Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A
Deaths
Frances Marie Byington
Frances Marie Byington, 52,
of Cumming died at Northside
Forsyth Hospital on June 1,
2008.
She is survived by her hus¬
band, Thomas K. Byington of
Cumming; sons, Christopher S.
Byington and Matthew T.
Byington of Cumming; parents,
Frank and Rosemary Devoine of
Naples, Fla.; sisters, Debbie
Viscusi of Neconset, N.Y.,
Mary-Jo Brock of Naples, Fla.,
and Theresa Jablow of East
Longmeadow Mass
A a memonat memorial M-rvirp .ervce for ro Mrs Mix -
Byington will be held Thursday,
June 5 at 2 p m at Cumming
First United Methodist Church
with the Rev. Ron Preuss offici
ating. The family will receive
friends Wednesday. y ' June 4, ’ from
2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the
funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family
requests that donations be made
in memory of Frances Byington
to the Cumming First United
Methodist Church.
Condolences may be
expressed online at www
.mcdonaldandson.com.
McDonald and Son Funeral
Home and Crematory is in
charge of arrangements.
Forsyth County News
June 4, 2008
Annie Belle Hamby
Mrs. Annie Belle Hamby,
age 92, of Ballground passed
away Sunday, June 1, 2008.
She was preceded in death by
her husband, Charles R.
Hamby. Mrs. Hamby was a
member of Oak Grove Baptist
Church.
Survivors include her sister
and brother-in-law, Idell and
Brice Smith of Ballground;
several nieces, nephews and
other relatives also survive.
Funeral services were held
Tuesday, June 3, at 1 p.m. in
the Ingram Funeral Home
Chapel with Rev. Benny Clark
officiating. Interment followed
at Concord Baptist Church
Cemetery
Ingram Funeral Home and
Crematory is in charge of
arrangements.
Forsyth County News
June 4, 2008
Susie “Nanny” Livingston
Mrs. Susie “Nanny”
Livingston, age 61, of Cumming
passed away Friday May 30
2008. She was of the Baptist
faith and worked for Proto
Systems in Alpharetta.
Survivors include her hus
band, Ray Livingston of
Cumming; children, Jackie
Pruitt of Cumming, Sherry
Foster of Cumming, Charmon
Smith of Cumming, Angela
Betsill of Dawsonville and Mike
Livingston of Pensacola, Fla.;
sisters, Nancy Long of
Dawsonville, Grace Brumbalow
of Cumming, Nan Byers of
Cumming, Betsy Lawson of
Gainesville, Annette Burrell of
Woodstock; brothers, George
Stapler of Cumming, Jack
Stapler of Alpharetta, Carl
Stapler of Buford; eight grand
children; two great-grandchil
dren; several nieces, nephews
and other relatives also survive.
Funeral services were held
Sunday, June 1, at 7 p.m. at
Ingram Funeral Home Chapel
with Rev. Dan Henderson offici¬
ating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial
donations may be made to the
American Cancer Society, 2970
Clairmont Road, Suite 840,
Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
Ingrain Funeral Home and
Crematory is in charge of
arrangements.
Forsyth Counts’ News
June 4. 2008
Wmmmm
Ask your funeral
home to send local
4 Forsyth obituarie^to the
County News
Forsyth J Your Hometown County Paper” Situe 1908 J News
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS — Wednesday, June 4,2008
__ -
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m u
. A. Lee Wilhelm
A. Lee Wilhelm, 61, of
Marietta died on May 31,
2008, at Hospice Atlanta,
<Born jn San Francisc0; he
was the son of the Iate Arthur
Leon and Mayme Wilhelm.
Mr. Wilhelm was the
Chief Executive Officer of
Community Business Bank in
Cumming. He had over 35
years experience in the bank
* n § industry. Mr. Wilhelm
was President and CEO of
Covenant Bank and Trust (In
Organization) in Rock Spring
from January 2005 until his
retirement in December 2005.
He remained on Covenant
Bank’s board until June 2006.
He was Chairman and CEO
of Homestead Bank in
Suwanee, from its organiza¬
tion in 2002 until May 2003.
He also served as a director
for Horizon Bank from 2000
until February 2003. From
1$92 to 1999, Mr. Wilhelm
was CEO of Lanier Bank and
Trust Company of Cumming,
and he left following its suc
cessful merger into Premier
Bank (now BB&T). Mr.
Wilhelm also served as the
Chief Executive Officer for
The Federal Savings Bank,
Atlanta, an area executive for
Sun Bank of Lee County,
Fla., a President for Bank
South, Gwinnett, and had
additional experience in the
financial services industry.
Mr. Wilhelm volunteered
with The United Way and
Metro Chamber of
Commerce,
Lee is survived by his
beloved wife of 36 years,
Mary Case Wilhelm; cousin,
Dr. Bill Mears of Harrison,
Ark.,; and uncle, Lloyd
(Walcie) Wilhelm of Hot
Springs, Ark.
The family received
friends from 5-7 p.m. on
Monday, June 2, 2008 at
McDonald and Son Funeral
Home. Friends shared their
memories of Lee and a recep
tion followed. Interment will
be in Marshall, Ark.
In lieu of flowers, the fam
ily asks that donations in Mr.
Wilhelm’s memory be made
to Hospice Atlanta, www
vnhs.org or (770) 936-1126.
Condolences may be
expressed online at
www.mcdonaldandson.com.
McDonald and Son
Funeral Home and Crematory
is in charge of arrangements.
Forsyth County News
June 4, 2008
, Leland . ^ D. Mills
Mr - Leland D - Mills, age
78 > lifelong resident of Forsyth
County passed away Saturday,
May 31, 2008.
Ingram Funeral Home and
Crematory is in charge of
arrangements.
Forsyth County News
June 4, 2008
John Oys
Captain John Oys, age 78,
of Suwanee passed away
Sunday, June 1, 2008.
Ingram Funeral Home and
Crematory is in charge of
arrangements.
Forsyth County News
June 4, 2008
Smoke to again fill the Playhouse
Popular play begins
summer stage run
By Jennifer Sami
Staff Writer
For the third year in a row, the
Cumming Playhouse is taking its audi¬
ence back in time.
The year is 1938, the place, Mount
Pleasant Baptist Church, and the event,
“Smoke on the Mountain.”
Smoke on the Mountain is popular
wherever it plays,” said Linda Heard,
playhouse director. “I think it’s because
pe ople identify with it. It’s like the early
of „ l>g . . this ,. community.
y ears re lon in
The musical, which has become
among the most popular productions to
hit the playhouse stage, is again presented
by PlayRight Productions. It will feature .
a majority of the same cast members who
began the production in 2006.
“The cast is like a family,” said
Debbie Walker, show director. We re
like brothers and sisters. We’re friends
and we’re also cast members. It’s cool to
work with people that you really love.”
Walker, also one of four co-owners of
the production company, said the chem
istry of the 12-member cast, combined
with the gospel music in the production,
makes the show enjoyable.
The show follows a pastor and local
family on a Saturday night sing at the
church. The story unfolds as the event
isn’t quite as organized as the pastor
anticipated. The family tries to take over
the event,
It’s the gospel and its brought to light
from t 1A
said don’t make him use it,”
said Carr, who described the
gun as a 9 mm, semiautomatic
pistol.
Carr said the pharmacist
complied and the suspect —
who was wearing sunglasses, a
straw cowboy hat and long
sleeved shirt — left with more
than 300 pills.
ALARM from 1A
available with the final loca
tions once that’s set.
The sirens cost $20,000 to
$25,000 each and are being
paid for out of the county’s
capital fund. Morris said 10
new sirens should be installed
by fall.
The system has the ability
to be expanded, so should the
board of commissioners want
to move forward with the
other 10 they approved for
-009, we can add them
straight into the system, she
said
There are currently two
storm sirens in Forsyth
County.
One of those sirens, at the
water tower on Pirkle Ferry
GAS from 1A
gasoline in Georgia includes
37.4 cents in state and federal
taxes and a local tax that varies
from . . In add.- ...
county to county.
bon, there is a one-half cent per
gallon fee lor underground stor
age tanks,
’Georgians are already fac
mg record gas prices and raising
taxes even higher would put fur
ther strain on families budgets
and on our economy,” Perdue
said in a statement.
“Suspending these tax
increases will benefit some of
our most important industries,
including agriculture, tourism,
aviation and logistics, as well as
every Georgian that buys gaso
line.”
Based on current use, the
governor’s measure offers a total
savings of about $70 million,
over a 1-year period beginning
July 1.
That money would otherwise
have gone toward road and
infrastructure repairs, which is
why AAA is not supporting the
governor’s measure.
“Tax dollars ... that are ear
marked for transportation are
needed to maintain highways
and road infrastructure,” said
Gregg Laskoski, spokesman for
AAA. “We cannot advocate sus¬
pending those types of tax col¬
lections, because it postpones
essential repairs and road
improvements.”
Bert Brantley, Perdue’s press
secretary, said transportation will
continue to be funded.
“Because the gas prices are
so high, this would be collecting
money that we weren’t anticipat-
a WtsM
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Photo/Submitted
“Smoke on the Mountain” will run
through July 27 at the Cumming
Playhouse.
in the lives of the people that have their
issues and their problems,” said Walker.
“Everyone learns that there’s something
way more important than they are.”
What’s unique about the musical is
only one song, “Smoke on the Mountain,”
was written specifically for the musical.
The other songs are gospel tunes, which
she said have stood the test of time.
The cast has performed the production
at a variety of locations, including
Roswell United Methodist Church, which
seats 1,400.
Barry Piacente, who plays the pastor,
said the Cumming shows are among his
favorites.
Carr said another pharma¬
cist told him Friday that the
suspect, whose picture was
obtained from video taken the
day of the robbery, resembled
someone who had a prescrip¬
tion filled May 22.
The pharmacist then identi¬
fied McGurrin after reviewing
the store’s surveillance video
Road, failed during severe
weather in March because its
batteries were dead. They
have since been replaced.
The sirens at Pirkle Ferry
and the other site, which is on
Three Chimney Drive in south
ern Forsyth, are tested at
noon each Wednesday.
Forsyth County Fire Chief
and EM A Director Danny
Bowman said the new sirens
will have a more musical
sound for testing.
“We will have individuals
weekly, at noon on
Wednesdays, go near the
siren to see if they hear the
Westminster chimes, v
Bowman said.
“If you hear the siren
ing,” he said.
“You don’t budget based on
the taxes going up, because we
didn’t know what that number
would be. So we’ve collected
more over the past year, based
prices. *•
on current
Gas is more expensive in
Florida, where John Charles and
his wife, Shirley, had driven
from to visit children in
Cumming on Monday.
It may cost a little less in
Georgia, Charles said, but over¬
all gas still is “very expensive.”
As a result, the couple is taking
fewer trips this year.
“This is $1 more than it was
last year,” he said. “We feel it.
We’re retired and, of course,
having a set income, you feel it. ii
Harris Blackwood of FCN
regional staff contributed to this
report.
E-tnail Jennifer Sami at jen
nifersami@forsythnews.com.
\ United Church Methodist
♦ Welcomes You! I
REV. JOHN L.
CROM ARTIE. MINISTER JR.
SENIOR
770 Canton, Hwy
Cumming, GA
For more information, SI
call (770) 887-2900
If you're going
“Smoke on the Mountain” will run
from June 12 through July 27.
Performances every Thursday,
Friday and Saturday begin at 8
p.m., with a 3 p.m. matinee on
Sundays. Tickets are $25 for all
days and times. To purchase tick¬
ets or for more information, call
(770) 781-9178 or go online at
www.playhousecumming.com.
“It’s so intimate and to have it sold out
virtually every show has been great for
us,” he said.
“One of the things we love about
Cumming is the people who come to the
shows. Each show is different and one of
the exciting things about doing these
extended runs is the crowd is so different,
you never know how they’re going to
respond.”
The comments, tears and laughter he
gets from the Cumming audience, he
said, are “a great thing to be a part of as
an actor. To see the enjoyment you’re
bringing people is just a real blessing for
us.
Heard said the show caters to an older
generation, allowing them to travel back
to the past.
“But I think it’s good for the younger
[generation] to see how things were and
to see how we’ve come to be where we
are today,” she said. “And also to see how
some things do not change.”
E-mail Jennifer Sami at jennifersa
mi @ forsythnews. com.
from that day.
Sheriff’s Lt. Col Gene
Moss said investigators "com¬
pared the two videos side by
side on computers and you
could see it was the same per¬
son.”
Authorities arrested
McGurrin at his home, where
Carr said they found the hat,
[instead], I’m serious, take
cover.”
Locations being consid¬
ered for new sirens include
county-owned property and
places like parks and schools,
which have a lot of outdoor
activity,
Bowman said school play
grounds and stadiums also are
being considered.
We need to warn those
individuals (who are outside)
well in advance of approach
ing storms,” he said. “If you
are at home, your best method
of severe weather alert is a
weather radio or the local
television media.”
Morris said the sirens can
be heard about a mile away,
Forsyth J Your "Hometown County Paper" Since 1908 J News
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gun, sunglasses and a pair of
shoes thought to have been
used in the incident.
The drugs, which Moss
said have an estimated street
value of $60 per pill, were not
recovered.
E-mail Julie Arrington at
juliearrington @forsythnews
.com.
depending on weather condi¬
tions, wind speed, road noise
and other factors.
She stressed that the
sirens are for warning people
when they are outside.
“It’s not for people sitting
in their homes watching the
TV and hearing the siren go
off,” she said.
The sirens will be operat¬
ed from the Forsyth County
911 Center. Morris and
Bowman will also be able to
activate the sirens by remote.
Bowman said site selec¬
tion for the next 10 sirens
will be determined later.
E-mail Julie Arrington at
juliearrington@forsythnews
.com.