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BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023
Obituaries
Judy Baird Bedford
LOGANVILLE — Judy Baird Bedford, 80, Logan-
ville, passed away on Friday, December 15, 2023.
Judy was born in Winder to the late Julia Pauline
Maddox and Thomas “Zeanos” Baird. She grew up
in Winder and was voted Most Talented by her senior
class, Winder-Barrow Class of 1961. She went on to
graduate from Women’s College of Georgia, now Geor
gia College. Judy was a member of Lithonia First Bap
tist Church.
She was a talented pianist who loved all music. Judy
retired from DeKalb County Schools after a 30-year ca
reer as a teacher and research librarian.
Judy is survived by her husband of 57 years, Nathan
Wilbert Bedford; son, Nathan Bedford, Fouisville,
Kentucky; daughter, Christy Bedford, Foganville;
grandchildren, Kaitlyn (Kenneth) Forrester and Jarrett
(Chelsea) Thomas; and great-grandchild, Freya For
rester.
Funeral service: Wednesday, December 20, 2023, at
2 p.m. in Smith Memory Chapel, 755 Atlanta Hwy. SE,
Winder, with the burial to follow at Barrow Memorial
Gardens.
Family to receive friends: Monday, December 18,
2023, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home.
Donations in memory of Judy Baird Bedford may be
made to Fithonia First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 378,
Fithonia, Ga. 30058.
Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of arrange
ments.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 17-23
Chris Elrod
COMMERCE — Chris Elrod, 72, Commerce, passed
away on Saturday, December 16,2023.
Mr. Elrod was bom
on October 25, 1951, in
Commerce, to the late Er
vin and Ruth Baker Elrod.
In addition to his parents,
he was preceded in death
by his brothers, Dennis El
rod and Davy Elrod; and
sister, June Elrod.
Mr. Elrod was a retired
machinist from Roper
Pump with 26 years of
service. Chris was of the
Baptist faith.
Survivors include sons, James Fee Elrod, Commerce,
and Tim Elrod, Commerce; sisters, Ann Smith, Baldwin,
Barbara Clark, Clarkesville, Sandra Willis, Athens, and
Katina Elrod, Commerce; brothers, Bammbamm Elrod,
Homer, and Branham Elrod, Cornelia; grandchildren,
Timothy Genesis, Angela, Brandon and Jeremey, Ash
ley; and several great-grandchildren.
Funeral service: Friday, December 22, 2023, at
12 p.m. in the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel,
with Minister Chad Holcomb officiating.
Family to receive friends: Thursday, December 21,
2023, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield
Funeral Homes & Crematory, South Chapel, 1370 In
dustrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511, 706-778-
7123.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 17-23
William Floyd Hester Jr.
William Floyd Hester Jr. went to be with the Ford on
Monday, December 4, 2023.
A native of Atlanta, he
had resided in Winder the
past 41 years. Bill had
served in the U.S.M.C
during the Korean Con
flict. He had pastored a
church in Hobart, Indiana,
as well as one in Duluth,
for a short time although
his love was street preach
ing, where he preached at
the gazebo in downtown
Winder every Saturday
from 11 a.m. until noon
for over 37 years. He had retired from Conoco Philips
Petroleum after 22 years.
Family members include his wife of 65 years, Jerelyn;
children, Dallas (Jill) Hester, North Judson, Indiana,
Valerie Hester, Winder, and Ben Hester, Monticello,
Indiana; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren;
and sister, Jeanneane (Clarence) Gibbs.
Funeral service: Saturday, December 9,2023, at Car
ter Funeral Home, Winder, with burial in Flovilla, Ga.
In lieu of flowers, memorials maybe sent to Hoschton
Baptist Church P.O. Box 92, Hoschton, Ga. 30548 or
Hope Children’s Home, 11415 Hope International Dr.,
Tampa, Fla. 33625.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 17-23
Marie James
HUFF — Marie James, 80, Hull, died on Wednesday,
December 13, 2023.
The daughter of the late Clarence W. James and Thel
ma Mae Christian James, Marie lived her entire life in
Madison County. She was a hard worker who worked
for 39 years at General Time and five years for the Uni
versity of Georgia.
She was a member of Crossroads Community Church.
Marie always stayed busy and loved being outside and
being with her family.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by
her brother, Hugh James.
Marie is survived by her siblings, Mary Sue James,
Dennis (Shirley) James, Homer, and Finda James; sis
ter-in-law Paulette James; nieces, Elaine Carter, Angie
Fitzpatrick and Tonya Blair; nephew, Allan James; and
many great-nieces and great-nephews.
Funeral service: Saturday, December 16, 2023, at
2 p.m. at Ford and Stephens, Danielsville, with Pastors
Chris Bailey, Morris Sapp and Mike Dillard officiating.
Interment will follow the service at Danielsville Memo
rial Gardens.
Family to receive friends: Saturday, December 16,
2023, from 1-2 p.m. at the funeral home.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to
the staff at the Hampton House and Gentiva Hospice.
Ford and Stephens Funeral Home, Danielsville, Ga.,
is in charge of arrangements, www.lordandstephens.
com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 17-23
Carl 0. Jones
WINDER — Carl O. Jones, 96, Winder, passed away
on Tuesday, December 12, 2023.
Mr. Jones was a WWII
Navy Veteran. He played
minor league baseball
with the Pittsburgh Pi
rates organization. After
graduating from Living-
ston College, he began
his career in education as
a junior high teacher and
coach in Shawmut, Al
abama. He acquired his
Masters in Education from
Auburn University and
became principal at Atkin
son Elementary School in Newnan.
After many years in education, Mr. Jones switched
paths and began a career in banking at First National
Bank in West Point. Mr. Jones later became president
of Phenix National Bank in Phenix City, Alabama, and
then at Bank of Barrow in Winder, where he remained
until his retirement.
Mr. Jones was very active in many civic, banking and
educational organizations. He was an avid Auburn Uni
versity football fan and a member of Tigers Unlimited.
In his spare time, he was a seasoned golfer and played
in many tournaments.
Mr. Jones was preceded in death by his parents, P.F.
and Trudie Jones, Greenville, Alabama; and a daughter,
Jane Jones Shell.
Mr. Jones is survived by a son, Tony (Ann) Jones;
daughter, Sissy Jones Smith, Valley, Alabama; his wife,
Charlotte Jones, Winder; grandchildren, David Jones,
Phenix City, Alabama, Rebecca Jones (Jason) Griffith,
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Alex Haymon, Winder, and Ala-
na (Ty) Reed, Malad City, Idaho; great-grandchildren,
Katie Jones, Jake Jones, and Shane Reed; brother, Mel
vin Jones, Phenix City, Alabama; several nieces; and a
step-daughter, Marie (Michael) Plymail, Winder.
The family of Mr. Jones will have a private memorial
at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests
memorials be made to the Shawmut Methodist Church
in Valley, Alabama, or to the Hospice of Northeast
Georgia Medical Center for the compassionate care,
guidance and empathy that they provided to Carl and
his family.
A sincere thank you to the wonderful staff at North
east Georgia Medical Center Barrow of Winder.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 17-23
Paul Joseph Klein
WINDER — Paul Joseph Klein, 62, Winder, passed
away Wednesday, December 13, 2023, surrounded by
loved ones who rejoiced when he entered into the pres
ence of his Ford.
Paul displayed strong
faith, courage and joy
amid difficult health chal
lenges. He was a preacher
and punster who encour
aged others with scripture
and dad jokes.
He will be remembered
as a loving family man,
hopeless romantic, class
clown, lifelong runner,
music lover and cheese
cake baker extraordinaire.
He is survived by his
wife of 34 years, Nannette Klein; sons, Jordan Klein
and Nick Klein and wife Angel; brothers, Tarry Klein
and Chuck Klein; sister, Katyn Klein.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Alvin and
Shirley Klein.
Funeral service: Saturday, December 30, 2023, at
11:00 a.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 2980 Old Peachtree
Rd, NE, Dacula. Funch to follow.
Arrangements by Fawson Funeral Home, 4532 Hwy.
53, Hoschton, Ga. 30548. Fawsonfuneralhome.org,
706-654-0966.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 17-23
Sara Martin
DULUTH — Sara Martin, 98, Duluth, passed away
Saturday, December 16,2023, surrounded by family.
Raised in Homer, Sara
was the daughter of the
late Edna and Emory
Hardy. She worked for
Norfolk Southern for 40
years and retired in 1987.
Sara was an avid trav
eler in retirement and en
joyed both short domes
tic trips as well as longer
international ones. She
enjoyed cooking, espe
cially when sharing with
others, and was an active member of Peachtree Cor
ners Baptist Church and their Blessings Class.
Sara was preceded in death by her husband of 60
years, Ferd Martin; and by siblings, Mildred Minish
and Bob Hardy.
Surviving are daughter and son-in-law Lisa and
Danny Smith, Brookhaven; granddaughters, Lindsey
Smith and Rachel Smith; sister and brother-in-law,
Brenda and David Sullivan; and several nieces, neph
ews, and close friends.
Funeral service: Wednesday, December 20, 2023,
at 2 p.m. in the chapel of McGahee-Griffin and Stew
art Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Banks
County Memorial Gardens.
Family to receive friends: Wednesday, December
20, 2023, from i2:30-2 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers please donate to Peachtree Cor
ners Baptist Church.
Sara’s family is thankful for the caring workers at
Dunwoody Place, and is deeply grateful for the care
team from Arcturus Hospice Care.
McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home of
Cornelia, Georgia, 706-778-8668, is in charge of ar
rangements. An online guest register is available and
may be viewed at www.mcgaheegriffinandstewart.
com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 17-23
Billy Ray Massey
GILLSVILLE — Billy Ray Massey, 74, Gillsville,
passed away on Sunday, December 10, 2023.
Bom on March 25,
1949, in Madison County,
Mr. Massey was the son of
the late Charlie and Wil
lie Ruth Powers Massey.
He was a construction
worker with Bowen &
Watson Co., and was pre
ceded in death by sons,
Greg Massey and Tony
Massey; brother, Charlie
Lee Massey; and a sister,
Elaine M. Baker.
Survivors include wife,
son, Jason Massey; daughter, Charlotte Massey Hol
land; daughter-in-law, Christy Massey; sister, Margie
Adkins; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren;
and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral service: Saturday, December 16, 2023, at
2 p.m. in the Ivie Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev.
Winfred Bingham officiating. Burial will follow in
Grey Hill Cemetery.
Family to receive friends: Saturday, December 16,
2023, from 1 until 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
Arrangements are in the care of Ivie Funeral Home,
Commerce, Ga. Online condolences may be made at
www.iviefimeralhomecommerce. com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 17-23
Kenny Lee Mitchell
HOMER — Kenny Lee Mitchell, 64, Homer,
passed away on Sunday, December 10, 2023.
Born on September 9, 1959, in Commerce, Mr.
Mitchell was the son of Thelma Carlan Brown. He
was a road construction worker and was of the Bap
tist faith.
Survivors, in addition to his mother, include his
special aunt, Evelyn Baker; and other aunts and un
cles.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents,
Johnny and Annie Mae Reid Carlan.
Graveside service: Wednesday, December 13,
2023, at 2 p.m. at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Ceme
tery with the Rev. Jeremy Carlan officiating.
Family to receive friends: Wednesday, December
13, 2023, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Arrangements are in the care of Ivie Funeral Home,
Commerce, Ga. Online condolences may be made at
www. iviefuneralhomecommerce .com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 17-23
Barbara Hopper Massey;
