Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
PAGE 5B
Obituaries
lights of his life.
Jon loved history and genealogy. His life’s calling was
plotting family trees and ancestries.
He started his career in
the U.S. Army, where he
served as a captain in the
Army Corps of Engineers.
He was stationed in Fort
Stewart.
He later worked at
Komatsu and Kobelco. He
also worked as a substitute
teacher for the Jackson
County School System and
at Publix supermarket. He
spent years volunteering for
the Boy Scouts of America.
He was a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.
Go Blue.
Funeral service: Saturday, November 18, 2023, at
2 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Fatter-Day Saints
on Sims Road, Winder.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-November 4
Charlotte Bernetta Butler Gunter
ROYSTON — Charlotte Bernetta Butler Gunter, 78,
Royston, passed away on Friday, October 27, 2023.
Mrs. Gunter was bom
in Gainesville, a daughter
to the late J.D. and Minnie
Millie Smith Butler. Mrs.
Gunter was a part owner in
Gunter Poultry, was a seam
stress at Warren-Feather-
bone and was a member
of the Pine Crest Baptist
Church in Oakwood.
In addition to her parents,
Mrs. Gunter is preceded in
death by her brother, Carlis
Butler.
Survivors include her husband of 54 years, Farry Ralph
Gunter; daughters, Tammy Bruce and her husband Wayne,
Dawsonville, Rhonda Kennedy and her husband Dale,
Bethlehem, Vickie Ervin and her husband Stoney, Toccoa,
and Andria Cleveland and her husband Fen, Bowersville;
brothers, Arnold Butler and his wife Becky, Cleveland,
Earl Butler, Gainesville, and Kenneth Butler, Tula; sis
ters, Doris Byers, Daytona, Florida, Deb Jones and her
husband Randall, Flowery Branch, and Judy Senter and
her husband Donnie Joe, Flowery Branch; grandchil
dren, Gunter (Maleesha) Bruce, Clint (Vera) Miller, Eh
(Ashley) Ridgeway, Jackson Ridgeway, Tamara (Jimmy)
White, Faith (Julian) Grindle, Zachary (Desiree) Mote,
Drake (Felicia) Mote, Taylor (Jason) Whitmire, Ale Velas
quez and Tre Velasquez; and 32 great-grandchildren also
survive.
Funeral service: Monday, October 30, 2023 at 1 p.m.
in the chapel of Evans Funeral Home with the Reverend
Tommy Cleveland officiating. The burial will follow in
the Walnut Fork Baptist Church Cemetery with Zac Mote,
Drake Mote, Gunter Bruce, Keith Senter, Eh Ridgeway,
Jackson Ridgeway, Jimmy White and Tre Velasquez hon
ored as pallbearers.
Family to receive friends: Sunday, October 29, 2023,
from 3 until 5 p.m. at Evans Funeral Home.
Evans Funeral Home, Inc., 1350 Winder Highway, Jef
ferson, Georgia, 706-367-5467. Online condolences at
www.evansfimeralhomeinc.com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-November 4
Patsy Willene Greeson Hall
Patsy Willene Greeson Hall passed away at her High
land Hills Village home on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
She was the wife of the late William Joseph Hall of Wind
er.
Anative of Barrow Coun
ty, Patsy was the daughter
of the late Gifton and Myr
tle Lindsey Greeson.
Survivors include her
daughter, Kathy (Elton)
Bahnsen; granddaughter,
Shea Bahnsen; brothers,
Lindsey (Dianne), Danny
(Denise) and Eddy Gree
son. She leaves behind
many beloved nieces and
nephews.
Graveside service:
Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 2 p.m. at Barrow Me
morial Gardens, Winder.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First
United Methodist Church, 280 North Broad Street, Wind
er, Georgia 30680.
Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of arrange
ments.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-November 4
Barbara Faye Howard
Barbara Faye Howard, 75, passed away on Wednesday,
October 25,2023, after a long battle with Parkinson’s Dis
ease.
She was a lifelong resident of Barrow County and a grad
uate of Winder-Barrow High School. She began working
at the University of Georgia in 1967 in the Department of
Housing and retired after 30 years of service in 1997 after
having worked in the College of Business Administration,
the Small Business Development Center, the Political Sci
ence Department, and the College of Education. During
her career at UGA her job titles ranged from secretary to
administrative specialist to office manager.
After retiring from UGA,
she worked at the Ath-
ens-Clarke County Police
Department as administra
tive secretary to the Uni
form Division Command
ers. She also worked for
the assistant chief of police
and managed the Georgia
Open Records Act function
for the chief’s office. She
retired from ACC after 10
years of service.
She was a member of
Professional Secretaries International where she had
served on the board in all offices including president, and
on all committees. She enjoyed traveling to seminars and
conventions in locations including Seattle, Toronto, Phila
delphia, Las Vegas, and in many other locations.
In 1997, she received her Associate of Applied Science
Degree in Business Administrative Technology from Ath
ens Technical College. From 2001-2004, she served on
the Athens Technical School Advisory Board for Business
Administrative Technology.
She was truly a pet lover and enjoyed spending time
with her many dogs and cats. They all had interesting
names including Toby, Chelsy, Jonah Gibbs, Ishtar, Lady,
Mickey, and most recent Gabe.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Faye and
Woodrow Howard; a brother, Danny Howard; and a neph
ew, George Thompson IV.
She is survived by sisters, Shadie (Chip) Thompson and
Sheila Newton; and several nieces and a nephew.
The family would like to thank all of her exceptional
caregivers at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Hospice.
She will be cremated and visitation will be held at Smith
Funeral Home in Winder on Saturday, October 28, 2023,
from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of arrange
ments.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-November 4
Roy Wilburn Kesler
COMMERCE — Roy Wilburn Kesler, 75, Commerce,
passed away on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at Piedmont
Athens Regional Medical Center.
Mr. Kesler was bom in Commerce to the late Beth
el and Annie Mae Alexander Kesler. Mr. Kesler retired
from Westinghouse and was a member of Center Baptist
Church.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Kesler was also preceded
in death by his brother, Johnny Kesler; and sister, Barbara
Matthews.
Mr. Kesler is survived by his brother, Garnett Kesler
(Barbara), Nicholson; sister, Sarah Jackson, Perry; and
several nieces and nephews.
Graveside service: Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at
1 p.m. at the Antioch United Methodist Church Cemetery
with the Rev. Don Blalock officiating.
Little-Ward Funeral Home, Commerce, is in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-November 4
Barbara Jean Matthews
Barbara Jean Matthews, 90, went home to be with the
Lord on Sunday, October 22,2023.
Mrs. Matthews was bom in Nicholson to the late Beth
el and Annie Mae Alexander Kesler. Mrs. Matthews was
a homemaker and a member of Blacks Creek Baptist
Church.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Matthews was also pre
ceded in death by her brother, Johnny Kesler.
Mrs. Matthews is survived by her husband of 68 years,
Bobby Matthews, Nicholson; daughters, Donna Tucker
(Jay), Ila, and Tracy McNabb (Michael), Colbert; four
grandchildren, Annie McHale (Jeff), Jamie Tucker, Jean-
nie Baker (Matthew), and Rachel Blair (Shelby); seven
great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Willa, Adalynn, Rivers,
Will, Jonah, and Tripp; brothers, Garnett Kesler (Barba
ra), Nicholson, and Wilburn Kesler, Commerce; and sister,
Sarah Jackson, Perry.
Funeral service: Wednesday, October 25,2023, at 1 p.m.
at Gordon’s Chapel United Methodist Church with the
Rev. Don Blalock officiating with the interment following
in the church cemetery.
Family to receive friends: Tuesday, October 24, 2023,
from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Little-Ward Funeral Home, Commerce, is in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-November 4
Cynthia "Cindy” Carolyn O’Reilly
AUBURN — Cynthia “Cindy” Carolyn O’Reilly, 57,
Auburn, passed away on Friday, October 20, 2023.
Cindy was a loving mother, sister and grandmother. She
was an animal lover and had a special bond with her furry
companion, Dixie, who preceded her in death.
She was the daughter of the late James Ray Nichols and
Virginia Riley. In addition, she was preceded in death by
her sister, Christina Nichols.
Cindy is survived by her children, Jennifer Beard, Au
drey Cox, Joseph O’Reilly and Jacob O’Reilly; siblings,
Beverly Fransen, Natalie Pinson, James Ray Nichols,
Jr., Marlene Nichols, Scott Nichols and Pat Nichols; and
grandchildren, Noah Bentley, Taylor Bentley, Corbin
Worden, Cambree Worden, Emmett O’Reilly and William
O’Reilly.
Per the request of the family, a celebration of life service
will be held at a later date.
Due to Cindy’s love for
animals, in lieu of flowers,
please make a donation
to the Northeast Georgia
Humane Society at www.
humanesocietyofhortheast-
georgia.org.
Carter Funeral Home,
Winder, is entrusted with
the arrangements.
Published by MainStreet
Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-No-
vember 4
Pastor Raul Rivera III
JEFFERSON — Pastor Raul Rivera III, 43, Jefferson,
entered rest Friday, October 27, 2023.
Pastor Raul was bom in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
a son to Raul Rivera Sr. and
Arminia Rosado Soto. Pas
tor Raul is also preceded in
death by his wife, Elizabeth
Rivera.
He was a minister for
many years, preaching the
word in many states, he is
a member of Comunidad de
fe Church, he also worked
at Jackson County as a code
enforcement officer. When
he wasn’t working or preaching he loved watching his
daughters on the field playing softball and soccer.
Pastor Raul is survived by two daughters, Azaeli Nicole
Rivera and Ashley Michelle Rivera, both of Jefferson; one
sister, Priscilla Rivera, Philadelphia, Penn.; two brothers,
Raul Rivera and Illian Rivera, both of Philadelphia, Penn.;
and one step-brother, Marty Soto, Colorado.
Funeral service: Monday, October 30, 2023, at 1 p.m.
from the Jefferson Church with Pastors Harry Joel Torres
and Jonathon Iguina officiating with burial to follow in
Evans Memory Gardens, Jefferson.
Family to receive friends: Sunday, October 29, 2023,
from 6-8 p.m. at Evans Funeral Home.
Evans Funeral Home, Inc., 1350 Winder Highway, Jef
ferson, Georgia, 706-367-5467. Online condolences at
www.evansfimeralhomeinc.com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-November 4
Richard Wayne Tarver
Richard Wayne Tarver, died peacefully surrounded by
loved ones on Tuesday, October 24,2023.
He was the devoted hus
band of Denise Tarver,
whom he loved and adored
for nearly 44 years. He was
predeceased by his par
ents and step-father, Leroy,
George and Essie Marie
Tarver.
Wayne was an avid
builder, developer and en
trepreneur. In his recent
retirement, he and his wife
enjoyed traveling to Florida
with their motor coach. He
was a construction and mechanical mastermind.
He loved music, fishing and was a dedicated LSU fan.
Above all, he will be remembered for his kind heart, posi
tive spirit, and unconditional love for his family.
He is the cherished father of Marvin (Heather), Chris
(Terri), Rocky (Jennifer) and Ronnie Tarver. He also leaves
nine grandchildren; his brother, Charles Tarver; as well as
brother and sisters in law, cousins, nieces and nephews.
The family would like to give special and heartfelt
thanks to Amy Carver, his loving caretaker.
Funeral service: Sunday, October 29, 2023, at 3 p.m. in
Smith Memory Chapel.
Family to receive friends: Saturday, October 28, 2023,
from 5 to 8 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home, 755 Atlanta
Hwy. SE, Winder.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Barrow
County Habitat for Humanity.
Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of arrange
ments.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-November 4
Laurell Ward
HOMER — Laurell Ward, 83, Homer, passed away Sat
urday, October 21,2023.
Mrs. Ward was bom October 3, 1940, in Banks County
to the late Cranford and Jonnie Lee Emmett Dalton. In ad
dition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brother,
Jerry Dalton; and sister, Carol Dalton.
She worked at and retired from Ethicon and was a mem
ber of Line Baptist Church. Mrs. Ward loved watching her
grandson play baseball, racing and Richard Petty and gos
pel singing.
Survivors include husband, Howard Ward, Homer; son
and daughter-in-law, Cranley and Joy Ward, Baldwin;
grandson, Thomas Ward (Hanna); and great-grandson,
Tate Ward.
Services will be held at a later date.
Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland, in in charge of ar
rangements. To share a memory or leave a condolence
with the family, visit barrettfh.com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of October 29-November 4