Newspaper Page Text
The Jackson Herald
WARD IN VIETNAM
Mike Ward is shown
in Vietnam in 1971.
Monument in
Nicholson to
honor veteran
BYANGELA GARY
A monument being
placed in Nicholson will
honor Vietnam veteran
Mike Ward. A dedica
tion for the monument
will be held at 1:30 p.m.
on Saturday, Oct. 28, at
the Nicholson Communi
ty Center.
The dedication ceremo
ny will include comments
from speaker David
Fouch, a former WSB
radio news broadcaster;
a 21-gun salute; “Amaz
ing Grace” played on the
bagpipes by Jefferson
resident Kevin Throne;
taps played by John
Wagner; and National
Anthem and “God Bless
America” sung by Ashley
Tucker of Hartwell.
Refreshments will be
served at the conclusion
of the monument dedi
cation in the Nicholson
Community Center.
Ward, who joined the
Army in 1968, flew heli
copters for the 101st Avi
ation Battalion of Viet
nam from 1970-71. He
was awarded the Army
Bronze Star, Army Com
mendation Medal and
two distinguished Flying
Crosses for heroism.
Ward is remembered
by many in the commu
nity for giving helicop
ter rides at the Nicholson
Daisy Festival in the late
1970s and early 1980s to
raise money for the city.
Ward was a helicop
ter pilot for WSB Radio
and 11 Alive television,
as well as later being
employed by Helicopter
Express in Lawrencev-
ille, specializing in con
tract fire fighting for the
United States govern
ment. He died on Aug.
11. 2004, while deliver
ing supplies to firefight
ers battling a blaze in
Washington State.
He is the son of Pat and
Annie Ruth Palmer Ward,
Nicholson, and attend
ed Benton Elementary
School, Commerce High
School and the Universi
ty of Georgia.
Boo Fest
coming up
in Commerce
A Halloween event is
coming up in Commerce
next week.
The Boo Fest on Broad
will be held at the public
library from 6 p.m. to 8
p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24.
There will be spooky sto
ries. games, face painting,
photo booth, balloon artist,
juggler and costume con
test.
The library is located at
1344 South Broad Street in
Commerce.
There will also be trick
or treating at the fire and
police departments on Oct.
24, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The police and fire
departments are located at
1491 South Elm Street.
Friends
Oct. 18, 2017
Do you have an idea
for a feature story?
Email Angela Gary at
Angela@mainstreetnews.
com or call 706-410-1022.
Section C
Historic Courthouse Heritage Celebration held in Braselton
MURDER MYSTERY PRESENTED AT HERITAGE DINNER
The Jackson County Historic Courthouse Heritage Celebration
dinner was held Saturday at the historic Braselton gym. During
the dinner, guests were given an update on the second-floor
courtroom project along with a murder mystery case to solve.
Shown here are the cast of the murder mystery. Shown are:
Lydia Hill, Ruby; Ashley Shumake, Hazel; Wendy Oesterle,
June; Sloane Meyer, and Wanda Burns, Virginia. Curt Collier,
Lucky, the owner of the Half Moon Club, and Stephen Ingle,
Leonard, were also cast members.
Photos by Wesleigh Sagon
LIVE AUCTION
The Jackson County Historic Courthouse heri
tage celebration dinner was held Saturday at the
Historic Braselton Gym. Curt Collier portrayed
Lucky, the owner of the Half Moon Club, where the
murder mystery took place. Here, Collier auctions
off original ceiling tiles framed in salvaged wood
from the 1879 courthouse.
STEPPING OUT OF THE 1920S
The Jackson County Historic Courthouse Restoration Committee held its
heritage celebration dinner Saturday at the Historic Braselton Gym. The
theme was the 1920s. Guests were served a dinner that consisted of dishes
that were enjoyed in the era of Flappers, Speakeasies and Model A Fords.
Longtime county employee honored
with intersection name designation
BYANGELA GARY
An intersection in Jefferson has been named in honor
of Annie Mae Collins Maddox, who worked for 33 years
in Jackson County government as an employee in the tax
collector's office and as the voter registrar.
The intersection is located at the intersection of Hwy.
15A and Hwy. 335 in Jefferson and is designated as the
“Annie Mae Maddox Memorial Intersection.”
A petition was signed by 600 people in support of this
action, which was then approved by the Georgia House
of Representatives after being presented by Rep. Tommy
Benton.
The resolution includes the following: “She lived her
life full of love of God and family, civic activities related
to her fellow man. and a professional life in her beloved
courthouse in Jefferson.”
Mrs. Maddox worked as the voter registrar for 33 years,
from 1958 through 1991, when she retired at the age of 85.
While serving as the voter registrar, Mrs. Maddox was
the selective service secretary for Jackson County during
the Vietnam War. where it is noted that she “handled the
job with grace during a time when she was often criticized
due to the unpopularity of the war.”
“She loved her country and the young men that served
in the Armed Services,” her daughter, Janet Thomas states.
“Every time a bus of inductees left Jefferson, she gave the
young men a hug and looked each and every one in the eye
and had a message of love for them.”
Mrs. Maddox was a member of the United Methodist
Church, where she organized a group now called the
United Methodist Women in 1941 at Nicholson United
Methodist Church.
She served as the secretary for the Charge Conference
of the United Methodist Athens Elberton District for many
years. She was also a Sunday School teacher.
The civic duties of Mrs. Maddox included being a mem
ber of the Eastern Star organization.
Mrs. Maddox was also involved in activities supporting
the public schools.
Mrs. Maddox was married to James Pearman Maddox,
who was the vocational agriculture high school teacher
for Benton School. They have two daughters. Jerald Ann
Anthony and Sara Janet Thomas.
SIGN UNVEILED
Family members of Annie Mae Maddox, are shown along with Rep. Tommy
Benton and Jefferson city officials as the sign recognizing her was unveiled.
The sign was placed at the intersection of Hwy. 15A and Hwy. 335 in Jefferson.
MADDOX
Annie Mae Maddox
worked as the voter reg
istrar for 33 years, from
1958 through 1991,
when she retired at the
age of 85. A sign in her
honor has been placed
in Jefferson.
o
