About The Lee County ledger. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1978-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2019)
Obituaries Eddie Watson Tracy Edwin Watson, affectionately known as Eddie, passed away on Friday, April 26, sur rounded by his loved ones of family and friends. Born on June 24, 1952 in Albany, GA to the late Tom and Annie Watson, Eddie was a graduate of Westover High School, Class of 1970. He was very proud to boast that he was part of the very first graduating classes at Westover. Eddie received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from LaGrange College of Georgia. A U.S.A.F. veteran, Ed die completed a tour of Vietnam. He was proud to tell people about the F16 fighter jets he worked on. He began his civil service career with MCLB Albany in 1984 as a GS2 electronics specialist. He retired in 2015, after 39 years, as a GS15 Senior Logistics Management Specialist. Eddie wore many hats as a husband, father, papa, brother and uncle. He was wise, fair and never met a stranger. He loved his family deeply. Chances are if you ever played ball in Lee County, you knew Coach Eddie. Eddie, along with his brother Frank, not only coached numerous baseball and football teams, but they were part of the original crew to build the first baseball fields in Lee County. Ed die loved, not just loved, but lived Trojan football. He was so happy to see his beloved Trojans win back to back state titles. Eddie was the voice of the Trojan football team as he announced games in the 1980s. A single male, with no children, he loved Trojan football so much that he still served as President of the Football Booster Club. Eddie was part of the Lee County Chain Gang Crew pulling downs markers for over 30 years at the football games. For the last two seasons, he has served as the official Max Preps football reporter for Lee County. In 1988, he met his wife Denise. Over their 30 years of marriage, he has served as Cub Scout Leader, Webelos Leader, Bible, From page 4B shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD. And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD. from Joshua 5 & 6 For a free Scripture packet, please write From the Bible, BIBLE FOUNDATION, PO Box 908, Newberg, Oregon 97132. email: bf@bf.org Boy Scout Leader and band parent. Eddie was an active member of Leesburg United Methodist Church for 25 years. He served as Chairman of the Admin istrative Council, Presi dent of the Methodist Men and Scouting Coor dinator for 10 years. He was a faithful member of the Bible Life Sunday School Class and served on the usher teams for over 25 years. Eddie was a member of the American Legion Post 182 in Leesburg. He was active in the Kairos Prison Ministry and the Walk to Emmaus Com munity. An avid hunter and fisherman, he loved the Georgia Bulldogs, the Atlanta Falcons, Nas- car and Wrestling. Eddie was preceded in death by his parents Tom and Annie Wat son; brothers Frank and Tommy Watson (Bar bara) of Lee County. Eddie leaves his wife, Denise Watson of Leesburg; sons Michael Ruffin of Clermont, FL and Donnie Burchfield (Sandi) ofMascotte, Florida; sister Pennie Watson Erickson of Lee County; grandchildren Madisyn, Brintlee, Bryce, and Paityn Burchfield, all ofMas cotte, Florida; sister-in law Travis McDonald (George) of Lee County; brothers-in-law Tim Krake, Poland, Ohio and Billy Krake (Donna) of Leesburg; sister-in-law Hayley Holley (Geof frey) of Lee County; special lifelong friend Phillip Dervan (Cheryl) of Powder Springs, GA; numerous nieces, neph ews, and cousins. A memorial service was held Tuesday, April 30, at Leesburg United Methodist Church, 117 Starksville Rd. The ser vice was performed by Rev. Lee Smith, Pastor Donnie Burchfield, and Michael Ruffin. Those desiring may make memorials in Memory of Eddie Wat son to Leesburg United Methodist Church, 117 Starksville Rd Leesburg, GA or PO. Box 207 Leesburg, GA 31763 Luke Jonathan Whitman Luke Jonathan Whit man, 6, son of Eric and Penny Whitman, died April 22, 2019 at Navi- cent Health in Macon, GA. Funeral services were held Friday, April 26, 2019 at Lakeside Baptist Church. Rev. Ken Chancellor offici ated. Interment followed in Leesburg Cemetery. Luke was born at Phoebe Putney Memo rial Hospital on August 15, 2012 and lived in Lee County, GA all of his short life. He was a student at Kinchafoonee Primary School and was a member of Lakeside Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Terry Wood and his paternal grandfather, Curtis Whitman. Survivors in addition to his parents include his sisters, Haley Whitman and Holley Whitman, his maternal grandmothers, Janice Wood and Jay Wood all of Lee County, GA and paternal grand mother, Sandra Whitman Burton and her husband Cecil of Sylvester, GA. Those desiring may make donations in memory of Luke to the Children’s Miracle Net work, childrensmiracle- networkhospitals.org/ donate/ or to The Ronald McDonald House c/o RMHC of Central, GA, Inc., 1160 Forsyth St., Macon, GA, 31201 To sign the online registry or to send con dolences to the family, you may visit Mathews’ website at www. mathewsfuneralhome. com. Barbara Walker Coburn Barbara Walker Coburn, 86, of Albany passed away on Satur day, April 27, 2019 at home, surrounded by her family, after a short illness. A memorial service will be held at noon on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at Sherwood Baptist Church with Rev. Michael Catt officiat ing. Visitation will be immediately prior to the service in the church atrium at 11:00. Mrs. Coburn was born in Moultrie, Georgia on March 19, 1933, and spent her childhood in Fitzgerald, Georgia. At Fitzgerald High School she played clarinet in the band and was a cheerleader for the state championship football team. She graduated from Wesleyan College, with a B.A. in Psychol ogy in 1954, where she worked in the library and expanded her knowledge of the world, art history, and religion. During college when she visited home, she reconnected with Boyd, her neighbor from Fitzgerald. He was attending Emory, and over many trips back to school, and weekend dances, they fell in love. On April 3, 1955 she married Boyd Aultman Coburn at First Baptist Church in Fitzgerald. They soon settled in Albany where she taught at Sherwood Elementary, and became the librarian there for five years. She earned her master’s de gree in Library Science from Florida State Uni versity. After she earned her education specialist degree from the Uni versity of Georgia, she became the Media Coor dinator for the 36 schools in the Dougherty County School System. Mrs. Coburn was a devoted member of Sher wood Baptist Church where she sang in the choir, played in the hand bell choir, and coordi nated the church library. In retirement she valued books to read, flowers to grow, choirs to sing in, and music to listen to. She and Boyd traveled to 24 countries, spent a month each year at St. Simons, and attended plays at the Fox Theatre. She enjoyed her grand children growing up the backyard with birthday and swimming parties and family gatherings at holidays. She was preceded in death by her parents, Renfroe Franklin Walker and Margaret Moody Walker; and her sister Elizabeth Walker Bow ers (David). She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Boyd Aultman Coburn, two daughters Carol Bishop (Joe) and Leah Masters (Chuck); her six grandchildren Matthew Bishop (Mary), Philip Bishop (Anna), Sarah Keadle (Karl), Kather ine McMahon (Kieran), Margaret Harris (Ryan), Andrea Sandbach; and three great-grandchil dren Kellan Keadle, Augustus Bishop, and Josephine Bishop. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sherwood Baptist Church. You may sign the online guestbook and share your own special thoughts with the fam ily of Mrs. Coburn by visiting Kimbrell-Stern’s website at www.kim- brellstern.com. Ann V. “Prissy” Pittman Ann V. “Prissy” Pit tman, 92, of Albany, GA, died April 26, 2019 at Wynfield Park and Rehabilitation Cen ter. Funeral services were held Tuesday at The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, May 1,2019, Page 5B Mathews Funeral Home. Rev. Bruce L. Pittman officiated. Interment followed in Crown Hill Cemetery. A native of Deepstep, GA, Mrs. Pittman was born on October 25, 1926 to James and Fan nie Veal. She married Buford L. Pittman and moved to Chattanooga, TN where he attended seminary. Being a Min ister’s wife, they served numerous churches in southwest Georgia and settled in Albany, GA in 1971 to serve Raleigh White Baptist Church. During their years of ministry, Mrs. Pittman was a member of the choir and was involved in numerous Children’s Ministries. Mrs. Pittman was a homemaker for most of her adult life. However, she also worked for many years at Jamison Bedding Company and was involved in the family business, Terry’s Screens and Special ties. After her husband’s death, she was employed with Ray Lloyd Realty. She was a member of Raleigh White Baptist Church where she was very active until her ill ness. She was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Buford L. Pittman, two sons, Terry L. Pit tman and James Phillip Pittman and two sisters, Grace Harris and Mar tha Helton. Survivors include two sons, Ronnie (Cheryl) Pittman of Albany, GA and Rev. Bruce (Kim) Pittman of Lee County, GA, her daughter, Linda (Tim) Beck of Lee County, GA, a daughter- in-law, Carol Pittman of Albany, GA, a sister, Mary Andrews of Deep- step, GA, ten grandchil dren, Carly Alderman, David Pool, Michael Pittman, Keith Pool, Crystal Hooks, Jessica Pitman, Ryan Pittman, Phillip Pittman, Megan Aumsbaugh and Wesley Pittman and 18 great grandchildren. To sign the online registry or to send con dolences to the family, you may visit Mathews’ website at www. mathewsfuneralhome. com What a Friend We Have By Charles Harris Pastor, Beattie Road Church of Christ Knowing the influence that friends have on each other, the Lord teaches that the righ teous should choose his friends care fully (Prov erbs 27:17). Friends, even as the Bible uses the word, are not mere acquaintances. True friends build a relationship which can surpass even that which they experienced in their own home. Solomon stated that “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother,” and “a friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 18:24; 17:17). This is a good reason why husbands and wives need to be best friends. Moses spoke of a friend “who is as your own soul” (Deuteronomy 13:6). That’s the kind of friends that David and Jonathan were to each other. First Samuel 18 says, “The soul of Jona than was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul...Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul” (18:1, 3). Do you have a friend that you would trust and value “as your own soul”? Many of us can iden tify that person(s) in our lives and we cannot imagine trying to exist without their close and constant companion ship. May I remind you of another friend whom you cannot live without? The following pas sages paint a portrait of God that we need to have refreshed in our hearts. “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11). Medi tate on that for a minute. Moses and the Lord were very close friends. James tells us that Abraham “was called the friend of God” (James 2:23). In the Old Testa ment, Abraham truly was called God’s friend. In 2 Chronicles 20:7, King Jehoshaphat appealed to God and referred to “Abraham Your friend forever.” But, it was not just others calling Abraham a friend of God. In Isaiah 41:8, the Lord Himself said, “Abraham My friend.” Meditate on that for a minute. God proclaimed, “Abraham is My friend.” We have a friend who sticks closer than a broth er (Hebrews 13:5-6). We have a friend who loves at all times (Romans 8:35- 39). We have a friend who loves us as His own soul (Ephesians 5:2; Isaiah 53:10-12; Hebrews 4:15). Now, go and read John 15:13-15. He loved His friends and laid down His life for His friends. But, we are only His friends if we do as He has com manded us. Would the Lord call you His friend? Is He your close, constant compan ion? Is your soul knit to Him? The Beattie Road Church of Christ meets at 1731 Beattie Rd., Albany, GA. Our times of ser vices are: Sunday-9:30 am; 10:30 am; 6:00 pm, Wednesday-7:00 pm. If we can assist you in your spiritual journey contact us at 229-435-2193 or 870-500-5535. You can also visit us online at beattieroad.com Charles Harris Kids, from page 3B helps you because you know that God will find a way to make things end up good. He can turn an impossible situation into a good one.” God’s love can trans form laziness into help fulness, says Nicole, 10: “Sometimes, I help my mom do dishes or clean the house. I help my dad by taking out the trash.” That’s love with feet on it, Nicole. But the real foot story belongs to Ephraim, 10: “Some times when you play soc cer, someone knocks you down. If you want to hit him back, that’s not the love of God. If you want to get him or her back, you lose your concentra tion, and you build up anger. If you had the love of God, you would be able to concentrate and not build up anger.” Anger in the form of revenge or bitterness can trip you up in soccer and in life. The Apostle Paul advocated forgiving one another “even as Christ forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). “The love of God is very strong, and he gives that love to you,” says Lindsay, 9. “In every thing you do and every thing you say, God will show you the right way to do or say it.” Jordon, 10, shares ex amples of that right way. “When somebody is be ing picked on, or has no friends, cheer them up. If somebody gets hurt, try to help them and see if they’re OK.” Think about this: Only God’s love flow ing through you can transform “I Stink, You Stink” relationships into “I’m Loved, You’re Loved.” Memorize this truth: “This is my command ment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Ask this question: Am I a channel for God’s love that blesses others, or am I dam that tries to hold onto everything for myself? “Kids Talk About God” is written and distributed by Carey Kinsolving. To access free, online “Kids Color Me Bible” books, “Mission Explorers” vid eos, a new children’s mu sical, and all columns in a Bible Lesson Archive, visit www.KidsTalk- AboutGod.org. COPYRIGHT 2019 CAREY KINSOLVING
