The Wiregrass Farmer, January 6,2016 - Page 5
Obituaries
Hanner services at First Baptist
Funeral Services for Mr. Royce Hanner, 86,
of Ashburn, GA were held at 2:00 PM, Monday,
| January 4, 2016 at the
Ashburn First Baptist
Church. Rev. David Smith
and Remington Smith
brought words of comfort.
Jonathan Perry sang "Mid
night Cry"; Jody Branch
sang "I Can Only Imag
ine"; Judy Whitehead
H played some of his fa
vorite selections for the prelude
and postlude. Mr. Hanner's grand
son, Ben Hanner, played for his
grandfather "Amazing Grace" on
the guitar at the graveside. Pallbearers were
Allen Whitehead, Mitch Raines, John Raines,
Steve House, Jeff Carter and T. Greg Brown.
The Gilbert Branch Sunday School class set in
as honorary group in an honor of his many years
of teaching the class. Mr. Hanner went home to
be with his Lord, Saturday at his residence fol
lowing a short illness. Interment was private in
the Rose Hill Cemetery in Ashburn.
The son of the late Alto and Bessie Missouri
Powell Hanner, Sr., he was born in Marion
County, GA. Mr. Hanner was a member of the
Ashburn First Baptist Church, where he served
as a deacon and Sunday School teacher for
many years. He served his country in the US
Army as a Military Police Office during the Ko
rean Conflict.
Mr. Hanner was former owner and operator
of Hanner TV Sales and Service for over 15
years. He was retired from the Turner County
Board of Education where he was a Vo Tech
teacher in electronics. Mr. Hanner believed in
the young people and often commented, “Young
people are an important part of my life”. He was
selected Star Teacher in 1979, 1982, 1992 and
1994. In March of 1988, Mr. Hanner was se
lected to serve as coordinator of the Ft. Gordon
Electronics Technology teachers. Mr. Hanner
also served on the Turner County Board of Ed
ucation from 1969 to 1972, the board of direc
tors of the Chamber of Commerce and chairman
of the Retail Merchants Association of Ashburn.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Jean Han
cock Hanner of Ashburn,GA; his children,
Karen Williford of Jasper, GA; Donna Jean
Foltz of Milledgeville, GA; Patricia Ann (Bill)
Cason of Valdosta, GA; Linda (Tim) Bell of
Sycamore, GA and Daniel Royce (Kim) Hanner
of Gray, GA. His grandchildren, Tom Williford,
Mary Ann Kapilevich, Mike Williford, David
Foltz, Elizabeth Hawkins, Jessica Bell, Rachel
Bell, Jared Bell, Ben Hanner, Daniel Hanner and
Lyndsie Hanner. Also surviving are his brothers,
Cecil Hanner of Columbus, GA and Boyce Han
ner of Buena Vista, GA and many nieces and
nephews.
The family received friends Sunday evening
from Five until Seven at Perry Funeral Chapel
in Ashburn.
For those that wish to do so, memorial gifts
may be made in memory of Royce Hanner to
Gideons International, PO Box 347, Sycamore,
Georgia 31790.
You may sign the online guest book and
share your special condolences and memories
with the family by visiting our website:
www.perryfuneralchapel .com
Clower services at High Hill Baptist
Bobby Neil Clower, 67, of Fitzgerald, Geor
gia, died Monday, December 28,2015, at Irwin
County Hospital in Ocilla.
Funeral services were held 4PM, Thursday,
December 31,2015 at High Hill Baptist Church
in Turner County, with the Rev. Danny Gay of
ficiating. Interment followed in Rose Hill
Cemetery in Turner County. The family re
ceived friends Wednesday evening, from 6 to 8,
at the funeral home in Fitzgerald.
Mr. Clower was born December 15,1948 in
Turner County, to the late Robert Clark and
Dorothy Elizabeth Nelson Clower. He worked
for a pants factory in Sycamore while he lived
in Ashburn. Mr. Clower moved to the commu
nity in 1980 and worked in the mobile home in
dustry. He was a carpenter and enjoyed building
doghouses. He was a loving husband, father
and grandfather and he also enjoyed fishing and
country music. He was of the Baptist faith.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years:
Mary Clower of Fitzgerald; children: Cynthia
James & D.J. of Moultrie, Sherry Grover &
David of Laurel Hill, Florida, Warren Dunbar of
Fitzgerald, Donald Dunbar & Tammy of St. Au
gustine, Florida and Michelle Simmons of De
Funiak Springs, Florida; 14 grandchildren; one
great-grandchild; and three sisters: Dorothy
Clyde Kennedy of Ashburn, Evelyn Roberts of
Fitzgerald, and Rhonda & Tony Self of Ash
burn. Several nieces and nephews also survive.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in
death by a granddaughter: Mary Elizabeth
Volee Eubanks and two sisters: Ann Rathburn
and Connie Wilcox.
To sign the online registry, go to
www.paulkfuneralhome .com.
Paulk Funeral Home, Fitzgerald, was in
charge of arrangements.
Church
Praise and worship
The Dixie Melody Boys are an American
Southern Gospel quartet from Kinston, North
Carolina. They have been active for over 50
years. This quartet is determined to continue
their great legacy while breaking new ground
in Southern Gospel music. They strive to pres
ent the very best in quartet music to glorify the
Savior and uplift the sinner and the saint.
Please join us at Sycamore Baptist Church this
Sunday night, January 10, at 6:00 for a night
of praise and worship as this quartet blesses us
in song.
Bethel Baptist
BIG BUCK/LITTLE BUCK CONTEST
A season long contest for the biggest buck
(All ages) and smallest buck (larger than a
spike, for 16 year olds & under). Prizes for the
Biggest Buck and Smallest Buck to be
awarded at WILD GAME DINNER on Jan.
16th. There will be other door prizes that
night! Special Guest Speaker is Kyle Woodfin
of Legacy Outdoor Ministries. Call Bethel
Baptist Church Office for details: 567-4090.
Church services
Pastor Joseph Neese welcomes you to
Christ Foundation Ministries, 222 E. Monroe
Ave. (in the old Rogers Plaza shopping cen
ter). Our church services are: Sunday School
10 a.m.; Worship services 11 a.m.; Wednesday
Bible Study 7 p.m. Come join us!
LAG Ministries
LAG Ministries: The Living Almighty God
Ministries invite each of you in the commu
nity to a God annointed informative teaching
workshop on Biblical layman teaching. There
will be a new topic each month. If you are
teachable and not ashamed that you do not
know, this is the place for you. The classes are
free, and will start on each 3rd Saturday in
each month from 4:30 pm till 6 pm at the City
of Ashburn Youth Resource Center. Ages
adults, young adults, teens 13-18 years old.
We want to reach as many in the community
that need a spiritual revelation on the word of
God. For more information call Minister
Gwendolyn Mathis, 229-567-0412 or 229-
567-6003. Please come and be blessed. Re
freshments will be served.
Emmery services
Emmery Chapel AME Church, located at
215 Leesburg Hwy. 32 West in Ashburn, GA
would like to announce our church services.
Sunday School each Sunday at 9 am. and wor
ship services on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 10
am.
Facing the impossible challenges of 2016
With Christmas behind us
and the New Year before us
most of us are rushing along
preparing to face whatever lies
ahead. But we would do well
to slow down enough to reflect
on what we have just finished
celebrating and take time to
allow the spiritual impact of it
all to sink deeply into our
hearts so that we can be
strengthened and directed by it
during 2016.
In Luke’s account of the
birth of Christ the writer in
cluded this comment: “But
Mary treasured up all these
things and pondered them in
her heart” (Luke 2:19, New In
ternational Version). Certainly
the mother of the Christ-child
had seen, heard and experi
enced a lot and she was unwill
ing to allow it to fade away
without her deeply considering
the immeasurable value of it
all. May we, too, refuse to
rush away from the lasting
meaning of Christmas and
dash into the new year without
grasping what God has done
for us through the lasting Gift
that was born in Bethlehem.
As we think upon those events
surrounding the birth of Christ
so long ago, there are some
practical things that we can
glean that can be of tremen
dous value to us in the new
year.
One thing that we can
glean from the birth of Christ
is the example of good citizen-
Inspiration
ship. Luke 2 tells us that the
government of that day re
quired the people to go to their
home towns to register. Joseph
did what he was supposed to
do; he went to Bethlehem just
as the law required. From that
it is safe to say that Joseph was
a good and obedient citizen.
As we go through 2016 it
should be our desire to be the
best citizens that we can be by
obeying the laws of the land.
Another thing that we can
glean from the birth of Christ
is encouragement to endure
adversities with faith and obe
dience. Joseph and Mary en
tered Bethlehem as Mary
reached the time when her
baby was to be born, only to
face the heartbreaking truth
that they had no place to stay
because there was no room in
the inn. That had to be exceed
ingly disappointing, yet it did
not deter them from continu
ing to obediently fulfill God’s
plan. 2016 will have some dis
appointments and perhaps
even some failures for each of
us, but we can face them as
Joseph and Mary did—with
faith, obedience and determi
nation.
Obviously no one knows
what 2016 holds, but we can
rest assured that God not only
knows the future, but He is ab
solutely in control. As we trust
and follow Him, even in a
world that is full of uncertain
ties, we can gain assurance
from the words that the angel
spoke to Mary before the birth
of Christ: “For nothing is im
possible with God” (Luke
1:37). In the face of so many
unknowns around us as we at
tempt to navigate through a
world that is filled with adver
sities, it should put our minds
at ease to be reminded that
God is able to do all things.
The birth of Christ is proof of
that; our lives are living exam
ple of it as well.
As we leave 2015 and
move into 2016 we can gain
strength to move forward as
we follow Mary’s example of
treasuring the mighty works of
God up in our hearts and think
ing deeply upon them. No
matter what the new year
holds, God is able to do the im
possible. What a peaceful
truth!
DONATED DEER
The Deer Shack donated a processed deer to The Shepherd’s Pantry food bank
in Ashburn. The deer was a roadkill picked up just after the accident. Pictured are
Randy Simpkins and Stacey Keen.
RIBBON CUTTING
USA Fireworks, next to Carroll’s Sausage, held a grand opening and ribbon cutting
in time for the New Year’s holiday.
We invite you to attend the Church of your choice this Sunday
r?*Uv
COLONY
515 E. Washington Ave.
Ashburn, 567-4383
You can
advertise here
567-3655
ft South Georgia
Banking Company
Member HI It *'t=
561 E. Washington St.
Ashburn, GA 31714
567-9686
Bishop Well & Pump
Service
Tifton, 382-6117
1-800-342-9345
Parker
Chevrolet
Gorday Drive
Ashburn, 567-3306
Expanded
church info
available
567-3655
Ashburn First Baptist -302 McLendon St.
Ashburn First United Methodist - N. Main St.
Bethel Baptist - Hwy 32 E. Sycamore
Christ Foundation - Rogers Plaza
Christian Union Church of God - Industrial Dr.
Church of Christ - Industrial Dr.
Church of God By Faith - W. Madison Ave.
Dakota Baptist - Hwy 41 N
Double Run Baptist - Hwy 159 N
Dayspring Church of the Nazarene - 983 North St.
Emmery Chapel AME - 215 Leesburg Hwy
Friendship Baptist - Story Rd.
Grace Fellowship - 133 N. Gordon St.
Harmony Baptist - W. Turner County
Haw Pond Baptist - 1511 Hawpond Rd. Arabi
High Hill Baptist - 5 miles N of Ashburn
Inaha Baptist - Hwy 41 S.
Independent Faith Baptist - Sycamore
Jesus Temple of God - 194 Pate St.
Living Waters Fellowship - 417 E. Madison Ave.
New Providence Baptist Church- W. Washington
Morningside Baptist - 215 E. Monroe Ave.
Mt. Zion Church of God - W. Monroe Ave.
United Pentecostal - Sycamore
New Hope Baptist - Bussey Rd.
New Mt. Olive Baptist - E. Washington Ave.
New Mount Zion Baptist - 105 South Jefferson St.
New Prospect Freewill Baptist
Oak Grove Baptist
Piney Grove Baptist - Rebecca
Pleasant Hill Baptist - Rebecca
Rebecca Baptist - 166 Ashley St. E. Rebecca
Rocky Mount Baptist
New Hope Baptist Church- 222 HC Willaims Rd.
S. Ashburn Holiness - Pearl Ave.
Sycamore Baptist - Hwy 41 S
Sycamore United Methodist - Sycamore
Tabernacle of Praise 61 Emily St. Sycamore
Terrell Baptist - Hwy 112 W
Trinity Baptist - Pineknot Rd.
Rebecca United Methodist - Rebecca
Wideman Chapel - Rebecca
Zion Hope Baptist Church - 521 Joe Lawrence Rd
Emmanuel Missionary Baptist - Sycamore
Amboy Baptist - Hwy 159 N
Israels Temple - 635 W. Washington Ave.
St. Luke Missionary Bapt. - North Leary Rd.
St Theresa’s Catholic Church - 807 S. 3rd St., Cordele
New Mt. Pleasant - 200 Dunlap Circle
El Shaddai Ministry - 536 Carlos Ave.
Greater Faith C.O.P. Ministries - 250 Adams St.
New Jerusalem Freewill Baptist - Lee St.
New Jerusalem Holiness Church - 210 Carlos Ave.
Christ Foundation Assembly of God - 222 E. Monroe
God’s Ministries of Hope - 81 Emile St., Sycamore
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses - 640 Gorday Dr.
