Newspaper Page Text
LOCA^STATE
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
Friday, November 16, 2018 9A
Officials race to finish counting votes in Georgia
BY GREG BLUESTEIN
AND MARK NIESSE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ATLANTA — Elections officials
scrambled Thursday to count a
cache of hundreds of ballots that
were previously rejected as they
raced to comply with the latest fed
eral ruling in the too-close-to-call
contest for governor.
Democrat Stacey Abrams called
the judge’s order a major victory
to extend her quest to become the
nation’s first black female gover
nor, but Republican Brian Kemp
said it would hardly dent his “insur
mountable lead” in the race for
Georgia’s top job.
The latest tally showed Abrams
roughly 55,000 votes behind Kemp
— and in need of more than 17,000
votes to force a Dec. 4 runoff. Geor
gia law requires a runoff if no can
didate gets a majority of the vote,
which is only a possibility because
Ted Metz netted about 1 percent.
In the tight race for the 7th Con
gressional District, Republican
U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall appeared
to defeat Democrat Carolyn Bour-
deaux after additional ballots were
counted in Gwinnett County. Bour-
deaux gained more than 100 votes
but trailed Woodall by about 400
votes. A recount is expected.
A judge on Thursday denied her
emergency motion that would have
forced Gwinnett to tally absentee
ballots previously rejected because
of address and signature issues.
In a separate ruling, U.S. District
Judge Steve Jones issued an order
Wednesday that all counties should
count absentee ballots missing
birth-date information, which could
affect hundreds of ballots.
That court order forced election
officials across Georgia to revisit
absentee ballots rejected solely
because of a missing or incorrect
date of birth. Secretary of State
Robyn Crittenden told counties they
have to recertify election results by
5 p.m. Friday if their totals change.
It’s unclear when the election
results will be finalized. Unless
judges intervene further, the final
count of ballots could be finalized
as soon as Friday night. The state’s
certification deadline is Tuesday.
The last-minute rush to count
every last ballot left the election
unresolved, but Abrams and Bour-
deaux were running out of options.
There didn’t appear to be many
ballots left to be found Thursday.
About 700 absentee ballots state
wide were rejected because of
errors or omissions in their birth
dates, according to an Atlanta Jour
nal-Constitution analysis. Nearly
800 other ballots were rejected
because of errors in their birth date
and at least one other problem.
And roughly 2,770 ballots were
dismissed because of insufficient
oath information, which could
include errors in birth dates cited in
the judicial order. The AJC’s analy
sis is culled from Nov. 8 data before
counties certified their votes.
Most county election offices said
they already counted those ballots
if they could be authenticated.
“The elections office currently
is going through all of the absentee
and provisional ballots and review
ing all of them, per the judge’s
order, to see if there’s any changes,”
said Andrew Cauthen, a spokesman
for DeKalb County. “If there are
additional ballots that need to be
counted, we definitely will need to
recertify the election.”
DeKalb had the second-highest
number of rejected absentee bal
lots in Georgia, 802, mostly because
voters didn’t fill out all information
on the return envelope. State elec
tion data doesn’t specify how many
of those rejections were because of
incorrect date of birth information.
In Fulton, no absentee ballot
rejections were listed in the state’s
election data.
“The only reason we don’t count
an absentee is if the signature is
missing. If the signature is obviously
different, we contact the voter,”
Fulton Elections Director Richard
Barron said. “That is the policy we
follow for every election.”
Abrams hailed the court ruling
that could give her a narrow chance
at forcing a runoff. Her campaign
manager, Lauren Groh-Wargo, said
several recent court rulings protect
voters “from an acute assault on
voting rights engineered” by Kemp
when he was secretary of state.
Kemp, meanwhile, has tried to
cast himself as the eventual win
ner. Several of his aides were at
the Capitol on Thursday to work
on the transition to power. And
Kemp spokesman Ryan Mahoney
repeated that Abrams has no math
ematical chance at winning enough
votes to force a runoff.
OBITUARIES
Emma JoAnn
Abercrombie
March 13, 1953
-Nov. 14, 2018
Mrs. Emma JoAnn Aber
crombie, age 65, of Murray-
ville passed away peacefully
at her home surrounded by
her family on Wednesday,
Nov. 14,2018.
JoAnn was born on March
13,1953, to the late O.L. and
Adell Underwood Hatcher.
In addition to her parents
she was preceded in death
by her brothers Johnny
Hatcher, Tommy Hatcher,
Jim Hatcher, and Perry
Hatcher. JoAnn was a lov
ing wife and mother. Her
grandchildren affection
ately called her “Gramma.”
JoAnn had the heart of a
teacher making sure all the
children could tell time,
spell their names and read.
She helped so many to get
their start at the basics and
then to excel in life. JoAnn
was a member of Mt. Zion
Baptist Church #2.
Survivors include her
husband Upton Abercrom
bie; son and daughter-in-
law Shadrick and Vikki
Abercrombie; daughter
and son-in-law Shalece and
Phillip Mull; grandchildren
Baily Abercrombie, Kinlee
Abercrombie, Kylee Aber
crombie, Caleb Chastain,
Braylen Chastain, and Kai-
lyn Mull; great granddaugh
ter Amelia Brookshire, all of
Murrayville; brother and sis-
ter-in-law Benny and Max
ine Hatcher, Gainesville;
sister Bea Moss, Dawson-
ville; sister and brother-in-
law Eula and Gene Parker;
sister Ellon England, both
of Murrayville; sisters and
brothers-in-law Helen and
Floyd Tanner, and Joyce
and Clifton Chester, both
of Dawsonville; brother
and sister-in-law Jerry and
Peggy Hatcher, Dahlonega;
sister and brother-in-law
Patsy and Mike Sherwood,
Murrayville; sister-in-law
Shirley Pace; sister-in-law
and brother-in-law Una
Abercrombie and John
Lilac, both of Murrayville;
several nieces, nephews,
and other relatives.
Funeral services are
scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday,
Nov. 18, 2018, in the chapel
of Anderson-Underwood
Funeral Home. The Rev.
Stephen Gerrells will offi
ciate and a eulogy will be
given by Baily Abercrom
bie. Interment will follow in
Mt. Zion Baptist Church #2
Cemetery.
The family will receive
friends from 4 p.m. to 9
p.m. Saturday at the funeral
home.
In lieu of flowers the
family requests that con
tributions be made to the
Alzheimer Association act.
alz.org/site/Donation or the
Mt. Zion Baptist Church #2
Building Fund, c/o Randall
Chambers, 1573 Major Aber
crombie Circle, Murrayville,
GA 30564.
To share a memory of
JoAnn or a condolence with
the family visit anderson-
underwood.com
Anderson-Underwood,
Dahlonega
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 16, 2018
Mary Benefield
Died Nov. 14, 2018
Mary Benefield, 73, of
Flowery Branch passed
away Tuesday, Nov. 14,2018.
Born in Jackson County,
Ga., to James and Kate
Bales, Mary spent her child
hood in Barrow County then
moved to Hall, where she
lived the rest of her life. She
dedicated her life to her
family and her faith. She
worked to create a warm
and loving home for her hus
band and children. Over the
course of her life, she was an
active member of Air Line,
Emmanuel, and Chicopee
Baptist churches; she served
as church secretary at Chi
copee for more the two
decades.
Mary is preceded in death
by her parents, James and
Kate Bales, and her brother,
Gene Bales. She is survived
by her husband, Milton
Benefield,
her chil
dren and
their fami
lies: Kevin
Benefield
and Whit
ney Toma-
sino, Susan
and Keith
Dargis, Katelyn Dixon, and
Brittany and Emma Dargis.
The family will receive
friends Friday, Nov. 16,
2018, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at
Little & Davenport Funeral
Home. The funeral service
will take place Saturday,
Nov. 17,2018, at 1 p.m. in the
funeral home chapel. Pastor
Doug Collins will officiate.
Interment will follow at Alta
Vista Cemetery.
Those wishing to send
online condolences to the
family may do so at littledav-
enport.com
Little & Davenport
Funeral Home & Crematory,
Gainesville
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 16,2018
Robert Wayne Carroll
Jan. 1, 1938
-Nov. 13, 2018
Mr. Robert Wayne Car-
roll age 80 of Flowery
Branch
passed
away on
Tuesday,
Nov. 13,
2018, at
Northeast
Georgia
Medical
Center fol
lowing an extended illness.
Visitation will be held on
Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018 from
2-4 p.m. at Memorial Park
Funeral Home.
Robert was born on Jan.
1,1938 in Tampa, Florida to
the late Luther Carroll and
Rachel Hall Carroll. He was
a member of Central Baptist
Church. He was preceded in
death by his parents.
Robert is survived by
his wife, Aline “Pat” Car-
roll of Flowery Branch,
daughter, Marie Ashford -
Smith of Tampa, daughter,
Rachel Carroll of Tampa,
son, Robert Carroll II of
Chesapeake, VA, daughter,
Rebecca Godoy of Cart-
ersville, daughter, Brenda
Schultz of Flowery Branch,
daughter, Debra Wallace of
Flowery Branch, daughter,
Clara Ballard of Dahlonega,
11 grandchildren, 13 great
grandchildren, and sister,
Eloise Wilkerson of Tampa.
Memorial Park Funeral
Home, Gainesville
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 16,2018
John Henry Forrest
July 4, 1958-Nov. 13, 2018
John Henry Forrest, age
60 of Gainesville, passed
away on Tuesday, Nov. 13,
2018, at his residence after
a yearlong battle with GBM
Brain Cancer.
A celebration of life ser
vice will be held at a later
date.
Mr. Forrest was born July
4,1958, in Atlanta, Georgia,
to James Marcus Forrest
and Emma Millwood For
rest. John’s career spanned
40 years in the logistic and
transportation industry. He
was employed with Peach-
state Trucking, Inc. at the
time of his diagnosis. Mr.
Forrest was preceded in
death by his parents and
his brother, James Leonard
Forrest.
Mr. Forrest is survived by
his son, Brandon Dale For
rest of Gainesville; brother
and sister-in-law, Nelson &
Toni Forrest of Folly Beach,
SC; sister and brother-in-
law, Darlene & Elliott Shaw
of Flowery Branch; nieces,
Taylor Shaw and Rachel
Shaw both of Flowery
Branch; his dearly beloved
dog, Petey.
Memorial Park Funeral
Home, Gainesville
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 16,2018
Roy Timothy Goforth
Nov. 9, 1962
-Nov. 3,2018
Roy Timothy Goforth, age
55, of Braselton, GA, passed
away Saturday, Nov. 3,2018.
He was preceded in death by
stepfather, Millard “Red”
Smith.
Mr. Goforth is survived by
his wife of 13 years, Jennifer
Sue Bales
Goforth;
daughter,
Chelsea
Dotson
and fiance
J.T. Johos,
Clermont,
GA; son,
Kenneth
Williams and fiancee, Mag
gie Jones, Braselton, GA;
granddaughter, Ellie-Ann
Williams; mother, Betty Ann
Ensor Goforth, Tennessee;
brother and sister-in-law,
Jeff and Kim Goforth, Ten
nessee; and cousins.
Mr. Goforth was born on
Nov. 9, 1962, in Kingsport,
Tennessee. He was an auto
motive tech at Caliber Col
lision in Oakwood, Georgia,
with over 30 years of service.
Mr. Goforth was a member
of Airline Baptist Church in
Gainesville. He loved sing
ing in the choir and playing
music. Mr. Goforth was an
avid University of Georgia
football fan. He enjoyed
spending time with his
granddaughter, and watch
ing football games. He loved
his dog, Sadie. A memorial
service will be held on Sun
day, Nov. 18, 2018, at the
Chapel of Flanigan Funeral
Home at 3:30 p.m. with Dr.
Jim Ferguson officiating.
The family will receive
friends on Sunday, Nov. 18
from 2:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.
at the funeral home.
Flanigan Funeral Home
and Crematory, Buford
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 16,2018
Wiley Lancaster
Died Nov. 14, 2018
Funeral services will be
held Saturday Nov. 17,2018,
at 11 a.m. at Belmont Baptist
Church for Wiley Kennedy
Lancaster, 88, of Gainesville.
Rev. Bill Compton will offici
ate. Interment will follow in
the church cemetery. The
family will receive friends
Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
at the funeral home. Mr.
Lancaster passed away Nov.
14,2018.
A lifelong resident of Hall
County, Mr. Lancaster was a
member of Belmont Baptist
Church, where he served as
Deacon and Song Director.
He was also a member
of the Johnny Hill Masonic
Lodge. Mr. Lancaster was
the son of late, James Walter
and Lena Cleveland (Brasel
ton) Lancaster. He was pre
ceded in death by his wife,
Hazel Payne Lancaster
Survivors include, son,
Mark Kennedy Lancaster
; daughter and son-in-law,
Cindy and Douglas Morrow;
grandchildren, John Doug
las Morrow, Ellie Rebecca
Lancaster Greer, Julie
Anna Morrow Day, Lena
Katherine Lancaster Fisk-
ness; great grandchildren,
Ezekiel “Zeke” Martin Fisk-
ness, Kaia Grace Fiskness,
Livi Kate Fiskness, Jude
Martin Fiskness, Titus Mar
tin Fiskness, Reed Owen
Greer, Baylor Rose Greer,
Scout Benjamin Greer, Ben
jamin James Morrow, Caleb
Kennedy Morrow, Addison
Elizabeth Morrow, Callie
Emiline Day and Laura Alli
son Day; sisters, Lora Lee
Lancaster Blasingame and
Ruth Virginia Lancaster
Cook.
Mr. Lancaster was also
preceded in death by broth
ers, James Walter Lancaster
Jr., Josephas Jackson Lan
caster and sister, Frances
Jane Lancaster Bailes.
In lieu of flowers con
tributions may be made to
the Belmont Baptist Church
Building Fund, care of
Church Treasure Amber
Evans, 4669 Countryside
Drive, Flowery Branch, GA.
30542. Online condolences
may be made to wardsfh.
com Ward’s Funeral Home,
758 Main Street, Gainesville,
GA. 30501.
Ward’s Funeral Home,
Gainesville
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 16, 2018
Winford (Loy) York
Oct. 9, 1930-Nov. 15, 2018
Winford (Loy) York
stepped into eternity on
Thursday, Nov. 15 at 4:53
a.m.
He was born in White
County, Georgia to Dilmas
and Maggie Chastain York
on Oct. 9,1930. His late wife
was Betty Sue Taylor York
of Hiawassee, Georgia.
Mr. York has four chil
dren, Joyce Thaxton,
Kathy Davila, Rick York
and Randy York. He has
five grandchildren, Dani
elle Thaxton, Brandon
York, Nicholas York, the
late Michael Grant Davila,
Dustin York; and two great
grandchildren, Braeden and
Allie York. He also has two
sons-in-law, Dan Thaxton
and Michael Davila.
A graveside service will
be held Saturday, Nov. 17,
2018, at 12:30 p.m. at Gate
way Memory Park.
The family will receive
guests for viewing at 10 a.m.
- noon on Saturday, Nov.
17, 2018, at Barrett Funeral
Home in Cleveland, Georgia.
To share a memory or to
leave a condolence please
visit www.barrettfh.com
Barrett Funeral Home,
Cleveland
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 16,2018
DEATH
NOTICES
Patsy L. Bagley
Died Nov. 14, 2018
Patsy L. Bagley, 72, of
Cumming died Wednesday.
Funeral service, 10 a.m. Sat
urday, Nov. 17 funeral home
chapel. Ingram Funeral
Home, Cumming.
Annie Mae Barrett
Sept. 14, 1937
-Nov. 15, 2018
Annie Mae Barrett, 81, of
Lula died Thursday. Grave
side service, 2 p.m. Wednes
day, Nov. 21, Hightower
Church Cemetery. Memo
rial Park Funeral Home,
Gainesville.
Martha Lee Bryan
Aug. 16, 1929
-Nov. 12, 2018
Martha Lee Bryan, 89,
of Jefferson died Monday.
Memorial service, 2:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 23, First Bap
tist Church. Evans Funeral
Home, Jefferson.
Nancy Patricia Dupray
Sept. 7, 1944
-Nov. 14, 2018
Nancy Patricia Dupray,
74, of Murphy, N.C. died
Wednesday. Visitation, 6
p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, funeral
home. Barrett Funeral
Home, Cleveland.
Gladys Mary Grizzle
Aug. 23, 1924
-Nov. 14, 2018
Gladys Mary Grizzle, 94,
of Dahlonega died Wednes
day. Funeral service, 11 a.m.
Saturday, Nov. 17, funeral
home chapel. Anderson-
Underwood Funeral Home,
Dahlonega.
Flora Patrick Holman
Aug. 24, 1925
-Nov. 14, 2018
Flora Patrick Holman, 93,
of Hoschton died Wednesday.
Funeral service, 2 p.m. Fri
day, Nov. 16, Duncan Creek
Congregational Church. Fla
nigan Funeral Home and
Crematory, Buford.
Chris Mangum
Sept. 30, 1965
-Nov. 7,2018
Chris Mangum, 53, of Lula
died Wednesday, Nov. 7.
Whitfield Funeral Home &
Crematory, Baldwin.
Robert William McGinn
Died Nov. 14, 2018
Robert William McGinn,
83, of Gainesville died
Wednesday. Memorial ser
vice, 3:30 p.m. Saturday,
Nov. 17, funeral home cha
pel. Memorial Park Funeral
Home, Gainesville.
Angelina Meixner
Died Nov. 13, 2018
Angelina Meixner, 97, of
Cumming died Tuesday.
McDonald and Son Funeral
Home, Cumming.
Jerry Ralph Peek
Died Nov. 14, 2018
Jerry Ralph Peek, 92, of
Gainesville died Wednes
day. Funeral service, 2 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 16, Church of
God of Prophecy. Little &
Davenport Funeral Home
and Crematory, Gainesville.
Alton Matthew Reese
Died Nov. 13, 2018
Alton Matthew Reese,
61, of Toccoa died Tuesday.
Graveside service, 3 p.m. Sat
urday, Nov. 17, Homer Pres
byterian Church. Marshall
Funeral Home, Biloxi, Miss.
Obituary
information
Death notices are printed
free as a public service by
The Times.
More information can be
provided in paid obituaries.
The rate is $50 per 100
words (or any part thereof).
There is an additional
mandatory $40 fee for
online services, which
includes a guest book that
allows family and friends to
post condolences.
Deadline for publication
is 6:30 p.m. seven days a
week. Death notices and
obituaries are accepted only
from funeral homes. They
should be emailed to obits@
gainesvilletimes.com. All
submissions will appear
in The Times and online at
gainesvilletimes.com.
For additional
information, please call
770-718-3419 or 800-395-
5005, extension 3419, 3-6
p.m. weekdays.
INTRODUCING
eto' t/yt
Little & Davenport
Funeral Home
To inquire about pricing packages available to
memorialize a pet in print, please contact Megan Lewis
at 770-535-6371 or mlewis@gainesvilletimes.com
Pets at Peace will appear in The Times
the last Sunday of each month.