Newspaper Page Text
November 21, 2012
Reporter
PAGE 6A
Jesus said to her, "Iam the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” - John 11:25
In Memory
Mason Taylon Edwards
Mason Taylon Edwards, of Juliette, died Tuesday, Nov.
13, 2012. Private services were held Saturday, Nov. 17,
2012, at Monroe Memorial Gardens. The Reverend Ted
Keene officiated.
Baby Edwards was born November 13, 2012.
Survivors include his parents, Jason and Michelle
Edwards of Juliette, sister, Taylor Edwards, grandpar
ents, Steve and Janice Rogers of Forsyth and Robert
and LaRose Edwards of Milner, great grandparents,
Rufus and Gladys Rogers of Forsyth and Alma Harper of
Forsyth.
Please visit www.monroecountymemorialchapel.com to
express tributes. Monroe County Memorial Chapel had
charge of arrangements.
Tommy Scott
Nov. 27, 1951 - Nov. 6, 2012
Tommy Scott, 60, of Forsyth, died Tuesday, Nov. 6,
2012. Funeral services were held Nov. 8, 2012 in the
chapel of Hart’s at the Cupola with the Rev. Chris
Abercrombie officiating. Burial was in the Scott Family
Cemetery.
Mr. Scott was a Boiler Turbine Operator at Plant
Scherer where he worked for Georgia Power for 42
years. He loved horses, the outdoors and his family. He
was predeceased by his father and mother, Julian Scott
and Rachel Dye; his sister, Julie Scott and son, Robert
Wayne Scott.
Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Mary Stanley
Scott of Forsyth; daughters Kathy Scott of Atlanta,
Rebecca Johnson (Dale) of Lizella, Jennifer Frost (Neil)
of Auburn, AL; sons, Paul Scott of Forsyth, Matthew
Scott of Forsyth; granddaughters Abigail Scott of
Forsyth, Taylor Frost of Auburn, AL; sisters Jane
Haygood of Forsyth, Alice Couch of Lizella; and numer
ous nieces and nephews.
Hart’s Mortuary and Crematory at the Cupola had
charge of arrangements.
Neva Jane Langley Fickling
Neva Jane Langley Fickling, born Jan. 25, 1933, died
at her home on Nov. 18, 2012. Neva grew up in a typical
small American town, Lakeland, Fla. A few years earli
er her parents had left the impoverished southern
Georgia wiregrass area in a Model T Ford — driving over
sandy dirt roads — to seek a better life in the “Florida
Boom”. Although the boom was short lived, her father
Roy Langley became successful in trucking Florida cit
rus to market and later investing in and managing his
own citrus groves.
Neva received piano lessons from the neighborhood
teacher (at 7 years old). Neva developed a keen musical
interest and begged her parents to acquire their own
piano. Her ability increased rapidly, and she began
playing for her church services (the Baptist church had
no organ) as well as weddings and funerals. She also
attended a summer piano gospel music course in nearby
Tampa.
However, it was classical music that enchanted her.
She enrolled as a music student freshman at Florida
Southern College in her hometown of Lakeland. Other
activities included the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, campus
queen, cheerleader, and sweetheart of Tau Epsilon Pi
fraternity. Wesleyan College in Macon offered a wide
variety of musical studies at that time, and as a sopho
more she transferred to the Wesleyan Conservatory as a
piano major, studying with Doris Jelks.
That same year, 1952, the sponsors of the Miss Macon
contest asked Wesleyan to offer some nominees for the
pageant and Neva, along with several of her classmates,
were asked to participate. Thus, at age 19 she became
Miss Macon, Miss Georgia, and Miss America with
piano performance as her talent.
She was crowned Miss America of 1953 and is yet the
only Miss America to win all three of the preliminary
contests (and the only Miss Georgia to become Miss
America). She won the Miss America talent award with
her rendition of Toccata by Khatchaturian. One of the
judges was the famous New York Times music critic
Deems Taylor who admired her “strong left-hand”.
Neva left college for a year touring the country with
many public appearances, occasionally performing short
music programs. After crowning her successor she
returned to Wesleyan to continue her studies. She
received her degree from Wesleyan in 1955. She contin
ued to perform in public, including events with the
Macon-Wesleyan Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta
Pops Orchestra.
During her senior year she married William A.
Fickling Jr. whom she had met two years earlier. After
a two-year tour of duty with the U.S. Air Force, the cou
ple settled in Macon and began raising their four chil
dren as well as participating in community affairs.
Passionate about her God, her husband and family,
music and nature and beautiful things, she was a
woman of action. Notable among her various activities
through the years include Board member and Trustee,
Mulberry Street United Methodist Church, Board of
Wesleyan College, Board of Georgia Women of
Achievement (of which she was a founding board mem
ber), Board of The Georgia Trust for Historic
Preservation, Board of The Gina Bachauer Piano
Competition, Board of Keep America Beautiful
Commission, Chairman, Georgia State Clean
Community Commission, Board of Advisors of the State
Botanical Garden of Georgia (where an annual “Botanic
Musicale” concert is held in her honor), Board of the
Macon Symphony Orchestra, Board of the Community
Foundation of Central Georgia, Board of the Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra, Board of The Georgia Council for
the Arts, Council of the Deer Valley (Utah) Music
Festival, President, Morning Music Club, President,
House and Garden Club, Board of the Macon Museum of
Arts and Science, and Board of The Junior League of
Macon. And she has been an active supporter of the
music programs at both Wesleyan College and Mercer
University (where the main performance hall in the
McCorkle Music Building bears her name).
Donnie Leroy Davis
Aug. 27, 1944 - Nov. 14, 2012
Donnie Leroy Davis, 68, of Forsyth, formerly of
Danville, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 at
Provena United Samaritans Medical Center.
Donnie was born on Aug. 27, 1944, in
Hamburg, Ark., the son of Luther 0. and
Zora L. Roark. He married Edeltraud
Heininger, in 1964, in Frankfurt,
Germany. She preceded him in death on
April 3, 1986.
Donnie served in the U.S. Army from
1961 to 1966. During that time in the
Army he met his wife, Edeltraud. ' J
Together they had three sons- Donnie
Michael, Joe and Jeff Davis. Donnie worked for General
Motors in Tilton for several years as a millwright, until
he retired in 1992. After retiring from GM, he decided
that he was going to buy a sailboat and he named it the
Elisha E and sailed to the Bahamas. He had never
sailed before and he purchased a book to teach him how
to sail. Donnie became a very accomplished ship cap
tain and spent 10 years sailing in the Bahamas. He
would also sail up to Kentucky Lake on the Tombigbee
Waterway. It was during that time he sailed into
Apalachicola, Fla. and met Carolyn Trest and she
became his life partner and they would share many
adventures together. When Donnie decided that he was
going to give up sailing the Bahamas, he purchased two
shrimp boats in Apalachicola. He named one of the
boats the Chloe E after his other granddaughter.
Donnie spent the last 5 years cooking food in his food
trailer. He was known for his oyster po’ boys and bar-
beque pulled pork.
Donnie enjoyed coaching his kid’s baseball teams when
they were younger and watching his grandchildren play
ball. He also enjoyed fishing, NASCAR, woodworking
and loved cooking, especially fish fries. Donnie loved
spending time with his family and friends and was
Neva has
been
awarded an
honorary
Doctorate
Degree in
Fine Arts
by her
alma
mater,
Wesleyan
College,
and an
Honorary
Doctorate
of
Humanities
by Mercer
University.
She is a
recipient of
the Lady
Bird
Johnson
Award and
Woman of
the Year
Award by
Keep
America
Beautiful.
When the
Grand
Opera
House
building was threatened by demolition, she was asked to
head a fundraising event (the Grand Topper) which is
credited with saving the building, beginning its renova
tion, and preserving it for posterity. The Grand Opera
House is now home of the Macon Symphony Orchestra
and hosts a number of events throughout the year man
aged by Mercer University. The main dressing room is
named for her.
While raising her children, Neva neglected the piano.
But she returned to her beloved music and began study
ing with her friend and mentor, Edward Eikner. The
well-known teacher at Brigham Young University, Paul
Pollei, and the famous performer, Walter Hautzig, also
coached her.
Beginning in 1989, she began performing in public
again with a series of recitals in Georgia, North
Carolina, Utah, Florida and Italy. She has performed as
guest soloist with the Macon, Utah, and Benevento,
Italy Symphony Orchestras.
Neva has been acclaimed as perhaps America’s best
example of a piano performer who gave up her music for
many years and then returned to match — even to
exceed — her prior achievements.
Neva will be missed in many ways by many people as
she was committed to her family, church, music, and
civic activities, and to her home and garden. She was a
nurturing wife, mother and grandmother - “Honey” to
her nine grandchildren.
Neva is survived by her beloved husband of 58 years,
William A. Fickling Jr., her children, William A. Fickling
III (Kerri), Jane Dru Fickling (Dan) Skinner, Julia
Fickling (Bryan) Tiller, Roy H. Fickling (Teresa) and her
grandchildren Laurie Langley Fickling, Virginia Dru
Fickling, William A. Fickling IV, Andrew Fickling
Skinner, Glenn Hampton Tiller, Samuel Eli Tiller,
Langley Patrick Fickling, William Bryan Tiller and
William Hampton Fickling.
Visitation was Monday, Nov. 19. A service in celebra
tion of Neva’s life was held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov.
20, at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church.
Burial will be private. The family suggests donations in
Neva’s memory to Mulberry Street United Methodist
Church, Mercer University Robert McDuffie Center for
Strings, Wesleyan College, or a charity of the donor’s
choice.
^ | e f^ [sj eva Jane
p Langley Fickling in re-
1 cent years, and be-
: . ‘ j low, as Georgia’s only
” J Miss America.
ll L
(h
j i
known for his joking around with people. Donnie
touched so many people in his life and his friends meant
so much to him.
He is survived by three sons- Donnie Michael (Tina)
Davis of Oakwood, Joe (Julie) Davis of Danville and Jeff
(Penny) Davis of Dana, Indiana; seven grandchildren-
Jerry (Ashley) Myers of San Diego, Calif., Cory (Kilee)
Myers of Dana, Ind., Taylor Davis of Florence, Ky.,
Elisha Davis of Carbondale, Ill., Chloe Davis of
Danville, Jesse Davis of Oakwood and Trevor Davis of
Danville; one great-grandson- Dallas Myers; one broth
er- Bobby Ray (Sue) Davis of Danville; one sister- Annie
L. (George) White of Hillsboro, Ind.; special nephew-
Homer “Skeeter” (Patty) Meyers Jr. of Hillsboro, Ind.;
many other nieces, nephews and cousins; and special
friends that were like his brothers- Howard Davis of
Perrysville, Ind. and Butch Hathaway of Palmetto, Fla.
He is also survived by his partner- Carolyn Trest of
Forsyth, and her children- James Trest of Antioch,
Tennessee, Nena (Shelly) Trest of Thomaston and
Dianna (John) Kenny of Ridgeview, Ill.; eight grandchil
dren- Jessica Gay of Apalachicola, Florida, India Byess
of Ridgeview, Ill., James Michael Trest of Apalachicola,
Fla., Desiree Trest of Apalachicola, Fla., Christie Byess
of Thomaston, Shana Byess of Forsyth, Georgia, Michael
Byess of Dallas, Ga. and Amanda Jackson; and great-
granddaughter- Aylah Adams of Forsyth, and many
other great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three broth
ers- Luther Deross Davis, Luther “BO” Devon Davis and
Billy Joe Davis; one sister- Deloris Bridgeman; and a
niece- Crystal Richardson.
Private family services were held at the Wolfe-Blurton
Funeral Home in Potomac. Cremation rites have been
accorded. Memorials may be sent to the American
Cancer Society, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Riley’s
Children’s Hospital. Condolences may be sent to the
family at: www.wolfeblurtonfuneralhome.com.
Tucker Maddox
Hancock
Oct. 13, 2012-
Nov. 11, 2012
Tucker Maddox Hancock,
of Forsyth, died Sunday,
Nov. 11, 2012. Graveside
services were held
Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, at
Monroe Hills Memorial
Gardens. The Reverend
Mark Grindstead officiat
ed.
Baby Hancock was born
Oct. 13, 2012.
Survivors include his
parents, Robert Allen
Hancock, Jr. and Amanda
Grace Vaughn Hancock of
Forsyth, brother, Ashton
Hancock of Forsyth, grand
parents, Aleshia Vaughn of
Cartersville and Debbie
and Robert Hancock of
Forsyth.
Please visit www.monroe-
countymemorialchapel.com
to express tributes. Monroe
County Memorial Chapel
had charge of arrange
ments.
Lucy ‘Mae
Crowder
Nov. 14, 2010-Nov. 14, 2012
Two Years Pass
"We Love and Miss You"
A precious one from us has gone
A voice we loved is stilled
A place is vacant in our hearts
Which never can be filled
After a lonely heartache
Any many a silent tear
But always a beautiful memory
of one we loved so dear.
By: Terry Lucear, Valene Lucear
& family
Monroe County Memorial Chapel
Monroe Memorial Gardens
We set the
standards
that others
follow
Harley Ray “Spanky” Beck
86 West Main St. Forsyth
994-4266
Call your local Monroe County representative
Scott Harrell
478-256-3586
or toll free: 800-551-1102
3250 Vineville Ave., Macon, GA 31208
r
BARNESVILLE MARBLE & GRANITE COMPANY
Serving Middle Georgia for Over 100 Years
Designers & Manufactures of
Marble, Granite & Bronze
Memorials since 1908 George &
Janice Moore Authorized Georgia
Marble Dealer
TOLL FREE
1-800-377-9341
1-770-358-1470
Railroad & Main St. • Bamesville, GA
Buckley & Hopkins, LLP
Certified Public Accountants
Tax Preparation & Planning • Tax Consulting
Tax Audit & Representation • New Business Setup
Year-Round Accounting • Compilations
Fiduciary & Estate Planning • Audits • Reviews
Bookkeeping and Payroll Processing
Meeting All Of Your Accounting Needs
478-994-1820
68 N. Jackson Street • Forsyth, GA