Thursday, October 9, 2025
THE OGLETHORPE Echo
Page 3
Around THE County
DRIVING SKILLS
CHEERFUL GIVING
1.
6.
734.3
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Oglethorpe County's Cole Faust had a perfect driving
score and a perfect score on the problem solving
test to win the Area 2 FFA Tractor Operation CDE in
September. He will compete in the state contest at
the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie this month.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Oglethorpe Children's Academy's Melanee McGee (left)
presents Jennifer Yauck with a $1,000 donation to the
Oglethorpe County Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
Catherine Yauck is also pictured. Oglethorpe Children's
Academy becomes a platinum level sponsor and the
donation will provide books for 40 children in the coun
ty this year.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Oglethorpe Feed and Hardware Supply's Stewart Sand
ers presents Jennifer Yauck with a $500 donation to the
Oglethorpe County Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
Oglethorpe Feed and Hardware Supply becomes a gold
level sponsor and the donation will provide books for 20
children in the county this year.
6
Obituaries
RICHARD P. ANDERSON
Richard P. Anderson, 69, of Hull,
passed away Sept. 26, 2025. He was
the son of the late David and Daisy
Anderson. Mr. Anderson was a car
penter.
A visitation will be held from 4-6
p.m. Monday, Oct. 6 at the funeral
home.
Survivors include: wife, Debo
rah “Debbie” Anderson; sister, Kim
(Merv) Stephens; brother, Dave
(Harriett) Anderson; two brothers-
in-law, Brent Wilson and Tracy Wil
son; nephews, Adam Stephens, No
lan (Ashley) Stephens; great nieces,
Ashley and Paisley; niece, Taylor
Wilson, nephews, Alex and Blake
Wilson.
Lord & Stephens Funeral Homes,
East, is in charge of arrangements.
BARBARA KITCHENS
Bell
Barbara Kitchens Bell, 75, passed
away on Oct. 4, 2025.
Born Nov. 24, 1949, in Clarke
County, Barbara was the daughter
of the late Carl A. Kitchens and Sar
ah L. Patton Kitchens. In addition to
her parents, she is preceded in death
by her second husband, James Neal
Bell, her third husband, James M.
Cash, and a daughter, Sarah C. K.
Bell.
Barbara worked in the retail in
dustry and also waitressed before
becoming a homemaker until her
children were grown. Barbara loved
country music, especially Lorre-
ta Lynn and Patsy Cline. She also
loved to travel, play bingo, Scrab
ble and many other board games.
She also loved her jewelry and nice
outfits to go out dancing. In her lat
ter years, she enjoyed watching the
old Westerns each day and snacking
on candy.
Barbara is survived by four chil
dren: Lacey (Derek) Paul, Lisa Bell,
Marian (Martie Purser) Bell, and
Jay (Charlsie) Bell; six grandchil
dren, Dusty Peppers, Breanna Pep
pers, Kirsten Jackson, Heath Paul,
Anna Kate Bell, and Reagan Bell;
seven great grandchildren; a broth
er, Mike (Carol) Kitchens; two sis
ters, Deborah (Dwight) Geeter, and
Pam Looney, and a number of neph
ews and nieces.
In lieu of flowers, donations can
be made to Living Water Baptist
Church, P.O. Box 218 Crawford,
GA 30630, or American Cancer So
ciety, 1552 Shoup Court, Decatur,
GA 30033.
The family would also like to ex
tend its deepest appreciation to all
the staff at Comer Nursing home
for taking care and loving on Bar
bara for the past 10 years. Also, spe
cial thanks to Melissa from Affinis
Hospice care, who cared for Barba
ra during the last month of her life.
A graveside service will be at 11
a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 at Oconee
Memorial Park, with Pastor Derek
Paul officiating.
Lord & Stephens Funeral Homes,
West, in Watkinsville, is in charge
of arrangements.
BOBBY Lee “Domino”
Pittman
Bobby L. Pittman, 72, of Athens,
died Sept. 29, 2025.
The funeral service was held 1
p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, 2025 at Liv
ing Waters Christian Fellowship
Church in Athens, with Pastor Wil
liam Bland, eulogist.
Interment was in Athens Mem
ory Gardens. Survivors include his
wife, Fannie Pittman; children, An
dre Pittman, Katrina Pittman and
Tabitha Pittman; grandson, Tey-
cavious (Ireona) Pittman; brother,
Claude (Stephanie) Bailey; sister,
Nancy Bailey; great-grandchildren;
and other relatives and friends.
Jones Funeral Chapel of Craw
ford was in charge of services.
PHILLIP LAMAR MIXON
Phillip Lamar Mixon, 40, passed
away unexpectedly on Sept. 16,
2025, in Vienna, Virginia. He was
born on June 10, 1985, in Athens.
Phillip graduated from East Hall
High School, Gainesville in 2003.
Later, he obtained his associate’s
degree from Athens Technical Col
lege, in Athens, and his bachelor’s
degree in software engineering from
Southern Polytechnic State Univer
sity in Marietta.
Phillip lived a life defined by cu
riosity, creativity and connection. At
an early age, Phillip was captivated
by the world of computers and cod
ing.
What began as a childhood fas
cination blossomed into a career as
a computer programmer in the sub
urbs of Washington, D.C. His tech
nical acumen was matched by his
imaginative spirit and sharp wit —
qualities that made him not only a
talented worker, but also an unfor
gettable and unique presence to
those who knew him.
Phillip’s sense of humor was
quick and dry, often delivered with
effortless sarcasm that left friends
and colleagues laughing long after
the moment had passed. He brought
amusement to every conversation
and left lasting impressions wherev
er he went.
An avid video gamer, Phillip
found both challenge and cama
raderie in the digital realms he ex
plored. He was especially proud of
the countless hours spent — and
friendships forged — in World of
Warcraft.
In that virtual world, as in life, his
skill was rivaled only by his dedica
tion and loyalty to those whom he
appreciated and loved. Another part
of his life that provided him great
joy, sorrow, and stress was his love
of the Georgia Bulldogs.
During the early days of the
COVID-19 pandemic, Phillip made
a bold and unconventional deci
sion: He left his job, purchased an
RV and set out to explore the United
States with his then-girlfriend and
their dogs.
That journey became a defining
chapter in his life — a testament
to his adventurous spirit and desire
to experience the world on his own
terms.
Though he never married, Phil-
lip cherished family deeply. He
adored his three nieces — Eleanor
Frances Oxner, Margaret Lynn Ox-
ner, and Charlotte Victoria Withrow
— and his nephew Samuel Thom
as Withrow. Time spent with them
brought him immense happiness.
His love for them was evident in
every shared family vacation, game
night, or playful conversation.
Phillip is lovingly remembered
by parents Timothy Lamar Mixon
and Deborah Lynn (Burton) Mix-
on; sisters Julie Ann (Schmidt) Ox
ner and Catherine Elizabeth (Mix-
on) Withrow; brothers-in-law David
Joseph Oxner and Brandon Michael
Withrow; nieces Eleanor, Charlotte
and Margaret; nephew Sammy;
grandmother Clara Nell (Rice) Mix-
on; and many other relatives and
friends whose lives were brightened
by knowing him.
Phillip was preceded in death by
grandparents Harold Boyd Burton,
Peggy Wynell (Seagraves) Burton
and Ray Lamar Mixon.
For more than 11 years until his
death, Phillip’s constant companion
was Louie — his beloved Australian
Shepherd — who remained faithful
ly by his side through each chapter
of life.
Phillip’s legacy lives on in the
laughter he inspired, the code he
crafted, the adventures he em
braced, and the love he gave so
freely. May his memory bring com
fort to all who knew him.
BESSIE SMITH WISE
Mrs. Bessie Wise, 77, of Lexing
ton, died Sept. 28, 2025.
The funeral service was at 11
a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Jones
Funeral Chapel in Crawford.
Survivors include her son,
Franklin K. Smith; daughter, Mer
ry (George) Hulin; sisters, Florine
Smith and Nellie Smith; grandchil
dren; sister-in-law, Nancy Smith;
other relatives and friends.
Jones Funeral chapel of Crawford
was in charge of services.
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