus
band, Royce Bunn, Sr.; son,
Royce "Eddie" Bunn, Jr.; and
sister, Juanita Sauls, all of
Winder.
Funeral services were held
Saturday, September 24 from
the chapel of Carter Funeral
Home with the Rev. Rodney
Queen officiating.
Carter Funeral Home,
Winder, was in charge of
arrangements.
Online condolences may
be expressed at www.carter-
fhwinder.com
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(19080)
Clyde Butler
BRASELTON Clyde
James Butler, 72, passed
away Monday, September
19, 2016.
Mr. Butler was the son of
the late Ernest and Bertie
Butler. He was preceded in
death by a son, Terry Butler;
and brother, Roy Butler
Survivors include his wife,
Brenda Butler; son, Travis
Butler, Braselton; brothers,
Larry Butler and wife Jo
Ruth, Alabama, and Wen
dell Butler and wife Lou
ise, Braselton; sisters, Viola
Hood, Hoschton, Geneva
Fleeman, Buford, Frances
Butler, Hoschton, and Betty
Carter and husband Herman,
Hoschton; grandchildren.
Tori Butler and Jessica But
ler; and a host of nieces and
nephews.
Funeral services were held
Thursday, September 22, at
Lawson Funeral Home Cha
pel with Pastor Jerry Gaddis
and Eddie Butler officiating.
Interment was at The Church
of God of Prophecy Brasel
ton.
Arrangements were by
Lawson Funeral Home,
Hoschton.
www.lawsonfuneralhome.
org.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
Mark Day
JEFFERSON Charles
Mark Day died Wednesday,
September 14, 2016.
He was born June 26, 1965
in Columbus. He graduated
high school in 1983, Char
lotte High School, Punta
Gorda, Fla., and attended
Mercer University and the
University of Georgia. Mark
was a member of Sigma Nu
fraternity. He
served in the
United States
Marine Corp
for four years
and was sta
tioned in
Okinawa for
two of those
years. He
loved music
was a writer and an artist.
He published one illus
trated children's book. Mark
donated dozens of his pen
and ink drawings of histori
cal landmarks to the Jackson
County Bicentennial Cel
ebration in 1996. His artwork
appears in several businesses
in Jackson County. Mark
loved cooking. His expertise
in BBQ won for him the
Whole Hog award as well as
the People’s Choice award
in the Atlanta BBQ cook-off
in 2010. He was the proud
owner of "Fat & Happy Bbq.”
and cooked barbeque at
numerous musical festivals,
including his own festival,
"Amberland.”
Mark loved animals and
nature. There was never a
time he didn’t stop to move a
turtle out of the road. He will
be greatly missed.
Survivors include his son,
Zachary Morgan Day; former
wife, Amberly Waters Day;
his parents, Anne Weed Day
of Gainesville, and Haywood
Day of Flowery Branch;
brother, Nathan Day, Flow
ery Branch; sisters-in-law,
Jennifer Waters Herring and
Karen Cherney; mother-in-
law, Patsy Davis Waters; one
niece, Amy Cherney; two
nephews, Ian and Noah Her
ring; uncle, Randolph Weed;
aunts, Betty Weed Self,
Lujean Moody, and Maxine
Mauldin; and several cous
ins. His special little buddies,
Robert Dugan, Carey Riel,
Steven Anderson, Budpie
Hearn, Snake Williamson,
and Kevin McCook.
Memorial services will be
announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, an “edu
cational fund” has been set
up for "Zachary Morgan
Day” at South State Bank, 71
Memorial Dr., in Jefferson.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
Harry Fancher
HULL - Harry Granger
Fancher, our beloved hus
band and father, passed away
peacefully in the presence
of family at his residence
at 7:32 a.m. on Wednesday,
September 21, 2016, after
losing a 9-month battle with
cancer.
Harry was 78 years old. He
was bom in Norwalk, Conn.,
on December 22, 1937. He
was the first of five children
born to Harry and Ruth (Por
ter) Fancher. He was preced
ed in death by his grandson,
Joshua David Fancher.
Harry grew up in Bedford,
N.Y. Harry
joined ROTC
in high school
and served
in the Army
Reserves for 10 years. He
married Sandra Smith Fanch
er in 1959.
He loved his family and
spent his life providing for
them. He also loved God
and instilled that faith in his
family by example. One of
his hobbies was his love of
cars, and he enjoyed many
a day tinkering on them.
Professionally, he worked
in the computer field, first
at Teleregister, then Bunker
Ramo, and finally, DataPoint.
His work took him and his
family from Connecticut to
Hallandale, Fla, in 1965, to
Conyers in 1970 and to Hull
in 1978. Shortly thereafter,
Harry began working in the
banking industry. He was a
strong Christian and a mem
ber of Prince Avenue Baptist
Church.
Survivors include his lov
ing and devoted wife of 57
years, Sandra Smith Fanch
er; four children and their
spouses, Bonnie Kepler and
her husband, Cameron, Laura
Carlan and her husband, Joe,
David Fancher and his wife,
Jenny, and Tim Fancher and
his wife, Becky; four grand
children, Sydney, Noelle,
Samuel, and James; siblings,
Bill (Glenda) Fancher, Lil-
bum, Dan Fancher, Helena,
Mont., Marilyn Wray, Mount
Kisco, N,Y., and Paul (Faye)
Fancher, Unionville, Tenn.
Special thanks to Athena
Hospice, LLC.
A private memorial service
will be held for immediate
family as we celebrate the life
of Harry Granger Fancher.
Lord & Stephens Funer
al Home, East, Athens, is
in charge of arrangements.
www.lordandstephens.com
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(081-68.25)
Doris Ann Freeman
COMMERCE Doris
Ann Freeman, 87, died Fri
day, September 23, 2016, at
Brighter Mornings.
Mrs. Freeman was born
in Commerce on August
26, 1929, the daughter of
the late Charles Alvin and
Beatrice Hunt Hooper. She
grew up in Commerce and
graduated from Commerce
High School. Afterwards,
she attended Draughn’s Busi
ness School. In 1954 Doris,
and her husband, Quentin,
who preceded her in death
in 2005, moved away from
Commerce, but returned in
1960. She was a member of
Apple Valley Baptist Church,
where she also participated
in the Women’s Missionary
Society. She was employed
by the Department of Plant
Pathology, University of
Georgia, from 1960 to 1969.
She retired from North Geor
gia College, Dahlonega,
where she was employed
from 1970 to 1973. Doris
loved life and will be missed
by many.
Survivors include one
daughter, Lavonda Freeman
Cheek; and son-in-law, Mike,
Watkinsville.
Funeral services were held
Monday, September 26, at
Apple Valley Baptist Church
with the Revs. Clarence Can
non and Ray Austin officiat
ing. Interment was in Jack-
son Memorial Gardens
Memorials may be made to
your charity of choice.
Little-Ward Funeral Home,
Commerce, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(622)
Sammy Harp
WINDER - Sammy Leon
Harp, 70, passed away on
Thursday, September 22,
2016, at St. Mary’s Hospital
in Athens, surrounded by his
family and friends.
Mr. Harp was born in
Cedartown, the son of the
late Lee and Maebelle Coley
Harp. Mr. Harp was a mem
ber of Oakland Heights Bap
tist Church and was a retired
heavy equipment operator.
Mr. Harp
loved to
hunt and
fish and
get together
with family
and friends.
Mr. Harp
was preced
ed in death
by his sister, Mary Nieto; and
nephew, Phillip Chitwood.
Survivors include his wife
of 52 years, Martha Elrod
Harp, Winder; daughters and
sons-in-law, Nannette and
Jeff Potts, Cartersville, and
Connie and Michael Ste
phens, Adairsville; son and
daughter-in-law, Sam and
Kim Harp, Jefferson; brother,
Wayne Harp, Taylorsville;
nine grandchildren, Corey
Scoggins, Courtney (Bryan)
Crawford, Mathew (Christie)
Barnwell, Allie Stephens,
Katie Stephens, Alyssa Ste
phens, Adreanna Harp, Sam
uel Harp, and Bethany Harp;
four great-grandchildren,
Dawson Robertson, Aleah
Robertson, Thea Crawford,
and Kade Barnwell; and sev
eral special nieces, nephews,
and friends.
Funeral services were held
Saturday, September 24, in
the chapel of Evans Funeral
Home with the Rev. Calvin
Gooch officiating. The burial
was in the Evans Memory
Gardens with Corey Scog
gins, Randy Patton, Michael
Stephens, Wayne Harp Jr.,
Brian Woodbury, and Bailey
Patton honored as pallbear
ers.
Evans Funeral Home,
Jefferson, was in charge of
arrangements.
Online condolences at
www.evansfuneralhomeinc.
com
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(875)
‘Mike’ Hillsman
COLBERT William
Michael “Mike” Hillsman,
67, died Tuesday, September
20, 2016.
Bom in Athens, he was
the son of
the late
Joe Maxey
Hillsman
and Lona
Mae Rob
inson Hill
sman and
brother
to the late
Alice Dur
den. Mike
retired from Athens Regional
Medical Center as a HVAC
mechanic. He served his
country in the United States
Army during Vietnam and
was a member of Colbert
First Baptist Church.
Mike was a loving hus
band, father and Papa.
Survivors include his wife
of 43 years, Sharon Logan
Hillsman; children and their
spouses, Trent (Sandy) Hills
man, Colbert, Alicia (Rusty)
Prather, Colbert; grandchil
dren, Cole Trenton Hillsman
and Cason Michael Hillsman;
and brother-in-law, Eugene
Durden.
Funeral services were held
Thursday, September 22, at
Colbert First Baptist Church
with the Rev. Brad Wilson
officiating. Interment was at
Colbert Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to
Colbert First Baptist Church.
Lord & Stephens, Dan-
ielsville, was in charge of
arrangements, www. lor-
dandstephens .com
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(081)
Mary Lathrop
JEFFERSON Mary
Jo Ann Lathrop, 47, passed
away Sunday, September 18,
2016.
Mary-Jo was born in Grand
Rapids, Mich., in 1969. She
obtained her undergraduate
and graduate degrees at the
University of Michigan, Ann
Harbor. She was employed at
Pro-Therapy.
Survivors include her hus
band of 19 years, Bradley
J. Lathrop; son, Blake Lath
rop; daughter. Tori Lathrop;
brothers, Doug Powell and
wife Angela, and Dan Pow
ell; extended family, Tommye
and Sam Stewart; and a host
of other relatives.
Memorial services were
held Saturday, October 1, at
Galilee Christian Church in
Jefferson, with Pastor Nick
Vipperman officiating.
Contributions may be sent
to Youcaring.com, search
Mary-Jo Lathrop.
Arrangements were by
Lawson Funeral Home,
Hoschton
www.lawsonfuneralhome.
org.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(19646)
Betty Lowe
PENDERGRASS Betty
Louise Gaston Lowe, 76,
passed away on Friday, Sep
tember 23, 2016.
Mrs. Lowe was born in
Toccoa, the daughter of the
late Walter Edward Gaston
and Mary Elizabeth Andrews
Gaston.
Mrs. Lowe had a lifelong
passion for adding beauty
and style
to her sur
roundings,
and the
surround
ings of
her fam
ily, loved-
one s, and
f r i e n d s .
Her innate sense of design,
decor, and color were read
ily evident in these frequent
expressions of love; very
few things were not made
more beautiful, and tasteful
by her loving touch. While
she excelled at orchestrating
the patterns, and hues of our
material surroundings, she
found the most joy watching
nature paint with the land
scape as a canvas, flowers
as the colors, and sunlight as
the brush.
Mrs. Lowe was preceded
in death by her sister, Martha
Jo Pitzer; and brothers, Wal
ter Arnold Gaston and Oscar
Felton Gaston.
Survivors include her hus
band of 61 years, Charles E.
Lowe Sr., Pendergrass; chil
dren, Rita Renee Lowe Stuck
and William Stuck, Destin,
Fla., Charles E. Lowe Jr.,
Commerce, and Curtis L.
and Amanda Lowe, Cham-
blee; sister, Gwendolyn Ann
Nesbit, Winston Salem, N.C.;
brother, Thomas Edward
Gaston, Bethlehem; grand
children, William Stuck II,
Robert Stuck and Olina,
Joseph Stuck and Bridg
et Burns, Amanda Stuck
Dodek and Brian Dodek,
Evan Lowe, Eva Padgett and
Timothy J. Padgett; great
grandchildren, Zach Stuck,
Amalka Stuck, Sophie Stuck,
Meli Stuck, Tyler Dodek, and
Ethan Dodek; and several
nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service will be
planned and held on a later
date.
Evans Funeral Home,
Jefferson, is in charge of
arrangements.
Online condolences at
www.evansfuneralhomeinc.
com
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.'
September 28, 2016.
(875-58.90)
Steven Ray
WINDER - Steven P. Ray,
65, passed away Thursday,
September 1, 2016.
He was the son of the late
A.J. and Sarah Ray of Cony
ers, and was a graduate of
Gordon High School. Steve
retired from DeKalb County
Schools after 31 years of ded
icated service.
Survivors include three
daughters; two sons-in-
law; two grandchildren; one
brother; one sister and broth-
er-in-law; and one niece.
A memorial service will
be held Saturday, October 1,
at 2:30 p.m., at the chapel of
Caldwell & Cowan Funeral
Home, 1215 Access Road, in
Covington. Friends may visit
with his family at the funeral
home, Saturday, prior to the
service, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, dona
tions may be made to Beth
lehem Christian Academy
- www.bethlehemchristi-
anacademy.org - “In Memo
ry of Steve Ray”.
Condolences may be made
to www.caldwellandcowan.
com
Caldwell & Cowan Funer
al Home, Covington, is in
charge of arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
Thad Richey
COMMERCE Thad
Richey, 83, a lifelong resi
dent of Commerce, passed
away Sunday, September 25,
2016.
Mr. Richey was the son of
the late J.W. and Lessie Mar
tin Richey. He was a veteran
1953-1955^!
was retired
from Westinghouse/ABB,
and a long-time member of
Blacks Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife,
Jessie Lou McRee Riche,
Commerce; children, Mark
(Sheila) Richey, Pam (Mike)
Minish, Tim Richey, Sandi
Richey, all of Commerce; sis
ter, Ruth McCoy, Commerce;
brother, Thomas Richey,
Commerce; four grandchil
dren; and six great-grandchil
dren.
Funeral services were held
Tuesday, September 27, at
Blacks Creek Baptist Church
with the Rev. Chad Rising
officiating. Burial was in the
church cemetery.
Contributions may be
made to Blacks Creek Baptist
Church in Commerce.
Online condolences may
be made at iviefuneral-
homecommerce.com
Ivie Funeral Home, Com
merce, was in charge of the
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(476)
Deborah Tabner
MONROE - Deborah
Eileen Tabner, 64, passed
away Wednesday, September
21, 2016.
She attended Harmony
Grove United Methodist
Church. Deborah worked for
Ryder Fleet as an inventory
supervisor. She was preced
ed in death by her parents,
Charles E. and Christine
Sparks Crider; her husband,
Michael D. Tabner; and two
brothers, Charles and Rich
ard Crider.
Survivors include two
daughters, Lisa Michelle
Owens, Monroe, and Holly
Marie Tabner, Winder; a
brother, David Crider, Swan-
ton, Ohio; five sisters, Mary
Wotring, Winder, Patricia
Doster, Winder, Lynn Miller,
Berkey, Ohio, Kelly Hoover,
Sylvania, Ohio, and Tracy
Baranek, Sylvania, Ohio; and
six grandchildren.
The family will have a
memorial service at a later
date.
Smith Funeral Home,
Winder, is in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(18360)
Nell Watkins
BALDWIN Nell Wat
kins, 90, passed away on Fri
day, September 23, 2016.
Ms. Watkins was bom on
October 6, 1925, in Banks
County. She was preceded in
death by her parents, William
and Ethel Watson Watkins;
PAGE 15A-W
brothers, John Watkins; Tom
Watkins; Hubert Watkins;
and Wilton Watkins; and sis
ters, Lucille Cook; and Ruby
Watkins. Ms. Watkins was a
member of Baldwin Baptist
Church. She was retired from
Carwood Manufacturing with
50 years of loyal and dedi
cated service.
Survivors include her
brothers and sisters-in-law,
Fred and Frances Watkins,
Mt. Airy, and Clyde and
Brenda Watkins, Demorest;
and several nieces, nephews,
and other relatives.
Funeral services were held
Sunday, September 25, at
the Whitfield Funeral Home,
North Chapel, with the Rev.
Terry Rice officiating. Inter
ment was in Yonah Memorial
Gardens with the Rev. Daniel
Parker officiating.
Arrangements were in
the care of Whitfield Funer
al Home, North Chapel,
Demorest.
Those wishing to express
online condolences may do
so by visiting our website at
www. whitfieldfuneralhome s.
com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(499)
Roy Lee White
COMMERCE Roy Lee
White, 81, died Monday,
September 26, 2016, at his
residence.
Mr. White was born
December
14, 1935, in
Athens, the
son of the
late Jacob
Andrew
and Mae
Belle Loo
ney White.
He was
retired after
25 years of service with Stan
dard Coosa Thatcher. Mr.
White was a United States
Army veteran, having served
in the Korean Conflict, and
was of the Baptist denomina
tion. Mr. White was preceded
in death by a sister Katie
Esco; and his wife, Martha Jo
Ayers White.
Survivors include a son,
Andy White, Commerce;
daughter and son-in-law,
Lynn and Shayne Press-
ley, Jefferson; grandson,
Josh Hall and fiance Jessica
Chavez, Commerce; two
great-grandchildren, J.C.
Hall and Souli Chavez, Com
merce; and a brother, Robert
White, Athens.
Funeral services were held
Wednesday, September 28,
at the Evans Funeral Home
Chapel with the Rev. Angie
Burgess officiating. Burial
was in the Center Grove Bap
tist Church Cemetery.
Evans Funeral Home,
Jefferson, was in charge of
arrangements.
Online condolences at
www.evansfuneralhomeinc.
com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(875)
Phyllis Ward
Phyllis Ward, 73, died Sat
urday, September 17, 2016.
A native of Royston, she
was the daughter of the late
Marshall
and Bon
nie Cromer
Roach.
Mrs. Ward
was pre
ceded in
death by
a daugh
ter, Cathy
Bruce.
She was
employed with the University
of Georgia for many years
and was named Secretary of
the Year in 1980.
Survivors include her hus
band, Garvis Ward; siblings,
Gail (Scott) Jones, Dennis
(Beverley) Roach and Ronnie
(Susan) Roach; granddaugh
ter, Natalie Bruce; and great-
grandson, Austin Bruce.
Funeral services were held
Tuesday, September 20, at the
chapel of Lord and Stephens,
Danielsville. Interment was
at Evergreen Memorial Park.
Lord and Stephens, Dan
ielsville, was in charge of
arrangements.www.lor-
dandstephens .com
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
September 28, 2016.
(081)
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streetnews.
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