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Obituaries
Joyce Sims Detherage
Chastain
Joyce Sims Detherage
Chastain passed away
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
at Evergreen Assisted
Living in Albany, GA.
Private graveside funeral
services were conducted
Saturday, July 2, 2022 at
Floral Memory Gardens
Cemetery. Rev. Mark
Jackson officiated.
Mrs. Chastain was
born in Albany, GA on
February 25, 1926 to
James L. Sims and Mary
Gilmer Sims. She was
preceded in death by her
husband, Jack Dether
age, her daughter, Rhon
da Detherage Norman
and her second husband,
Robert Jerry Chastain.
Mrs. Chastain and
Jack, her first husband,
opened Detherage Insu-
ance in December, 1954,
and opened their first
location at 504 South
Slappey next to Ivey’s.
After the death of Mr.
Detherage the business
was carried on by Mrs.
Detherage (Chastain) at
a location on Highland
Avenue. Their customers
were treated with such
kindness that even in
Mrs. Chastain’s elderly
years when out in the
community there were
always former customers
that would remember
her and talk to her. Mrs.
Chastain was the first
woman to be elected
President of the Albany
Insurance Association.
In 2004 Detherage In
surance was sold to Scott
Brown to form Brown
Detherage Insurers. Mrs.
Chastain remained at the
agency until 2013.
Joyce loved being able
to help anyone she knew
who was struggling.
Most people who really
knew her knew about her
fear of anything feath
ered. She would avoid
a bird at any cost. She
never cooked chicken/
turkey and would not eat
a casserole that con
tained cream of chicken
soup. Her family called
her MIM and she was fa
mous for “Mim Mix”—a
concoction of pretzels,
nuts, hot sauce, etc.;
for some, the hot sauce
could not be hot enough.
She was proficient in
pig-latin and loved to
quote poetry with her
two sisters when they
were all together. She
was quite a lady—a real
“Southern Belle”. Most
of all though, she was
“.. .kind, tenderhearted,
and forgiving....”
She was the most
compassionate person
and loved her Lord. She
was a faithful member of
Byne Memorial Baptist
Church for sixty-nine
years and taught Sunday
School.
Special thanks to
the staff at Evergreen
Assisted Living for their
kindness and all the
attention she received—
especially to the ones
that called her their
“baby”.
Survivors include
her daughter Suzanne
D. Rigsby (Bubba) of
Leesburg, GA, three
grandchildren, Zack Hall
(Jennifer), Elmhurst,
IL, Mindi Hall Kiewert
(Chris), Hoschton, GA,
Charanne Rigsby Pitt
man (Drew), Statesboro,
GA, eight great-grand
children and a niece,
Diana Lancaster Settle,
Albany, GA
In lieu of flowers,
those desiring may make
memorial donations
in memory of Joyce
Chastain to Byne Memo
rial Baptist Church, 2832
Ledo Road, Albany, GA
31707.
William Lloyd
Coward, Sr.
William Lloyd Coward,
Sr., was born September
17, 1925 in Ramseur,
NC. At the age of 16, he
enlisted as a US Marine
and went on to have a
long, successful career
there before retiring in
1974 with the rank of
Master Gunnery Ser
geant.
In his 33 years as a US
Marine, MSG Cow
ard served 42 months
in WWII in the South
Pacific and Japan, where
he became fluent in
Japanese and received a
commendation from the
master of the Children’s
Home for service and
assistance to children in
the orphanage.
MSG Coward served
four months in the Ko
rean War and was part
of the Battle of Chosin
Reservoir, one of the
most significant battles
of the US Marine Corps,
and the defining battle
of the Korean War. His
experience as one of the
Frozen Chosin influ
enced the rest of his life,
moving him to a life of
service to humankind.
He also served with
distinction in the Viet
nam War, the Cuban
Missile Crisis, and Bay
of Pigs.
As a retiree, he was
a life member of the
Disabled American
Veterans, opening the
DAV Office at the Carl
Vinson Veterans Ad
ministration in 1981.
Among many other
things, he helped wid
ows navigate red tape to
obtain their benefits and
was a District Leader
with the DAV. In his role
with the DAV, he raised
money for passenger
vans for the DAV Trans
portation Program and
drove veterans back and
forth from Albany to the
Dublin, Augusta, and
Atlanta VAs for medical
treatment.
As the DAV Depart
ment of Georgia Com
mander 1990-91 and
2000-01 and a member
of the National Exec
utive Committee from
2005-07, Ninth District,
Mr. Coward testified be
fore Congress on many
occasions to secure vet
eran benefits and rights.
From 1981 to 1996, Mr.
Coward donated 21,000+
volunteer hours help
ing veterans and their
families, and in 1990
was nominated for and
selected as Citizen of the
Year for his outstanding
service to veterans.
Mr. Coward’s military
affiliations include:
Golden Rodent, National
Order of Trench Rats
(2005-2007); The Chosin
Few; American Legion
- Post 30, Albany, GA;
Amvets; VFW, Post
2785, Albany, GA; Fleet
Reserve Association,
Branch 39, Albany, GA
as president and trea
surer.
Masonic affiliations
include: 33rd Degree
Scottish Rite Mason;
Triangle Lodge 708;
Daylight Lodge 741;
Scottish Rite; St. Paul’s
Commandry; Worthy
Patron - Dublin Chapter
175, Order of the Eastern
Star, 1994-1995; Roy
al Patron - Shamrock
Court No. 4, Order of
the Amaranth, Dublin,
GA, 1994, 1996-2003;
Christina Court No. 18,
Order of the Amaranth,
Albany, GA; Grand
Royal Patron, Order of
the Amaranth, State of
Georgia 2000-2001; and
charter member of Wire
Grass York Rite College,
Tifton, GA.
Mr. Coward was a
member and lay speak
er of Avalon UMC in
Albany, GA from 1952
forward and represented
the church at the Annual
Methodist Conference
for many years. He was
a member of the Friend
ship Sunday School
Class.
He was preceded in
death by his wife, Jan
Currie Coward, and
his first wife Gladys
Haecke, as well as his
son, William Lloyd
Coward, Jr. He was the
son of Walter Monroe
Coward and Vella York
Coward, and the brother
of Ruth Coward Pugh,
Myrtle Coward Stew
art, Clarence Coward,
Worth Coward, and Alan
Coward.
Mr. Coward loved to
sing and was a fantastic
dancer. He is survived by
his step-children, Steven
Nobles and Susan Scar
brough, by his grandchil
dren, Haley Nobles and
Noah Nobles, and by a
host of friends. He was
beloved by all.
Funeral services were
held Saturday, July 2,
2022, in the Chan Stan
ley Memorial Chapel of
Stanley Funeral Home
and Crematory, with
interment following on
Tuesday, July 5, 2022, at
Andersonville National
Cemetery. Rev. Gerald
Hutchinson, Jr. officiat
ed.
To sign the online
register book please visit
www.stanleyfuneral-
home.com
The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, July 6,2022, Page 7A
South GeorgiaLEADS Opens
Recruitment for Sixth Year
Special to the Ledger
South GeorgiaLEADS
opens recruitment for
the 2022-2023 cohort of
its 21-county leadership
development initiative.
Dedicated to investing in
the communities of South
Georgia and strengthen
ing the leadership capac
ity of the region, South
GeorgiaLEADS (SGL)
seeks participants from
diverse perspectives and
backgrounds who share
a common vision of
improving the economic
vitality of the region.
Supported by strong
corporate sponsors,
South GeorgiaLEADS
links business and
civic leaders, educators,
non-profit profession
als, elected and public
officials, and other
interested participants
to the region’s econom
ic development agenda
and efforts. Facilitated
by faculty from the
University of Georgia’s
J.W. Fanning Institute
for Leadership Devel
opment, the program
ties the challenges and
opportunities that are
unique to South Georgia
with leadership training
giving program partic
ipants greater insight
on the skills needed to
engage on issues and find
meaningful solutions.
South GeorgiaLEADS
Chair Barbara Grogan
shares her enthusiasm for
this year’s program. “On
behalf of the Board of
Directors, we are excit
ed and encouraged to
launch the 6th cohort of
South GeorgiaLEADS.
Having seen phenom
enal success through
the years, South Geor
giaLEADS now has
over 160 alumni, and
the numbers continue to
grow each year. There
are many strong leaders
and determined citizens
in Southwest Georgia,
and they are leading the
way through program
ming, advocacy, and rep
resentation of the region
with SGL. I am honored
to continue serving as
Chairman of the Board
of Directors, and antici
pate only more positive,
beneficial networks,
resources and services
to grow and expand
with our next cohort of
leaders.”
The purpose of Locate
South GeorgiaLEADS
is to develop informed,
aware, and educated
leaders to promote and
grow South Georgia by:
• Increasing awareness
of assets and resources;
• Creating a shared
sense of regional pride
and ownership in both
action and solutions;
• Strengthening part
nerships and alliances;
and
• Enhancing political
influence and acuity to
support the needs and
opportunities of South
Georgia.
For more information
about South Geor
giaLEADS, please visit
their website at https://
southgeorgialeads.org/.
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229-432-0053 ST
LEE COUNTY
Life works well here.
PUBLIC NOTICE
for
ROAD ABANDONMENT of
CARTER PLACE ROAD
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Lee County, Georgia, has
determined that Carter Place Road, a dirt road with entrance and exit on Hwy
195 at parcel 045 030 and parcel 053 017. That which has been proposed for
abandonment is that portion of a county road right of way known as Carter
Place Road, which traverses property operated at Southern Hills Orchards for
approximately two (2) miles. Said property is located in Land Lots 075 and 105
of the 14th Land District of Lee County, Georgia; and
WHEREAS, Georgia Code requires that notice of such determination be pub
lished in the local legal organ once a week for a period of two (2) weeks;
NOW, THEREFORE, this is NOTICE of the foregoing determination and
notice that a public hearing will be conducted during the regular meeting of
the Lee County Board of Commissioners regarding the closure of the Car
ter Place Road beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12,2022 at the Lee
County Governmental Offices located at 102 Starksville Avenue North, Lees
burg, Georgia. Any citizen of Lee County or any person wherever residing may
be heard by the Lee County Board of Commissioners during the aforesaid
public hearing.
Maps are on file in the office of the Lee County Planning, Zoning & Engineer
ing Department located at 102 Starksville Avenue North, Leesburg, Georgia
and may be reviewed along with any information by contacting Christi Dock
ery, County Manager between 8:00am and 5:00pm Monday through Friday
except holidays at (229) 759-6000.
Leesburg’s
Hometown
Funeral Home
“Our family serving
Your family since 2015.”
JOSEPH W. JONES
FUNERAL HOME Qpj
in Leesburg ^
375 US Hwy 19 S.,
Leesburg, GA
www.josephwjones.com
229-814-1415