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UPSON
BEACON
; Lights Keeping ttatcli on
Funeral Notices
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Mr. James
Madison Barron
Mr. James Madison Bar
ron, age 93, of Marietta, died
Saturday, Dec. 18,2021, at his
residence. Graveside memo
rial services for Mr. Barron
will be held Thursday, Dec.
23, 2021, at 1 p.m. in Glen-
wood Cemetery, with Pastor
Jereme Chaney officiating.
Mr. Barron was born in
Thomaston Aug. 15,1928, to
the late Alvah Votelle Barron
and Ruby Ellington Barron.
He earned a bachelor's de
gree in business administra
tion and was retired as a flight
engineer for the U.S. Air
Force Reserve.
Mr. Barron is survived by
a daughter, Mary (Kenneth)
Samples; a son, Paul Barron
of Milton; a sister, Betty Bar
ron Hayes of Dallas, Texas;
three grandchildren, Joshua
Madison (Amy) Samples,
George Samuel Barron, and
Jack McLane Barron; and
two great-grandchildren,
Caden Samples and Emma
Skye Samples.
Fletcher-Day Funeral
Home of Thomaston is in
charge of all arrangements.
Condolences and remem
brances may be expressed at
fletcherdayfimeralhome.com
Mother Cherry Meadows
Fllerbee Burke
Mother Cherry
Meadows Ellerbee Burke,
age 89, of Shady Lane,
passed Sunday, Dec. 12,
2021 at Piedmont Henry
Hospital in Newnan.
Funeral services were
held Saturday, Dec. 18, at
Thomaston-Upson County
Civic Center. Apostle Calvin
J. Meadows officiated, as
sisted by Dr. Charles Smith,
Bishop Thomas Daniel,
Elder Patricia Morris, Pas
tor Daniel Fagan, Dr. Clin
ton Elder, Pastor Allen
Samson, Prophetess Ma
rian Latime, Dr. Beverly
Meadown, and Apostle M.
Linda Brown. Interment
was in Southview Ceme
tery.
Mother Burke was edu
cated in the Fellowship
Schools in Upson County.
She accepted Christ at an
early age and joined Fel
lowship Baptist Church.
She later united with Mary
Lizzie Baptist Church,
where she served on the
Usher Board. Afterward,
she joined Wrights Revival
Center in Culloden, where
she received the gift of the
Holy Ghost. She later
joined Woodbury Miracle
Fellowship Center, where
she attended service until
she could no longer drive.
She was the mother of the
church.
She was employed for
30 years at Upson County
Hospital. She was a staff su
pervisor and often served
as mentor and advisor to
her co-workers. After re
tirement, she spent time
volunteering in the local
nursing homes, providing
devotional services to the
residents.
She is survived by a son,
Apostle Calvin (Beverly)
Meadows of Calera, Ala.;
two daughters, Ms. Eva El
lerbee of Thomaston and
Mrs. Evie (Dr. Clinton)
Elder of Peachtree City;
seven grandchildren, Victor
Martin Meadows, Bridget
Meadows Holmes, Kelvin
Elder, Calvin Dreon
Meadows, LaCoya Ellerbee,
Keva Elder, and Harold
Bowman; 17 great-grand
children; two sisters, Mrs.
Timmie Louise Phillips and
Mrs. Esther McKinney,
both of Atlanta; one
brother, Mr. Aneal Jones of
Atlanta; and a host of
nieces, nephews, other rel
atives, church family, and
friends who shall miss her
dearly.
Trice Funeral Home
was in charge of the ar
rangements.
Mr. Bruce A.
Coppersmith, Sr.
Mr. Bruce A. Copper
smith, Sr., age 79, of Thom
aston, died Sunday, Dec.
19, 2021 at Upson Regional
Medical Center.
Mr. Coppersmith was
born Aug. 11, 1942, in Mil
waukee, Wise., to the late
Anthony Coppersmith and
the late Rita Neiski Copper
smith. He served his coun
try in the U.S. Navy during
the Cold War. He was a
park ranger at Sprewell
Bluff State Park.
In addition to his par
ents, he was preceded in
death by his brothers, Brian
Coppersmith, Paul Copper
smith, Phil Coppersmith;
and sister, Ruth Mary Cop
persmith.
Survivors include his
wife, Linda Marks Copper
smith of Thomaston;
daughters, Patti (Chief)
Thomas of Big Cabin, Okla.
and Tracy (Tony) Capocci
of Grand Prairie, Texas;
sons, Bruce (Dawn) Cop
persmith, Jr. of Milwaukee,
Wise., Bill Coppersmith of
Thomaston, and Ralph
(Becky) Hohndorf of
Greenfield, Wise.; brothers,
Jay (Melissa) Coppersmith
of Rineyville, Ky. and Tom
(Jerry) Coppersmith of Mil
waukee, Wise.; sister, Jean
Herek of Milwaukee, Wise.;
grandchildren, Ashley,
Alyssa, Amanda, Alison,
Cody, Jennifer, Matt, Joey;
and great-grandchildren,
Kennedy, Emerson, Elsie,
Miggy, and Elliot.
The family received
friends Wednesday, Dec.
22, 2021, from 4-6 p.m. at
Coggins Funeral Home.
You may sign the online
guest book and share your
own special thoughts with
Mr. Coppersmith’s family
by visiting the Coggins Fu
neral Home website at cog-
gin sfuneralhome.com.
Coggins Funeral Home in
Thomaston had the privi
lege of being entrusted with
arrangements.
Mrs. Nancy
Luise “Mimi” Mem
Mrs. Nancy Luise
“Mimi” Flem of Thomaston
was surrounded by her lov
ing family and precious
husband all week, then
Sunday morning, Dec. 19,
2021, she went to be with
Jesus, at Riverside Health
and Rehab. She was 83.
A service to honor and
celebrate the life of Mrs.
Flem will be held by the
family on Monday, Dec. 27,
at noon, at Northridge
Church in the youth build
ing. The family will receive
friends from 11 a.m. until
the service hour at the
church.
Mrs. Flem was born
June 1, 1938, in Van Nuys,
Calif., a daughter of the late
Gordon Henry Blume and
the late Phyllis Moulton
Blume. She was a 1956
graduate of Cleveland High
School in Portland, Ore.
She loved her family dearly,
which was made evident by
her actions.
While her children were
young, she was always the
“carpool mom.” She was al
ways helpful and lending a
hand when her children
needed her. When her
grandchildren were playing
various sports, she never
missed a game when she
was able to attend. She was
adored by her grandchil
dren, by whom she was
considered a “super sweet
Mimi.”
She was the life of Tup-
perware parties and en
joyed travelling the country
with her beloved husband,
Dennis. She loved her kids,
grandkids, and listening to
the Gaither homecomings.
She was affectionately
known as “Mimi” to all who
knew her.
Toward the end of her
life, she was the “life of the
party” at Riverside Health
and Rehab. She was a
homemaker and member
of Northridge Church.
Mrs. Flem is survived by
her loving husband of 64
and a half years, Dennis
“Grampa” Flem of Thomas
ton; a daughter, Allison
(Chas) Shetler of Thomas
ton; two sons, Randy (Lor-
rie) Flem of Renton, Wash,
and Robin (Marian) Flem
of Freeland, Wash.; a
brother, Gordon (Patsy)
Blume of Portland, Ore.;
her grandchildren, Devin
Liden, John Flem, Levi
Flem, Andrew Flem, Misha
Murphy, Dessaly Leis-
meister, Kiley Flem, Haley
Langehough, Luke Flem,
Isaiah Shetler, James Flem,
Grade Shetler, Blaze Shet
ler, Leif Shetler, Noah Shet
ler, Aksel Shetler, Hope
Shetler; and her five great
grandchildren.
In addition to her par
ents, she was preceded in
death by a daughter, Shelli
Flem.
Fletcher-Day Funeral
Home is in charge of all ar
rangements. Condolences
and remembrances may be
expressed at fletcherdayfu-
neralhome.com.
Mr. John
Harvey Garner Jr.
Mr. John Harvey
Garner, Jr. age 77, of
Thomaston, died Thursday,
Dec. 16, 2021 at his res
idence.
Mr. Garner was born
May 20, 1944 in Thomas
ton, to the late John Harvey
Garner Sr. and the late Ber
tha Mae Parker Garner. He
served his country in the
U.S. Marines in Vietnam.
He worked for Caterpillar
and was a member of Mt.
Gap Church.
In addition to his par
ents, he was preceded in
death by his daughter, Tra
de McCoy; and infant
brother, Lester Garner.
Survivors include: his
wife, Linda Garner of
Thomaston; sons, Timothy
M. (Maria) Garner of
Meansville and Robbie L.
(Toye) Garner of Pike
County; brothers, Mack
Garner of Thomaston, Don
ald (Gail) Garner of Thom
aston, and Pete (Patricia)
Garner of Tennessee;
sisters, Dimple (Billy) Sulli
van of Forsyth, Eileen
Dowdy of Thomaston, and
Shenna (Walt) Brawner of
LaGrange; three grandchil
dren; and one great-grand
child.
Memorial services were
held Tuesday, Dec. 21, from
Mt. Gap Church.
You may sign the online
guest book and share your
own special thoughts with
Mr. Garner’s family by vis
iting the Coggins Funeral
Home website at cogginsfu-
neralhome.com. Coggins
Funeral Home in Thomas
ton had the privilege of
being entrusted with ar
rangements.
Mr. Jerry Duane Gay
Mr. Jerry Duane Gay,
age 88, of Thomaston, died
Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021, at
his residence.
The family held a me
morial service to honor and
celebrate Jerry's life Sat
urday, Dec. 18, at Pike
County Assembly of God in
Zebulon, with Rev. Tommy
Smith officiating.
Jerry was born in
Union, Miss. Aug. 3, 1933,
a son of the late Kelley La-
verne Gay and the late
Georgia Lee Gay. He was
born with a curiosity for life
which led him to live a life
full of adventure.
After high school he
joined the U.S. Army,
where he served for two
years and was decorated
with the National Defense
Service Medal. He then
began his lifelong love of
education at Mississippi
State University. Later he
received his master's de
gree from the University of
Georgia. Jerry believed
deeply in the importance of
a good education and spent
a great many of his years
teaching and pouring into
the lives of his students.
Jerry was also an avid
outdoorsman, traveling all
over the world hunting and
fishing. He was also a
master gunsmith, creating
beautiful works of art. He
was a man of a deep and
quiet faith. He attended
Pike Assembly of God and
found great joy in being
part of that dear faith com
munity. His greatest joy
was sharing his life with his
wife Patricia and his family.
In addition to his par
ents, Jerry was preceded in
death by his brother, Bill
Gay.
He is survived by his
loving wife, Patricia Gay of
Thomaston; a daughter,
Sue (Mike) Johnson of
Griffin; a son, Andy (Dar
lene) Gay of Meridian,
Miss.; a bonus daughter,
Kimberli (Alan) Yarbrough
of Thomaston; a bonus son,
Ken Hopkins of Savannah;
sister, Rita Gay of Penn
sylvania; brother, Michael
(Joann) Gay of Arizona;
sister, Yumi Gay of Florida;
brothers, Riki (Gerri) Gay
and Sam (Danielle) Gay,
both of California; nine
grandchildren; 13 great
grandchildren; and several
nieces and nephews also
survive.
Fletcher-Day Funeral
Home of Thomaston is in
charge of all arrangements.
Condolences and remem
brances may be expressed
at fletcherdayfuneral-
home.com.
Funeral Notices, Page 8A
FLETCHER-DAY
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Since 1893
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or go to www.fletcherdayfuneralhome.com for up-to-date information
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The Upson Beacon (ISSN or USPS 25625)
December 23, 2021 - Volume 14, Number 51
Published Weekly by Upson Newspapers, Inc.
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