Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2012
MAINSTREET NEWSPAPERS
PAGE 9A-B
Survivors in addition to
her parents include grand
parents, Dorissa Shackelford,
Auburn, and Louis Edge,
Winder; great-grandparents,
Elsie and Walter Redmond,
Transfer, Pa., and Kenneth
Redmond, Greenville, Pa.;
a brother, Mitchell Gibbs;
and sisters, Heather Gibbs,
Maleah Redmond and
Katelin Redmond.
Funeral services were held
Sunday, January 8, from
Smith Memory Chapel with
the Rev. Phil Williams offici
ating. Burial was in Auburn
City Cemetery.
Memorial contributions
may be made to Marcus
Autism Center, 1920
Briarcliff Rd., Atlanta, GA
30329-4010.
Smith Funeral Home,
Winder, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
Jane Roach
ROYSTON - Jane Rogers
Roach, 73, died Friday,
January 6, 2012, at her resi
dence.
She was born in Kenwood,
Okla., on June 29, 1938, the
daughter of the late Fred
and Leona Simkins Rogers.
She was a retail manager
and was a member of the
Riverside Baptist Church.
She was a volunteer for
the Cornerstone Ministries.
Mrs. Roach was preceded in
death by her husband, Hal T.
Roach; two brothers, Gene
Rogers and Junior Rogers;
and two sisters, Alice Curtis
and Mae Sloan.
Survivors include a
daughter, Robyn B. Coker,
Royston; sons, Randall J.
Bennett, Comer, and Robert
W. Bennett Sr., Lexington,
S.C.; stepdaughter, Marilyn
R. Chastain, Hartwell; step
son, Michael T. Roach,
Danielsville; brothers, James
Rogers, Rose, Okla., and
Cecil Rogers, Peggs, Okla.;
sisters, Louvena Rogers
and Kay Rogers, both of
Tahlequah, Okla., and Ruth
Taylor, Wichita, Okla.; 12
grandchildren; and 17 great
grandchildren.
Funeral services were held
Monday, January 9, from the
Riverside Baptist Church
with the Revs. Chris LeCroy,
Roger Elrod and Andy Giffen
officiating. Burial was in the
Cary Memorial Gardens in
Royston.
Pruitt Funeral Home,
Royston, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
(160)
Frank Rosynek
Frank Rosynek, 89, was
a devoted husband, a lov
ing father, and a kind and
generous man. He passed
away on Monday, January
2, 2012, after a courageous
battle with cancer.
His sense of humor and
quiet caring will be greatly
missed by all who loved him.
Frank was born in Chicago,
oldest of three brothers and
one sister. One of his great
est sources of pride was his
service to our
country during
World War II,
serving in the
Pacific theatre for three years
as a Staff Sergeant to the
Colonel in charge of opera
tions. Some of his experi
ences were recounted in the
recent book “Unbroken” by
Laura Hillenbrand. Frank
was very proud of this col
laboration and it inspired
him to write his own book
about his experiences titled
“Not Everyone Wore Wings.”
Frank had a lifelong love of
writing and was a wonderful
speaker and storyteller. He
used these skills in many
leadership roles, including
his 21 years as a Manager
at Rich’s Department Store.
He was a talented carpen
ter and a creative problem-
solver. But the greatest love
of his life was his wife of 65
years, Elsie. They grew up
across the street from each
other. Through their love and
devotion, they were blessed
with six daughters, the first
three born on St. Patrick’s
Day in three different years.
“An Irishman’s Dream”
Frank used to say, leading to
a huge birthday celebration
every year with loud, off-
key, and animated renditions
of Danish birthday songs.
His wife and daughters and
their families were happy to
join him for his 89th birth
day celebration on Friday,
December 30th. LYM.
Survivors include his wife,
Elsie Godsted Rosynek;
six daughters, Sandra
Beem, Commerce, Karen
Cox, Orlando, Fla., Ellen
Khoury, Atlanta, Pam Carter,
Jefferson, Mimi Sullivan,
Alpharetta, and Katherine
Rosynek, Smyrna; along
with nine grandchildren; and
five great-grandchildren.
Additional survivors include
brothers, Ralph Rosynek,
Boynton Beach, Fla., Jack
Rosynek, Palm City, Fla., and
his sister, Jeannie Ripkey,
Boynton Beach, Fla.
He was interred in a
private ceremony at the
Georgia National Cemetery
in Canton, GA, on Friday,
January 6.
Donations can be made in
Frank’s honor to the Admiral
Nimitz Foundation, 328 E.
Main St., Fredericksburg, TX
78624, or www.pacificwar-
museum.org/MakeDonation.
asp.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
Lucille Rylee
COMMERCE - Lucille
Rylee, 89, died Friday,
January 6,2012, atNorthridge
Health and Rehab.
She was born in Banks
County, the daughter of the
late Grover H. and Buris
Lewallen Rylee.
Survivors include a num
ber of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held
Sunday, January 8, at the cha
pel of Little-Ward Funeral
Home with the Rev. Bob Hill
officiating. Interment was in
Grove Level Baptist Church
Cemetery.
Little-Ward Funeral Home,
Commerce, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
(622)
‘Tony’Smith
DANIELSVILLE
Anthony “Tony” Nelson
Smith, 38, passed away
Friday, January 6, 2012.
Born May 8, 1973, he
was the son of Emory and
Syble Phillips Smith. He
was employed for several
years as a sales associate for
Home Depot.
Survivors in addition to
his parents, include a sister,
Annette (Stan) Rowland; and
nieces, Ansley and Ashlyn
Rowland.
Graveside services were
held Monday, January 9, at
Friendship Baptist Church
Cemetery. Pallbearers were
Kip Manders, Brian Combs,
Daniel Threlkeld, Dennis
Adams, Joey Matthews and
Zach Manders.
Lord & Stephens,
Danielsville, was in charge
of arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
(081)
W. Woodrow Stewart
In Remembrance of W.
Woodrow Stewart
W. Woodrow Stewart, a
brilliant attorney and corner
stone of the regional law firm
of Stewart
Melvin &
Frost, once
wrote that
life is a jour
ney “full of
accomplish
ments and
challenges,
miracles
and tragedy, and a lot in
between.”
Life on earth ended
January 9, 2012, for
“Woody” Stewart, 73, of
Gainesville, Ga. - but not
before he impacted countless
lives in between his lifetime
devotion to his family, his
profession, his community,
and his faith. His funeral will
be held Thursday, January
12, at 10:30 a.m., at Grace
Episcopal Church in down
town Gainesville. The fam
ily will receive friends at the
church after the service in
the church parish hall.
Mr. Stewart grew up in
nearby Jefferson, where early
on he demonstrated a keen
mind and hard work ethic.
His childhood friend John
Melvin, who would eventu
ally become his law part
ner, described Mr. Stewart
as having an unusual sense
of duty and tenacity that
inspired everyone around
him. It was a trait he would
carry from the athletic fields
of boyhood into the board-
rooms and courtrooms of his
latter professional career.
A talented athlete, Mr.
Stewart attended Furman
University on a football
scholarship. After earn
ing his bachelor’s degree in
1960, he served as a First
Lieutenant in the U.S. Army,
which honored him with
the Commendation Medal
for Meritorious Service in
Okinawa, Japan. He returned
home to attend Tulane
University Law School,
where he graduated with
honors before earning his
Master’s of Law in Taxation
from Emory University
School of Law.
In 1966, Mr. Stewart
moved back to Northeast
Georgia, joining a law firm
in Gainesville that would
eventually bear his name as
managing partner. His lead
ership helped grow Stewart
Melvin & Frost into one of
today’s largest law firms in
the region. All the while,
Mr. Stewart built a reputa
tion for his expertise in tax
and estate planning that drew
respect throughout the state.
He even contributed his tal
ents to enriching the local
economy through participa
tion on the boards of numer
ous businesses, including
Cottrell, McKibbon Brothers,
Gibson Dental Designs,
First National Bancorp, and
Regions Bank.
During this span, Mr.
Stewart and his wife of over
50 years, the former Lynda
Anne Truluck (his child
hood friend and high-school
sweetheart from Jefferson)
settled in to Gainesville and
Hall County to raise their
family of two children, Paige
and Todd. They embraced the
community as their lifetime
home, a place all the more
blessed for Mr. Stewart’s
remarkable devotion to civic
service.
Mr. Stewart served in a
wide span of high-profile
community leadership roles
that ranged from chair
man of the Greater Hall
Chamber of Commerce and
the Gainesville City Schools
Board of Education to
president of the Gainesville
Kiwanis Club, chairman
of the former Lanier Park
Hospital, and a member of
the Northeast Georgia Health
System Board, including its
strategic planning, audit, and
finance committees. A long
time Sunday School teacher,
he led the Deacon Board
at First Baptist Church of
Gainesville and later was
a member of the Vestry at
Grace Episcopal Church.
He also was a board mem
ber of the Roy C. Moore
Foundation and the origi
nal Gainesville Community
Foundation. The acco
lades followed: Leadership
Georgia; Hall County Young
Man of the Year; Gainesville
Rotary Club’s Man of the
Year; the American Heart
Association’s Hearts of Gold
Award; and the Chamber’s
Distinguished Service
Award.
Mr. Stewart’s greatest sat
isfaction, however, seemed
to come from “championing
the underdog,” as numer
ous local non-profits would
attest. For example, he was
a founding trustee and long
time advisor to the Eagle
Ranch Foundation, which
has helped hundreds of hurt
ing children and families.
Like Eagle Ranch, area non
profits have benefited from
Mr. Stewart’s counsel and
tireless work behind the
scenes.
His greatest legacy though
is one that will enhance the
future health and lives of lit
erally hundreds of thousands
of local residents, many of
whom ironically may never
know his true contribu
tion and impact. For the
last decade and a half, Mr.
Stewart chaired The Medical
Center Foundation, where he
practiced his oft-cited per
sonal creed that "philanthro
py is the difference between
a good hospital and a great
hospital.”
It seems only fitting that
a man with such a big heart
helped launch the Medical
Center’s own heart program,
now recognized as the best
in Georgia, through Mr.
Stewart’s direct involvement
in securing a $4 million gift to
start the Ronnie Green Heart
Center. Under Mr. Stewart’s
leadership, the Foundation
has raised over $34 mil
lion on behalf of Northeast
Georgia Medical Center -
an uncommon benchmark
for a non-teaching hospital.
The Foundation funds also
provided direct support to
48 community organiza
tions such as the Georgia
Mountain Food Bank and
SafeKids.
Mr. Stewart’s passion and
vision have inspired a spirit
and culture of philanthro
py that - coupled with his
contributions to the legal
and business communities -
will be felt well beyond his
lifetime for generations of
Northeast Georgians.
He is survived by his wife,
Lynda Truluck Stewart;
daughter, Paige Stewart
Green of Gainesville; son
Todd Woodrow Stewart of
Atlanta; favorite grand
son, Will Green and favor
ite granddaughter, Garrett
Green; mother-in-law, Nancy
Truluck of Panama City,
Fla.; sister-in-law, Jeannie
Truluck of Panama City, Fla.;
brother-in-law and wife, Dan
and Mary Katherine Truluck
of Gainesville; brother-in-
law and wife, Don and Sue
Truluck of Watkinsville;
godchildren Camper Mundy,
Charlie Newman, Stephanie
White Kohla and Susanne
White Wallace; and many
other cousins, nieces and
nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the fam
ily would like to request
contributions be made to The
Medical Center Foundation,
2150 Limestone Pkwy, Suite
115, Gainesville, GA 30501;
Grace Episcopal Church, 422
Brenau Ave., Gainesville, GA
30501; Furman University
Purple Pounders Endowed
Scholarship, 3300 Poinsett
Hwy, Greenville, S.C. 29613;
Eagle Ranch, PO. Box 7200,
Chestnut Mountain, GA
30502; or the charity of your
choice.
Little and Davenport
Funeral Home of Gainesville
is in charge of arrange
ments.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
(19374-144.20)
Calvin Swain
HARTWELL - Calvin
Lee Swain, 54, of 267 Jim
Crittenden Road, Hartwell,
died Sunday, January 8,2012
at Hart County Hospital.
Born on March 9, 1957
in Seneca, S.C., he was the
son of Juanita Bowen Swain
and the late Walter C. Swain.
He was a former singer for
the Georgialina Band and
sang at the Red Minnow and
for private parties. He was
preceded in death by two
stepsons, Dennis Miller and
William Brian Miller.
Survivors in addition to
his mother include his wife,
Theresa J. Swain; three
stepsons, Michael Miller,
Orlando, Fla., Robert Miller,
Ocala,Fla., andJosephMiller,
Hartwell; one stepdaughter,
Stephanie Cole, Hartwell;
two brothers, David Swain,
Danielsville, and Stanley
Swain, Gillsville; two sisters,
Becky Roberts, Maysville,
and Annie Chamlee, Toccoa;
and eight grandchildren.
Funeral services will be
held Saturday, January 14,
at 1 p.m. at Victory Chapel
Holiness Church, 1337
Bob Mann Rd., Maysville,
GA, with the Revs. Donald
Trammell and Davey Harris
officiating.
The Strickland Funeral
Home of Hartwell is in
charge of all arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
Evelyn Vonier
PAVO - Evelyn Myrtice
Booth Vonier, 81, died.
Born on July 8, 1930,
in Oglethorpe County, she
was the daughter of the late
Mack and Pearl Graham
Booth. She taught school
at Pavo School and Central
High School. She was a
homemaker, Sunday School
teacher and enjoyed geneal
ogy. Mrs. Vonier was pre
ceded in death by a grand
daughter, Lauren Herndon;
and brother, William (Bill)
Booth.
Survivors include her hus
band whom she married June
10, 1951, Ronald B. Vonier;
children, Kim Ingle and hus
band Bob of Arlington, Texas,
Kathy Horton and husband
Jeffrey, Montgomery, Ala.,
Jill Herndon and husband
Mark, Pavo, and Nathan
Vonier and wife Connie,
Valdosta; grandchildren,
Joshua Ingle, Burt Horton,
Jane Horton, Ashlee Horton,
Bart and wife Jade Herndon,
Erin Hall, Kelsey Hall, Sadee
Scarborough, Russ Vonier;
great-grandchildren, Neya
Herndon, Kinley Herndon
and Bohen Herndon.
Funeral services were held
Wednesday, January 11, at
Salem Baptist Church, where
she was a member, with the
Revs. Milton Gardner and
Thilmon Vonier officiating.
Burial was in the Salem
Cemetery.
Memorials may be made
to Hospice of Southwest
Georgia, 114 A Mimosa Dr.,
Thomasville, GA 31792.
Allen & Allen Funeral
Home, Thomasville, was in
charge of arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
Ronnie Westbrook
COMMERCE - Ronnie
Dale Westbrook, 57, died
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at
Northridge Medical Center.
He was born in Biloxi,
Miss., the son of the late
Leonard Dave and Betty Lee
Busby Westbrook. He was
employed as a car salesman.
Survivors include his
wife, Sylvia Roberta Spivey
Westbrook, Commerce;
daughters. Shannon Dale
Pounds, Monroe, andTabitha
Leigh Fuller, Nicholson;
sisters, Sharon Westbrook,
Commerce, and Jeanie
Grinnel, Mobile, Ala.; and
five grandchildren.
Funeral services were held
Monday, January 9, at the
chapel of Little-Ward Funeral
Home with the Revs. Bernie
Davis, Keith Franks and
Bruce Kesler officiating.
Little-Ward Funeral Home,
Commerce, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
(622)
Dorothy ‘Belle’
Williams
Dorothy H. “Belle”
Williams, 93, died Tuesday
night,
J anuary
3, 2012
at Satilla
Regional
Medical
Center in
Waycross.
She had
been in
declining
health for some time.
Born in Savannah on
August 1, 1918, she lived her
early years there and much
of her life in Springfield,
Georgia where she was a
housewife and worked with
her husband in the fam
ily logging business. Upon
retirement they moved to
Blackshear where they
worked part-time for sev
eral years in circulation with
her son’s newspaper. The
Blackshear Times.
She was preceded in death
by her husband, R. Mack
Williams, Sr.; a son, William
Alfred Becker, Fayetteville,
N.C.; and a brother, Tom
Slappey, Tifton; three sisters,
Doris West, Monroe, La.,
Dot Lambert, Crozet, Va.,
and Mary Godwin, Indiana.
Survivors include a
daughter, Donna Becker
Wall, Statham; a son,
Robert M. Williams, Jr.
(Cheryl), Blackshear;
nine grandchildren, Jim
Wall. Atlanta; Chuck Wall
(Terry), Birmingham, Ala.,
Chris Wall (Tasha), Atlanta,
Holli Morrow (Ashley),
Winder, Mack Williams
III, Brooklyn, N.Y., Mandy
Williams, Waycross, Keith
Hendry (Shea), Blackshear,
Tracy Hendry (Rebecca),
Gilbert, Ariz., and Brian
Hendry, Delray Beach, Fla.;
and eleven great-grandchil
dren.
A graveside service was
held Saturday, January 7,
at the Springfield, Georgia
Cemetery.
The family would like to
express special appreciation
to the caring staff at Baptist
Village, Waycross.
Sympathy may be
expressed by signing the
online register at www.pear-
sondial.com. Memorials may
be made to the Blackshear
First United Methodist
Church, First Baptist Church
of Blackshear or St. Matthew
Catholic Church in Winder,
Georgia.
Pearson-Dial Funeral
Home of Blackshear was in
charge of arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
Clara Wilson
JEFFERSON - Clara
Lou Harris Wilson, 98, died
on Wednesday, January 4,
2012.
She was born in Jackson
County, the daughter of
the late James Lafayette
and Clara Evaline Pittman
Harris. Mrs. Wilson worked
for Carwood Manufacturing
for 23 years and Wilkins
Industries for 10 years. She
was a homemaker, a mem
ber of the Thyatira-Olney
Presbyterian Church, and
a mem
ber of the
Crawford
Long
Chapter of
the Eastern
Star. Mrs.
Wilson
was a
graduate of
the Martin
Institute of Jefferson. Mrs.
Wilson was preceded in
death by husband, Webbie
Wilson; daughter, Lou Ann
Wilson Bell; and grandson,
David Wilhite.
Survivors include her
daughter and son-in-law,
Jere and James Wilhite,
Jefferson; son and daughter-
in-law, Daniel W. and Nancy
Wilson, Jefferson; son-in-
law, John Bell, Jefferson; 10
grandchildren, Steve Bell,
Julie Stansel, Linda Bryson,
Mike Bell, Marc Bell, Jamie
Bell, Marie Heine, Diane W.
Minish, Denyce Wilson, and
Dan Wilson; and a number
of great-grandchildren; and
great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were
held Friday, January 6, from
Thyatira-Olney Presbyterian
Church with Minister Tom
Plank officiating. Burial was
in the church cemetery with
Steve Bell, Mike Bell, Marc
Bell, Jamie Bell, Dan Wilson
and David Minish honored
as pallbearers.
Evans Funeral Home,
Jefferson, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
January 11, 2012.
(875)
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