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The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
Thursday, November 1,2018 9A
Three presidents, Oprah to speak
during final leg of governor’s race
People wait in line for tickets, Wednesday, Oct. 31, in Augusta, to see
former President Barack Obama, who will be speaking at Morehouse
College on Friday for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
BY BILL BARROW
Associated Press
ATLANTA — In the final days
in one of the nation’s hottest gov
ernor’s races, Oprah Winfrey
and President Donald Trump, as
well as former Presidents Barack
Obama and Jimmy Carter and Vice
President Mike Pence, are trying
to put their imprint on the Georgia
election.
Winfrey joins Democratic nomi
nee Stacey Abrams for two town
hall-style events Thursday, the
same day that Pence travels to the
state for several rallies with Repub
lican Brian Kemp.
Trump and Obama will follow
with their party’s candidate over
the next three days. Carter, an
Abrams supporter and former
Georgia governor, garnered sig
nificant attention this week with a
personal plea that Kemp resign as
secretary of state, Georgia’s chief
elections official, to ensure public
confidence in the results of what’s
expected to be a close race.
The blitz underscores the high
stakes in one of the defining con
tests of next week’s midterms, as
Abrams vies to become the first
black female governor in America,
while Kemp tries to maintain the
GOP’s dominance in a state Demo
crats believe is on the cusp of being
a presidential battleground.
The appearance by Winfrey,
among the world’s wealthiest and
most famous black women, is a
significant coup for Abrams, who
needs to maximize her support
from nonwhite voters but also
from liberal white women. All of
those demographics overlap with
Winfrey’s fan base, and she will hit
them all with events in Republican
leaning Cobb County and heavily
Democratic DeKalb County, both
within miles of downtown Atlanta.
Though sometimes mentioned
as a 2020 presidential candidate,
Winfrey has demurred on her
intentions. Her most visible foray
into electoral politics was as an out
spoken supporter of Obama, her
fellow Chicagoan, when he first
won the White House in 2008.
Trump’s appearance may claim
as a casualty the last debate sched
uled between Kemp and Abrams.
The two campaigns had agreed
weeks ago to a debate at 5 p.m. Sun
day in the studios of Atlanta’s WSB-
MICHAEL H0LAHAN I Tribune News Service
TV. But Kemp’s campaign said the
president’s schedule takes prece
dence, and he’s coming to Macon
to hold a rally with Kemp at 4 p.m.
Abrams’ campaign manager,
Lauren Groh-Wargo, says the
debate is off because Kemp backed
out. Kemp adviser Ryan Mahoney
says his candidate is willing to find
another time slot, but Groh-Wargo
says Abrams is booked through
Tuesday’s election.
Multiple polls show a statisti
cal dead heat between Kemp and
Abrams, with a low percentage
of undecided voters remaining.
There’s a possibility of a December
runoff, given that Libertarian Ted
Metz also is on the ballot and Geor
gia’s requirement that the winner
garner a majority of the votes.
FOLKSTON
Autopsy: Woman
kills son, mother,
then herself
Evidence shows a 39-year-old
woman fatally shot her son and
mother before killing herself
at their home, authorities said
Wednesday.
The Georgia Bureau of Inves
tigation said in a news release an
autopsy and other evidence indi
cate Kimberly Gayle Butts was
responsible for a double homi
cide-suicide in rural Charlton
County. Also slain were the wom
an’s 15-year-old son, Caleb Logan
Butts, and her 64-year-old mother,
Jan Elizabeth Kirkland.
The deaths were discovered
Tuesday by Kimberly Butts’
father, Michael Wilson, who
called 911. Wilson told an operator
on the 911 recording that he came
to his daughter’s home to borrow
an onion when he found the kitch
en’s gas stove burning and saw the
bodies, WTLV-TV reported.
The Charlton County Sheriff’s
Office said in its incident report
both women were shot in the
head, while the boy had multiple
gunshot wounds to his chest. One
woman was found in the kitchen.
The other was in a bedroom next
to the boy, with a handgun on her
shoulder.
The GBI said ballistic tests and
other laboratory exams are still
pending in the case.
I AWRFNOFVII I F
Police: Standoff ends
with man charged
Police say a standoff between a
SWAT team and a man barricaded
in his Atlanta home with his fam
ily has ended with no one injured.
Gwinnett County police spokes
man Cpl. Wilbert Rundles tells
news outlets 39-year-old Rashan
Ellis had a gun in the home but
surrendered peacefully Wednes
day morning. A domestic dispute
call sent police to the house.
Rundles says Ellis’ wife and two
children ran out of the home when
officers arrived shortly after mid
night. He says Ellis had slammed
the door behind them and was
inside with the other children.
Police say no threats were made
against the children in the house.
Ellis was arrested on charges
including aggravated assault, cru
elty to children and false impris
onment. It’s unclear if he has a
lawyer who could comment.
ATLANTA
Report: Inaccurate
drug field tests led to
unfounded arrests
A Georgia news station’s inves
tigation has found that some offi
cers relying on field drug tests
made unfounded arrests based on
false positives.
WAGA-TV reports the field test
kits known as NIK tests can mis-
identify things like air freshener
and sweeteners as heroin, ecstasy,
meth or other illegal drugs.
The station says dozens of test
results were reversed by state
crime labs, but only after arrest
ees have been jailed and given
criminal records.
It says on the package of each
test that findings should be con
firmed by an approved labo
ratory, but some departments
weren’t waiting.
Associated Press
OBITUARIES
Donna Faye Coleman
Jan. 19, 1943-Oct. 22, 2018
Donna Faye Coleman, 75, of Gainesville
passed away on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, at
her residence.
Born on Jan. 19, 1943, in
Tenn., she was the daugh
ter of the late Donald Ray
and Geneva Toth Hol
land. She was a loving and
devoted mother and grand
mother as well as a loyal
friend. Donna was loved by
all who knew her. She will
be greatly missed.
Donna lived in the
Atlanta area with her family from 1964-1998
when she moved to Big Canoe. She has lived
in Gainesville for the last five years. Donna
loved her family, pets, books, movies, trivia,
country music, the Atlanta Braves and Fal
cons, as well as SEC Football.
A memorial service will be held at 4
p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in the Cha
pel of Memorial Park Funeral Home with
Dale Geddings officiating. The family will
receive friends at the funeral home on Sat
urday from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.
Mrs. Coleman is survived by her son and
daughter-in-law, Stephen Tyler Coleman
and Malissa Geddings Coleman of Dawson-
ville; daughter and son-in-law, Cynthia Cole
man Williams and Henry Phillip Williams
of Spring Valley, Ohio; four grandchildren:
grandson, Jacob Tyler Coleman of Atlanta,
granddaughter, Macayla Anne Coleman of
Gainesville, grandson, Ryan Matthew Wil
liams, and grandson, Patrick Cole Williams;
two brothers: Richard Michael Holland of
Lithia Springs and Larry Don Holland of
Conyers. She is also survived by her former
husband and children’s father, William Wes
ley Coleman of Hilton Head, S.C.
Send online condolences to www.memori-
alparkfuneralhomes.com.
Memorial Park Funeral Home,
Gainesville
Sign the online guest book at gainesville-
times.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 1,2018
Regina Inez Miller “Sam” Gunter
Oct. 22, 1931-Oct. 30, 2018
Regina Inez Miller “Sam” Gunter, 87,
of Gainesville passed away peacefully on
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, at the Waterford at
Oakwood Memory Care
Facility where she was bat
tling Dementia.
Funeral services will be
held at 2 p.m. on Saturday,
Nov. 3, 2018, at Timber
Ridge Baptist Church with
the Rev. Danny Miller and
the Rev. Chad Dale offici
ating. Interment will follow
in Timber Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Memorial
Park Funeral Home on Friday, Nov. 2,2018,
from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
She was the daughter of the late Tom and
Ida Miller, born on Oct. 22, 1931, in Hall
County. She was a very loving, caring and
devoted sister, wife, mother, grandmother
and great-grandmother. She was a member
of Timber Ridge Baptist Church and loved
her church family.
She always cherished her memories of
her earlier days. She spoke often of how she
loved to sing with her siblings on the radio
and perform at the Gainesville Civic Center.
She loved to plant and grow vegetables in
her garden. She would always have the most
beautiful garden and couldn’t wait to harvest
and preserve the food she had grown. Most
of all she enjoyed cooking and baking fabu
lous meals for her family and friends. Every
one enjoyed going to Nanny’s house and
looked forward to eating a delicious meal
and visiting with her as often as possible.
In addition to her parents, she was pre
ceded in death by her brothers, Homer, Lyn
and Ray Miller; sisters, Claudine Miller,
Barbara Lester; sons, Johnny Dale, Greg
Chattanooga,
Garrison; sisters-in-law, Rachel Miller and
Margaret Miller.
Her remaining survivors include Ron
nie M. Gunter, loving husband of 50 years;
daughters, Angie Garrison Ravan, Laurie
Bryant (Steven); brother, Harvey Miller;
sister and brother-in-law, Jan and Rich
ard Bull; daughter-in-law, Debbie Dale; six
grandchildren, Eric Dale (Ashley), Chad
Dale (Mandy), Katrena Peck (Jason), Tara
Aulet (Robert), Davey and Dawson Bryant;
nine great-grandchildren; and several nieces
and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff
and caregivers at the Waterford at Oakwood
and Homestead Hospice for their caring and
loving support they gave Regina and her
family during her stay. They also appreciate
all the prayers and support that have been
shown during this difficult time.
In lieu of flowers you may make a dona
tion to Timber Ridge Baptist Church, 4895
Timber Ridge Road, Gainesville, GA 30507.
Send online condolences to www.memori-
alparkfuneralhomes.com.
Memorial Park Funeral Home,
Gainesville
Sign the online guest book at gainesville-
times.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 1,2018
Alison Elaine Haas
Sept. 2, 1957-Oct. 29, 2018
Alison Elaine Haas, 61, reached the end
of her worldly journey in the early hours
of Oct. 29, after a short illness from colon
cancer. She was born in
Midland, Mich., Sept. 2,
1957, to Paul and Donetta
Haas. She spent her child
hood in Michigan creating
many wonderful memories
with her family including
summer picnics, vacations
spent at the lakeshore and
years of fun and joyful
holiday celebrations. She
graduated from Central Michigan Univer
sity with a degree in business administra
tion and worked with multiple businesses in
Michigan until she moved to Georgia. Alison
was employed for the past 30 years, as an
outstanding purchasing manager at Emory
University and the American Cancer Soci
ety in Atlanta, Ga. Alison was hard-working,
tender-hearted, generous and loving with
her family and friends. She possessed a
witty, sharp and dry sense of humor that will
be dearly missed by all who knew her. She
would often have her entire family hysteri
cal with laughter at something she said or a
story she was conveying. Family gatherings
will never be the same in her absence.
Alison had a close and adoring relation
ship with her mom. In recent years, she was
vital in helping to care for her mother during
her illness and subsequent death. She went
far above anyone’s expectations in order
to infuse so much quality and joy into her
mother’s life.
She is survived by her father, Paul Haas,
of Gainesville, Ga.; her sisters, Teresa Petri-
moulx, of Midland, Mich., and Kathryn (Ray
mond) Kusisto of Fort Wayne, Ind.; brothers,
Steven (LaRinda Braun) Haas of Clermont,
Fla., and Bryan (Patrice Quander) Haas of
Newport News, Va. Alison leaves behind
special, valued friends Amy Demore-Jones,
Trisha Quaile and Fiona Bowen. Alison’s cat,
Buddha (Boo-Boo) was a particular source of
happiness in her life, and predeceased her
by many years. Her family is taking comfort
in the knowledge that she is now safe and
pain-free with her beloved mother, Donetta,
who predeceased her in 2017.
Her viewing will be held at Memorial Park
Funeral Home, 2030 Memorial Park Drive,
Gainesville, GA on Thursday, Nov. 1,6-8 p.m.
Her funeral will be held at the Church of the
Good Shepherd, 3740 Holtzclaw Road, Cum-
ming, GA on Friday, Nov. 2, at 11 a.m.
Send online condolences to www.memori-
alparkfuneralhomes.com.
Memorial Park Funeral Home,
Gainesville
Sign the online guest book at gainesville-
times.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 1,2018
DEATH NOTICES
Freda Joan Heilman Collins
May 9, 1933-Oct. 21, 2018
Freda Joan Heilman Collins, 85, died Oct.
21. Memorial service, 1 p.m. Nov. 8, St. Bren
dan’s Catholic Church. McDonald and Son
Funeral Home, Cumming.
Alvin Douglas Dooley Sr.
April 30, 1957-Oct. 29, 2018
Alvin Douglas Dooley Sr., 61, of Toccoa
died Monday. Whitfield Funeral Home,
South Chapel, Baldwin.
Robert W. Doty
Feb. 5, 1966-Oct. 30, 2018
Robert W. Doty, 52, died Tuesday. A pri
vate family service was held. Flanigan
Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford.
Michael J. Grindle
Died Oct. 30, 2018
Michael J. “Mike” Grindle, 54, of Flowery
Branch died Tuesday. McGahee-Griffin &
Stewart Funeral Home, Cornelia.
Ret. SFC Jerry Jenkins
Died Oct. 17,2018
Ret. SFC Jerry Jenkins, 64, of Gaines
ville died Oct. 17. Memorial service, 11 a.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3, funeral home. Wimberly
Funeral Home, Gainesville.
Janice Emily Crumley Lynn
Aug. 4, 1960-Oct. 30, 2018
Janice Emily Crumley Lynn, 58, of Jeffer
son died Tuesday. Funeral service, 11 a.m.
Friday, Nov. 2, funeral home chapel. Ivie
Funeral Home, Commerce.
Margie JoAnn Milum
March 10, 1967-Oct. 29, 2018
Margie JoAnn Milum, 51, of Dahlonega
died Monday. Funeral service, 11 a.m. Satur
day, Nov. 3, Mill Creek Baptist Church. Ander-
son-Underwood Funeral Home, Dahlonega.
Rrian Joseph Morin
Aug. 15, 1979-Oct. 31, 2018
Brian Joseph Morin, 39, of Dahlonega died
Wednesday. Memorial service, 6 p.m. Satur
day, Nov. 3, funeral home chapel. Anderson-
Underwood Funeral Home, Dahlonega.
Nell Nixon
July 9, 1916-Oct. 22, 2018
Nell Nixon, 102, died Oct. 22. Celebration
of life memorial service, 11 a.m. Nov. 7,
North Avenue Presbyterian Church. Flani
gan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford.
Claudia Pieczynski Orchowski
Died Oct. 30, 2018
Claudia Pieczynski Orchowski, 84, of Cum
ming died Tuesday. Funeral service, noon
Saturday, Nov. 3, Good Shepherd Catholic
Church. McDonald and Son Funeral Home,
Cumming.
Carol Berryman Stowe
Died Oct. 29, 2018
Carol Berryman Stowe, 88, of Buford died
Monday. Funeral service, 11 a.m. Saturday,
Nov. 3, funeral home. Hamilton Mill Memo
rial Chapel, Buford.
Laura Jane Creamer Thompson
Oct. 2, 1925-Oct. 31, 2018
Laura Jane Creamer Thompson, 93, of
Cumming died Wednesday. Funeral service,
2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, funeral home cha
pel. Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory,
Cumming.
Kimberly Willard
Nov. 22, 1964-Oct. 29, 2018
Kimberly Willard, 53, of Cornelia died
Monday. Memorial service, 11 a.m. Satur
day, Nov. 3, Mount Carmel Baptist Church.
Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel,
Demorest.
Obituary information
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INTRODUCING
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Funeral Home
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