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Tuesday, August 24,2021 Chi' l)era(ti <©a??tt? 5A DEATH NOTICES Obituaries are published as received Barry Wayne McWilliams Barry Wayne McWilliams passed away on August 14, 2021, at his home outside Whitehall, Montana. He was 79 years old. Barry was born on February 17, 1942, in North Hollywood, California, to Leigh and Irene (Hewitt) McWilliams in a hospital with blackout curtains due to the fear of Japanese invasion of the west coast following Pearl Harbor. He spent his younger years in what he referred to as an “immigrant home” where three distinct families shared a small three-bedroom house with wall-to-wall mat tresses. Throughout his life, he reminisced about that simpler time growing up on Carpenter Avenue with his beloved sister and cousins. His love of literature led him to his first true profession, teaching English, but it was not to be his last. He trained hors es in the mountains of North ern New Mexico, drove a Pepsi truck and later a talc truck, and ultimately found himself selling ads and shooting pictures for the Madisonian, a small weekly newspaper in Virginia City, Montana, where he realized his lifelong dream of be ing a cartoonist might actually happen. At first, began drawing his weekly editorial cartoon, J.P. Doodles, for the Madisonian — for free. A few months later, he split a week’s worth of firewood for his family, bought a week’s worth of food, spent his last $20 on gas, and headed out across Montana on a late-November night with packets of cartoons. The first paper to sign on was the Sanders County Ledger in Thomp son Falls, Montana. Eventually, he cartooned from four continents for more than 1,500 newspapers and visited hundreds of elementary schools teaching kids to draw. He continued ‘tooning right up to the end, sending out his last Back-to-School cartoon on the Thursday before he passed. Barry was a character. Unique. Unlike anyone you’ve ever met. He was a born salesman and an incredible idealist. He was an adventurer who hitch hiked around Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War to interview soldiers, joined a government trade mission to Asia, declared himself “shipwrecked” on Flinders Island off the southern coast of Australia, and helped mastermind America’s biggest cattle drive in over a hundred years. He was a poet, an enigma, and a dreamer. He could walk into a res taurant and sit there for hours talking to complete strangers who quickly became friends. He had a tremendous love for animals, something his mother instilled in him at a young age that gave him purpose until the day he passed. His hearty laugh could fill a room, often followed by a subdued “oh, sh*t.” Some times, he was exasperating, but never intentionally; at his core, he had the biggest heart and the best intentions. He was a brother, a cousin, an uncle, and a husband (a number of times). He was a father and Papa Bar who loved his kids and grandkids above all else, even when he struggled to show it. He didn’t believe in boundaries or limits, only that they were a perception and something to overcome. He never seemed to be in a hurry except when he needed to get his cartoons out to the papers. Barry was preceded in death by his parents Leigh and Irene McWilliams; his sister Maureen (Charles) Byrne and baby sister Cheryl McWilliams who died during infancy; his half-brother Leigh (Milly) McWil liams Jr. and half-sister Eleanor (Bob) Sowers; as well as numerous other relatives he kept in contact with on and off throughout the years. He is survived by his children, Colin (Cynthia) McWilliams, Summer (Michael) Marston, Ethan (Megan) McWilliams, and Noah (Jessica) McWilliams; his eight grandchildren, Kirby, Catherine, Amelia, River, Grant, Matilda, Gar rett, and Charlotte; as well as the incredible ladies he married (not all at the same time) and mothers to his kids, Catharine (Courter) Dombrovske, Nancy (Smith) Tarnai, and Mary Ellen Doty. A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, August 26, 2021, from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Whitehall Community Center, 11 N. Division Street, Whitehall MT 59759. The public is welcome. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to 4 Paws Rescue, PO Box 13, Cardwell MT 59721. Memo ries, anecdotes, etc. are encouraged and can be shared with his kids by emailing Barry@BarrysCar- toons.com. John Milton Jackson Mr. John Milton Jackson, age 87, of Barnesville, Georgia, passed away on Thursday, August 12, 2021 at Upson Regional Medical Center. John was born on Thursday, October 12, 1933 in Conyers, Georgia to the late Dave Jackson and the late Exer Waldrop Jackson. He was preceded in death by a wife, Mildred Moore Jackson. He retired from Davis Cooper Ford. John enjoyed watching wrestling, listening to Johnny Cash, watching movies and travel ing to the mountains and the beach. He was a mem ber of Emmanuel Baptist Church. John is survived by children, David & Jenny Jackson, Edward & Allyson Jackson, Theresa & Derek Dawson; grandchildren, Ashley Jackson, Scott Jack- son, Oreon Jackson, Daniel Jackson, Natalie Morris; great-grandchildren, Chaz Jackson, Charlton Jackson, Bryce Smith, Kenslie Smith, Avalon Smith; special friend, Janice McJunkin. Funeral services for Mr. John Jackson was held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at Emmanuel Baptist Church with Reverend Bud Gleaton officiat ing. Interment followed in Greenwood Cemetery. Friends visited the family on Friday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Wounded Warriors Project (https://www.wounded- warriorproject.org/) in memory of Mr. John Jackson. To make an online condolence, please visit www. williams-westburyfuneralhome.com Williams-Westbury Funeral Home, 526 College Drive, Barnesville, is serving the Jackson Family. Robert Dallas Blackmon Robert Dallas Blackmon, age 47, of Forsyth passed away Monday, August 16, 2021. His wishes were to be cremated. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Robert, the son of the late Johnny Frank Blackmon and Rita Angela White Blackmon was born July 6, 1974 in Forsyth, Georgia. His brother Johnny Frank Blackmon preceded him in death. He was employed as a shipping supervisor with Jordan Forestry Saw Mill. Robert is survived by Laurie Blackmon of Forsyth; children, Bailey Blackmon and Austin Blackmon of Forsyth; brother; Richard Blackmon of Forsyth; sister-in-law, Nancy Blackmon; niece, Ashley Black mon; nephew, James Blackmon (Mallory) of Thomas- ton; great nephew, Jacob Blackmon; nephew, Jason Whitcomb; uncles James Blackmon (Ella) and Gary White (Peggy) of Barnesville; and a host of cousins. Please visit www.monroecountymemorialchapel. com to express tributes. Monroe County Memorial Chapel has charge of local arrangements. Barry Eugene Casteel Mr. Barry Eugene Casteel, age 85, of Barnesville, Georgia, passed away on Monday, August 16, 2021 at Upson Regional Medical Center. Barry was born on Thursday, September 2, 1935 in Thomaston, Georgia to the late Claude Edward Casteel and the late Willie Hazel Britt Casteel. He was preceded in death by a wife, Geraldine Rogers Casteel; son, Britt Casteel; a brother and two sisters. Barry was a proud Veteran of the United States Army and the United States Navy. He retired from Aldora Mills. He enjoyed dancing, woodworking, and watch ing westerns. He was a lifetime member of the Lamar County VFW. Barry is survived by his children, Robin & Mark Long, Craig & Annette Casteel, Pebbles Fisher, Christie & Jimmy Lane; 11 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Graveside funeral services for Mr. Barry Casteel were held at 12:00 noon on Thursday, August 19, 2021 at Andersonville National Cemetery. Friends visited the family on Wednesday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. To make an online condolence, please visit www. williams-westburyfuneralhome.com Williams-Westbury Funeral Home, 526 College Drive, Barnesville, is serving the Casteel Family. Extension office is open The Lamar County Extension office is open to the public. “We sincerely appreciate the patience of the public during the repair and renovation of our office,” said Octavia Jackson. “Please contact us at 770-358- 5163 if you have any questions.” Jennfier Hand, Katherine Mann honored at Abraham Baldwin Students who achieved academ ic excellence in their course work during the sum mer term were recently recog nized at Abraham Baldwin Agricul tural College, including two students from Lamar County. Jennifer Hand of Barnesville and Kather ine Mann of Mil ner both earned the Distinguished Achievement List honor. The Distin guished Achieve ment List is com posed of students who complete between six and 11 hours of aca demic work with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. NEED ANSWERS? Are you facing an unplanned pregnancy? Free pregnancy test and other resources Our goal? To empower you to make a choice you can live with. www.pregnancycentermonroecounty.org The Pregnancy Center 13 N. Lee Street, Suite 2000 On the Square in Forsyth 478-994-3173 0PTI0NLINE.ORG BARNESVILLE MARBLE & GRANITE COMPANY Serving Middle Georgia For 110 Years Designers & Manufacturers of Marble, Granite & Bronze Since 1908 George & Janice Moore 770-358-1470 124 Railroad St., Barnesville, GA 30204 The Barnesville-Lamar County Library Wanted: Part-Time Library Assistant The library is looking for a part-time Library Assistant to work 15-20 hours per week including Saturdays. We are looking for a dependable, energetic person with developed customer service skills, who will work with a minimum of supervision and exercises excellent inde pendent judgement: speaks effectively and is attentive to details. Duties include: patron services, computer assistance and other duties assigned by the Branch Manager. Must be able to lift a minimum of 20 pounds. Minimum Training and Experience: High School Diploma and familiar with computers. Applications and resumes’: May be submitted to the Library Manager in person at 401 Thomaston Street, Barnesville GA. For more information, call the Barnesville-Lamar County Library 770-358-3270 l ~ The Fletcher Family ~ We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone that called, text, visited, gave tokens of love, etc. Navigating through this unimaginable time was more at ease with the love and support shown by each of you to our family. We are forever grateful. As we adjust to our new normal, we ask that you continue to keep us lifted and prayed up. i Happy Birthday! Wishing our Mother and GG Sandra Morris a Happy Bithday from Sista, Larry Jr., Mandy, Angie, Kiara, Q, Myah, Daysha, T.T., Jaylen, and Grayson Public Meetings •Aldora Town Commission, Tuesday, September 14,10 a.m., Barnesville Housing Authority; •Barnesville City Council, Monday, September 6, 5:30 p.m., police station; • Barnesville-Lamar County Industrial Development Authority, Thursday, September 9,10:30 a.m., Chamber/IDA board room; • Barnesville-Lamar County Library Board, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 5:30 p.m. •Family Connections Collaborative, Thursday, September 9, 9 a.m., E.P. Roberts Center; • Lamar County Tax Assessors, September 9, 2 p.m., administration building; • Lamar County Board of Education, Monday, September 13, 6 p.m., board offices; • Lamar County Board of Elections, Monday, Sep tember 27, 6 p.m., administration building; • Lamar County Commission, Tuesday, September 21, 7 p.m., courthouse; • Lamar County Health Dept. Thursday, November 18,12 p.m. Health Dept. Building; • Lamar County Soil and Water Conservation District, Wednesday, September 1, 9 a.m., USDA service center; •Milner City Council, Monday, September 20, 6 p.m., Milner Community Library. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted... PSALM 34:18 “Caring Is Our Business” Owned and Operated by Joe and Drew Westbury (770) 358-1678 526 College Dr. Barnesville, GA 30204 email: wwfhbmc@att.net williams-westburyfuneralhome.com Ads build businesses 770.358.NEWS