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www.starnewsgaonline.com StarNews October 15, 2023 Page 21
Jones-Wynn Funeral Home announces recent achievements of two employees: Richard Stone, Payton Twilley
from press release
Richard Stone, Funeral Director Assistant
with Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes &
Crematory, Villa Rica, has achieved a profes
sional milestone by successfully completing
the Certified Funeral Celebrant training pro
gram, held at Emory University in Atlanta
from July 22-26, 2023, earning Stone the cer
tificate of Certified Funeral Celebrant.
The Funeral Celebrants Training is a class
that focuses on personalized funerals, pre
sented by Doug Manning and Glenda
Stansbury of the InSight Institute. By the end
of 2018, they had trained over 3700 Funeral
Celebrants across the United States and
Canada. A Funeral Celebrant is a layperson,
clergyperson, funeral director, and/or a funeral
director assistant who has received specialized
training in conducting funerals for families
seeking a personalized and individualized
funeral service experience.
The training brought together participants
from all comers of the country. These individu
als will offer these services to families they
serve at their funeral homes and within the
community. Celebrants provide personalized
funeral services, tributes, memorial services,
and graveside memorials. They meet with
families to design a service that reflects their
loved one’s life.
Richard Stone shared that he would like to
use his experience and celebrant training to
further meet the needs of the families he helps
serve, to help provide more meaningful serv
ices for the familiesy. He anticipates that by
“sharing this training and working alongside
other certified celebrants within the Jones-
Wynn family, a deeper and more personal
emotional connection will be established”.
This connection, he believes, will help frac
tured families with a healthier grief journey.
Payton Twilley has become a Certified
Crematory Operator following the completion
of the ICCFA Crematory Program on August
1, 2023. Payton is serving her apprenticeship
at Jones-Wynn where she will become a
licensed funeral director and embalmer.
“Payton Twilley’s passion for serving fami
lies has filled us with great pride. Her genuine
compassion and dedication to learning and
excelling in funeral service, rooted in the
exceptional level of our Jones-Wynn Care, are
qualities that tmly set her apart,” said Ellen
Wynn McBrayer, president of Jones-Wynn
Funeral Homes & Crematory. “As Payton con
tinues her journey toward becoming a licensed
funeral director and embalmer, we will con
tinue to support and encourage her as she con
tinues to strive to serve and care for the fami
lies we serve and our community.”
Siblings Jeri, Jesi, and Cory Smith win big at competitive twirling
A year ago, StarNews brought you the story of Jesi Smith, then age 6, in her quest
in competitive twirling for a national title in her age group on the campus of Notre
Dame in Indiana to compete for that national title. With limited experience she
celebrated her hard work by finishing second for that national title. This year 7 year
old Jesi Smith returned to competition July 24-29, 2023 and won the 7-9 Novice
Strut Open World Champion! She also won the Age 0-10 Solo Rifle Open World
Champion and finished second 2 in Age 7 Beginner Open World Solo Baton Twirling.
Her sister, Jeri, won Age 11-13 Solo Rifle Open World Champion. Jesi’s brother,
Cory, won the Age 10-12 Novice Open World 2 Baton Champion and Age 0-12 Solo
Color Guard Champion, as well as placing 2nd Place in Age 10-12 Advanced World
Open Solo Champion.
Shown above lef to right are Jeri Smith, Jesi Smith, and Cory Smith. The three
siblings’ parents are Chris and Jeani Smith, Villa Rica. A Championship family!
Shown above left is Payton Twilley, newy Certified Crematory Operator, and right
is Richard Stone, newly Certified Funeral Celebrant.
October 25,2023
6:30-8pm
7 JOURNEY
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