Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, December 13,2023
OBITUARIES
A2 Fayette County News
Bob Jones
Bob Jones was bom Feb.
10,1951, in Boardman, Fla.,
the youngest son of Marie
Jones and one of seven
siblings. He played football,
basketball, track, and vol
leyball at Fessenden High
School.
He was an HBCU (His
torically Black Colleges and
Universities) All-American
defensive back while play
ing for Virginia Union Uni
versity. Bob was selected by
the Cincinnati Bengals in
the fifth round of the 1973
NFL Draft. He played four
total seasons with the Ben
gals and Atlanta Falcons.
After his playing career,
Bob worked at Super-Valu
Foods and Clayton County
government until his retire
ment. He was an NCAA and
Georgia High School Foot
ball referee for more than
20 years and coached his
sons and grandson in youth
sports.
Bob leaves a bereaved
family behind that stretches
from Philadelphia down to
Florida. They include his
wife of more than 40 years,
Carolyn; brothers, Floyd
(Samantha) and Robert
(Janice); sisters, Vivian Lee
(Roy), Louise, and Mary
(Olin); daughter, Natasha
(Abdul); sons, Bobby Ra-
shad (Lauren) and Brandon
(Desirrae); seven grandchil
dren, nine great-grandchil
dren, and a host of nieces,
nephews, and cousins who
will continue to pray for
him. He was predeceased by
his brother, David; sister
Rose; and mother Marie.
Funeral services will be
held at 1 p.m. Thursday,
Dec. 21, at Divine Faith
Ministries International,
9800 Tara Blvd., in Jones
boro.
Mr. Dwaine
McCoy
Mr. Dwaine McCoy, age
85, of Fayetteville, passed
away Thursday, Nov. 30,
2023, at home with his
family by his side.
Dwaine was born to
John Frank McCoy and Vio
let Justus Evans, April 10,
1938, in McKinney, Texas.
He worked for Delta Air
lines for 37 years and retired
as a flight simulator techni
cian.
Dwaine could fix or
build anything, and he loved
spending time with his
family and being in nature.
He was a veteran of the
United States Navy, and he
attended Trinity Church.
Dwaine is survived by
his wife, Faith McCoy; five
daughters, Margie, Angel,
Cindy, Debbie, and Tina; 10
grandchildren; and one
great-grandchild. He is also
survived by his sisters,
Karen and Sharlotte; his
brother Aron; and many
nieces and nephews.
Dwaine was prede
ceased by his parents, John
Frank and Violet, and his
daughter Tammy.
Dwaine's passion for
aviation was just one facet
of his remarkable character.
Known for his unwavering
optimism, he was a pillar of
support for his family and
friends. His loyalty, reliabil
ity, helpfulness, and gener
osity were the hallmarks of
his personality.
Dwaine made a signifi
cant and positive impact on
both family and the wider
community, leaving a legacy
that will be deeply missed.
Visitation was Friday,
Dec. 8, at Conner-Westbury
Funeral Home.
Dwaine’s family hosted a
funeral service Saturday,
Dec. 9, at Trinity Church,
8817 GA Highway 54,
Sharpsburg. Dr. Mark An
thony officiated.
Interment followed in
Westminster Memorial Gar
dens, Peachtree City.
Flowers will be accepted, or
donations can be made in
lieu of flowers to the Trinity
Church Generation to Gen
eration Building Fund.
Conner-Westbury Fu
neral Home, 1891W. McIn
tosh Road, Griffin, Ga.,
770-227-2300.
Please join the family
and friends in honoring the
life of Dwaine McCoy by vis
iting conner-westburyfu-
neralhome.com and posting
your tributes and memories.
Tony Venson
Parrott
Tony Venson Parrott,
age 70, of Tyrone, passed
away unexpectedly Wednes
day, Nov. 22, 2023.
He was born to Venson
James Parrott and Ruby
Thomas Parrott in Atlanta,
July 10,1953. He was a lov
ing son, brother, husband,
and Pops.
He is survived by his
wife, Mary Parrott; son,
James Parrott; stepdaugh
ters, Amanda Holland and
Katie (Justin) Joyce; and
two grandsons, Troy and
Lincoln Joyce, as well as on
baby watch, for grandchild
number three. He is also
survived by his brother,
Eddie Parrott, and sister
and brother-in-law, Alice
and Bob Reeves; Aunt Edna
Thomas Fisher; and many
cousins.
Tony grew up in Fayette
County and graduated from
Fayette County High
School. He earned his
master’s degree from West
Georgia University. He
started his career with the
City of Fayetteville Water
Department and through
hard work and dedication
became the director of the
Fayette County Water Sys
tem.
He worked for the
county for more than 40
years on projects including
Lakes Horton and McIn
tosh, the Peachtree City
Water Treatment Plant, and
championed the county’s
purchase and safe keeping
of Starr’s Mill. He became a
member of the Fayette
County Historical Society in
1976 and has served in the
positions of president, vice-
president, treasurer, secre
tary, and historian.
He contributed, chaired,
directed, and edited various
publications: The History of
Fayette County 1821-1971,
Fayette County Georgia
Cemeteries 1821-2000, and
The Fayette County Georgia
Heritage Book. He was the
editor of the monthly Fay
ette County Historical Soci
ety Newsletter, serving most
weeks at the Margaret Mit
chell Research Center.
As a docent for over 19
years, he spent hours organ
izing and archiving family
and community photos.
From his work, he created a
database of more than
3,000 photographs that the
community is now able to
utilize.
In addition, he was a
long-time member of the
Georgia Historical Society
and was named Volunteer
of the Year in 2019, spend
ing many hours locating and
documenting numerous
Georgia counties’ historical
monuments. Most recently,
his work contributed to the
award of a Nellie Mae Rowe
historic marker to be
erected in 2024 at Heritage
Park.
Tony was president of
the Fayette Heritage Project
(a group that developed
Heritage Park at the Fayette
County Stonewall Office
Building). He enjoyed rep
resenting the Historical So
ciety at the Georgia
Historical Society, Society of
Georgia Archivist, and
Georgia Municipal Ceme
tery Association. Tony was
also part of the Fayette
Master Gardner Associa
tion.
He and his wife traveled
to all state parks in Georgia
and were in the process of
visiting the national parks.
Some of his hobbies include
travel, reading non-fiction,
history, playing pool, gar
dening, and playing with his
grandsons.
Tony Parrott will be re
membered for his love for
his family, community, and
God. His legacy of service,
dedication, and hard work
will continue to inspire all
who were fortunate to know
him.
In lieu of flowers, the
family requests that you
kindly donate to the Fayette
County Historical Society,
P.O. Box 421, Fayetteville,
GA 30214, or to Flat Creek
Baptist Church, 161 Flat
Creek Trail, Fayetteville, GA
30214.
Funeral services were
held Thursday, Dec. 7, at
Flat Creek Baptist Church,
in Fayetteville, with Pastor
Mark Ward and Pastor Josh
Saefkow officiating. Tony
was laid to rest at Flat Creek
Baptist Church Cemetery
following the service. The
family received friends prior
to the service at the church.
We welcome you to pro
vide your condolences,
thoughts, and memories on
our Tribute Wall. Mowell
Funeral Home & Cremation
Service, Fayetteville, mow-
ells, com.
Mr. John "Jack"
Sanford Taylor
John “Jack” Sanford
Taylor, of Fayetteville,
passed away peacefully at
his apartment Nov. 29,
2023.
Jack was born in Chi
cago, Ill., and was the oldest
of two brothers.
Jack served in the
United States Army during
the Korean War and the
Army Reserves after the war
ended. He was honorably
discharged as a Corporal, E-
4. He graduated technical
college and had a career in
refrigeration.
Jack met Lydia while he
was stationed in Dahlonega.
They married and had six
children. They were married
for 55 years. In 2011 Lydia
passed away, and Jack
moved from Florida back to
Georgia.
Jack became friends
with a former neighbor, and
he would spend the last 11
years of his life with his
companion Alice Carman of
Conley. Jack was a Christian
and a member of Ash Street
Baptist Church in Forest
Park.
Jack was preceded in
death by his wife, Lydia
Jean McNeal Taylor; his
parents, John and Frances
Taylor; and his brother,
Philip Taylor. He is survived
by his six children, 18
grandchildren, 28 great
grandchildren; his compan
ion Alice Carman and her
two children, seven grand
children, and 10 great
grandchildren.
Visitation was Saturday,
Dec. 9, at Horis A. Ward Fu
neral Home, 376 Fairview
Road, Stockbridge, Ga.,
30281.
Following the visitation,
a funeral service was held in
the chapel and interment
immediately followed the
service in the Fairview Me
morial Gardens.
For full obituary, go to
horisawardfairviewchapel.c
om.
Mrs. Barbara
Ann Toney
Barbara Ann Toney, age
82, beloved mother, grand
mother, great-grandmother,
sister, and aunt, passed
away peacefully Dec. 2,
2023, in Fayetteville.
She was born on Jan. 26,
1941, in Columbus. Barbara
lived a fulfilling life, leaving
behind cherished memories
for her family and friends.
She dedicated many
years of her career as a su
pervisor at Marriott, where
she displayed exceptional
leadership and commit
ment. Her hard work and
dedication were admired by
her colleagues and served as
an inspiration to those
around her.
Barbara's warm and lov
ing nature extended beyond
her professional life. She
was a devoted mother to her
children, Cindy (Jason)
Wolf, David Toney, and Mi
chael Toney. Her love and
guidance shaped their lives
and will forever be treas
ured.
Barbara’s grandchil
dren, Jose, Ricardo, Anto
nio, Savanna, and Damien,
brought immense joy to her
life. She adored them and
took great pride in watching
them grow. Her great
grandchildren, Julian, Jus
tin, Timothy, Payton,
Oliver, Ruby, and Eleanor,
added an extra sparkle to
her days.
Barbara shared a special
bond with her sister, Pat
(Dick) Joiner, who provided
unwavering support and
love throughout their lives.
Their relationship was a
source of strength and com
fort.
Barbara was preceded in
death by her parents, Gar-
trell and Hettie McRae; a
sister, Sharon Ross; and
nephews and niece, Scott,
Brad, and Lane, who held a
special place in her heart.
Although she is no
longer with us, her memory
will forever live on in the
hearts of those who knew
and loved her.
Services to honor and
celebrate Barbara's life will
be scheduled at a later date.
During this time of mourn
ing, may we find solace in
the memories we shared
with Barbara and draw
strength from the love she
bestowed upon us.
We welcome you to pro
vide your condolences,
thoughts, and memories on
our Tribute Wall. Mowell
Funeral Home & Cremation
Service, Fayetteville,
www. mowells. com.
FAYETTE
COUNTY
NEWS
P.O. Box 96, Fayetteville, Ga.
30214 ■ Phone: 770-461-6317
www.fayette-news.net
U.S. Soccer,
Continued from Front
in America,” said U.S. Soccer
President Cindy Parlow Cone.
“The NTC will help player de
velopment at the highest level
and serve as a central destina
tion to support and inspire
players across the country as
well as a hub of knowledge
and resources for all our
member organizations. Bey
ond its national importance,
the NTC will be an institution
firmly rooted in its com
munity. U.S. Soccer will work
with local officials and corpo
rate partners on the ground to
engage the vibrant com
munities in Fayette County
and the metro-Atlanta area to
build new career pathways to
sport, connect with fans, and
grow the soccer community.”
U.S. Soccer anticipates
breaking ground at the site in
spring of 2024. Visit www.us-
soccer.com/jobs to learn
more about open positions
with U.S. Soccer.
“We look forward to wel
coming the U.S. Soccer Fed
eration to their new
hometown in Fayette County,
where the staff and players
will find a warm and vibrant
community within which to
build the future of soccer,"
said Darryl A. Hicks, board
chairman of Fayette County
Development Authority. “We
are so grateful to the local and
state teams for their hard
work in locating this project,
and we look forward to the
story that the U.S. Soccer
Federation and the National
Training Center will create in
Fayette County.”
“U.S. Soccer’s decision to
locate in metro Atlanta was
supported by a team effort of
local and state organizations
working together - and it was
bolstered by keen interest and
generous support from our
business community, includ
ing extraordinary leaders like
Arthur Blank,” said Katie
Kirkpatrick, president and
CEO of the Metro Atlanta
Chamber. “Our country’s en
thusiasm for the sport of soc
cer keeps growing as the
momentum builds around
the FIFA World Cup 2026,
and we are pleased to offi
cially welcome U.S. Soccer to
their new home in Fayette
County.”
Senior project manager
John Soper represented the
Georgia Department of Eco
nomic Development’s Global
Commerce team on this com
petitive project in partnership
with Fayette County Devel
opment Authority, the Metro
Atlanta Chamber, University
System of Georgia, and Geor
gia Power.
“Landing U.S. Soccer has
been a signature ‘team Geor
gia’ effort, made possible
through support from state
leaders and Atlanta’s business
community to attract inter
national, generational oppor
tunities such as this,” said
GDEcD Commissioner Pat
Wilson. “Additionally, Geor
gia’s connectivity makes it
easy for teams and fans from
around the world to travel
here and experience the di
verse communities and land
scapes that make Georgia a
top U.S. travel destination.
We look forward to the nu
merous benefits an invest
ment like this will bring to our
state.”
MOWELL
FUNE RA L HOME
. Cremation Service
180 N. Jeff Davis Drive
FAYETTEVILLE, GA 302 14
770-461-764 1 • FAX:770-460- 1 003
FYTOFFlCE@MOWELLS.COM
200 Robinson Road
PEACHTREE CITY, GA 30269
770-487-3959 * Fax:770-487-59S9
PTCOFFICE@MOWEI_LS.COM
FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS
P.O. Box 96, Fayetteville, Ga. 30214
Phone: 770-461-6317 ■ fayette-news.net
Award-winning member of the Georgia Press Association
and the National Newspaper association.
The Staff:
Luke Haney
Editor, Digital Media Coordinator • support@fayette-news.net
Leah Banks
Senior reporter • leah@fayette-news.net
Jennifer Lyons
Legals, General Manager • jennifer@fayette-news.net
Brigitte Greer
Advertising Consultant, Staff Writer • bgreer@fayette-news.net
Debbie McClain, Publisher, Co-owner
Bridge Turner, Editor in Chief, Co-owner
Fayette County News (USPS 188-420) is published Wednesdays for in
county rates of $40 yearly. Georgia out-of-county is $50, and out-of-state is
$60. Published by Upson Newspapers, Inc., 219 Thomas Street, Thomaston,
GA 30286. Periodicals postage at Fayetteville, GA, and additional mailing
offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fayette County News, P.O.
Box 96, Fayetteville, GA. 30214.
Our Goal: Fayette County News is proudly published for the citizens of
Fayette County and East Coweta by Upson Newspapers, Inc., owned and
operated by Debbie McClain and Bridge Turner. Our goal is to produce qual
ity, community-oriented publications of which our readers can be proud.
We will attain that goal through diligence, teamwork, and dedication to
printing the truth in an accurate, fair, balanced, and objective manner.
Our Policies: Signed letters to the editor are welcomed and encouraged.
We do not edit for content, only grammar, spelling, and punctuation when
necessary, as designated by Associated Press style guidelines. Unsigned, li
belous, or profane letters will not be published. Please limit letters to 400
words or less and to only two letters per month. Liability for errors in ad
vertising will not exceed the space occupied by the error. We reserve the
right to edit all submitted materials.
The Meeting Place
Fayette County Board of Educa
tion meets the fourth Monday of the
month at 7 p.m.
Fayette County Commission
meets the second and fourth Thurs
day of the month at 5 p.m.
Fayette County Planning Com
mission meets the first Thursday of
the month at 7 p.m.
Fayetteville City Council meets the
third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m.
Fayetteville Planning Commis
sion meets the fourth Tuesday of the
month at 6 p.m.
Fayetteville Work Session meet
ing on the last Tuesday of each month
at 9 a.m. at Fayetteville City Hall.
Peachtree City Council meets the
first and third Thursday of the month
at 6:30 p.m.
Peachtree City Planning Com
mission meets the second and
fourth Monday of the month at 7
p.m.
Tyrone Town Council meets the
first and third Thursday of the
month at 7 p.m.
Tyrone Planning Commission
meets the second and fourth Thurs
day of the month at 7 p.m.
Tyrone Downtown Devel
opment Authority meets at 9 a m.
on the second Monday of the
month.
Brooks Town Council meets the
third Monday of every month at
6:30 p.m.
Woolsey Town Council meets at
7 p.m. on the second Monday of
each month.