PAGE 8A
BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023
Obituaries
Chuman Guse.
He is survived by
his wife, Carol; sons,
John and Scott; broth
er, John M. Guse; seven
grandchildren; and 15
great-grandchildren.
In addition to his par
ents, Neal was preceded
in death by a sister, Al-
yse Loraine Bell; broth
er, Donny Guse; and a
daughter, Carrie Ann
Guse.
Neal Jr. attended elementary school in Hot Springs
while the family lived at the headquarters of Wind
Cave National Park. Then they moved to Moose,
Wyoming, in 1950, where the headquarters of the
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, was located.
Neal Jr. attended high school in Jackson, Wyo
ming. He started college at the University of Wyo
ming in Laramie, Wyoming, but later transferred to
Humboldt State College in Areata, California, when
the family moved again in 1957.
Neal Jr. followed in his father’s footsteps to work
in the National Park Service at Grand Teton, Wyo
ming, beginning in 1954 through 1960. He worked
summers in positions as laborer, fire control aide, la
bor leadman, foreman I, park ranger (general) in con
struction, forest pest control, fire lookout, fire cache,
horse and boat patrol, fire guard station, and utility
ranger.
Neal Jr. married Carol Downs Guse in Seatle,
Washington, in 1960 prior to accepting a permanent
career position as park ranger at Rocky Mountain
National Park, Colorado. He was assigned to fish
eries and wildlife management responsibilities at
the park in 1962 and was nominated to a master’s
degree program in wildlife resource management at
Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado,
in 1965. Upon graduation, he transferred to Yosem-
ite National Park, California, as wildlife biologist
through 1969. Then he and his family transferred to
the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, through
1972 until they moved to live in Vienna, Virginia,
to begin working at the Department of the Interior
building in Washington, D.C.
Neal began his tenure in Washington, D.C., in a re
search position but later converted to the position of
chief, natural resources management in 1973 where
he cooperated with other Federal Land Management
agencies directing the policies of several critical re
source management issues such as mining, oil ex
traction, burro removal, and fire suppression.
In 1978, Neal left Washington, D.C., for a position
of Deputy Regional Director, Southeast Region, in
Atlanta until 1984 when he left to be the superinten
dent at Mount Rainer National Park, Washington. Af
ter eight years at Mount Rainer National Park, he left
to become director of the Clemson University Coop
erative Park Studies Unit in Clemson, South Caroli
na, where he retired after 34 years with the National
Park Service.
Neal Jr. was one of a very few National Park Ser
vice employees that had completed assignments in
all three levels on the Park Service: the field, regional
offices and Washington, D.C.
In 2007, Neal and Carol moved to Jefferson where
they built their final home in the Northminister Es
tates subdivision and worked tirelessly to transition
the subdivision into the Northminister Estates Home-
owners Association.
In his retirement, Neal Jr. volunteered as a poll
manager at several voting centers and was a member
of the Board of Equalization for Gwinnett County for
over 12 years.
Neal Jr. will be remembered for his wisdom,
strength and unwavering dedication to wildlife con
servation.
A celebration of life will occur at the Grand Can
yon National Park, Arizona, with details to be deter
mined at a later date.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 24-30
Martha Marie Sorrow Hall
MAYSVILLE — Martha Mane Sorrow Hall, 75,
Maysville, died Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at her
residence.
Mrs. Hall was bom on September 27, 1948, in
Commerce to the late Ezekiel Hillard and Billie
O’Kelly Sorrow.
Marie was a faithful member of Maysville Baptist
Church for over 40 years. She taught Sunday School
for over 30 years. She loved serving her Lord and
Savior. Marie will be remembered as a wonderful
homemaker, a loving wife, mother, grandmother and
great-grandmother. She loved her family and enjoyed
having them come and enjoy a meal throughout the
year. She enjoyed and loved her grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Hall is survived by her husband of 55 years,
Amory Hall, Maysville; sons, Darren Hall (Susie),
Maysville, and Dereck Hall (Ashley), Commerce;
grandsons, Andrew Hall (Logan), McKenna Hall
(Dora), Carson Hall (Vivian) and Samuel Hall; and
seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral service: Friday, December 22, 2023, at
2 p.m. at Maysville Baptist Church with Dr. Shane
Roberson officiating. Interment will follow in Sun
rise Cemetery.
Family to receive friends: Friday, December 22,
2023, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the
Maysville Baptist Church Building Fund.
Little-Ward Funeral Home, Commerce, is in charge
of arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 24-30
Dr. Philip F. Lee
Dr. Philip F. Lee died on Friday, December 22,
2023.
He was a member of
the Stratford branch of
the Lee family prominent
in Maryland and Virginia
since colonial days. The
son of WWII RAF ATA
ferry pilot Capt. Philip F.
Lee Jr. of Sugarloaf Farm
near Urbana, Maryland,
and the former Helen
“Nell” Trufant Cole of
New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dr. Lee was bom
March 4, 1942, in New Orleans after his father was
killed on August 14, 1941, in service to the ATA. A
descendant of Thomas Sim Lee, the second governor
of Maryland, he was raised in Pass Christian, Mis
sissippi.
He received college preparation at the Sewanee
Military Academy, Diploma 1959; and attended
Georgia Institute of Technology, graduating with BS
and MS degrees in Applied Mathematics in 1964 and
1967.
In 1970 he received a PhD from Tech’s School of
Mathematics. During graduate study he worked as a
teaching assistant for Tech’s School of Mathematics.
He became an assistant professor of Mathematics
at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and at
Mississippi State University. In 1973 he moved to
Maryland to work in defense R&D and system de
velopment.
Before retiring in 2007, he had contributed to dig
ital signal processing for sonar simulation (training),
tactical sonar processing and sensor development,
strategic surveillance sonar processing, submarine
silencing, strategic submarine force protection, intel
ligence report distribution automation, and ballistic
missile defense. He was a member of the IEEE.
Dr. Lee was active politically to protect the right to
keep and bear arms in Maryland. He was a life mem
ber of the NRA and GOA.
Dr. Lee’s wife of 47 years, the former Carolyn Eliz
abeth Bentley of Winder, preceded him in death in
2010 and his sister, Helen Trufant Cole Lee died in
2008.
He is survived by his daughter, Barbara Lee Epple
(son-in-law Lt. Col. Ted Epple, US Army Ret.); son,
Christopher Lightfoot Lee (daughter-in-law Susan
Phillips Lee); step-brother, Samuel S. Labouisse; and
six grandchildren, Benjamin, Matthew and Bentley
Epple, and Boz, Carolyn and Max Lee.
Family and friends will be welcome on Sunday,
December 31, 2023, at Collins Funeral Home, 500
University Blvd. W, Silver Spring, Maryland, with a
visitation beginning at 9 a.m. followed by the service
at 10:00 a.m. Burial will take place at a later date in
Winder.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 24-30
John Allen Martin
MONROE — John Allen Martin, 93, Monroe,
passed away on Thursday, August 17,2023.
A native of Statham, he
was a son of the late Har
old Statham Martin and
Cora Myrtle McDonald
Martin. Mr. Martin was
preceded by his wife of
60 years, Clara Willard
Martin; his daughter,
Phyllis Martin Gunter;
and his granddaughter,
Brandy Nicole Martin.
Surviving are son,
Rick Martin; daughter,
Janie Martin; grandchildren, Michael Martin, Ta-
batha Savage, Adam Martin and Chassey Valentine;
great-grandchildren, Codie (Jessica) Feazel, Connor
(Beka) Feazel, Shelby Valentine, Vivian Valentine
and Caden Feazel; great-great-grandchildren, Zora,
Silas, Calla and Jamison; sisters, Joanne Bennett and
Sara (Wilburn) Hill; and brother, Wayne (Jessica)
Martin.
He moved to Atlanta in the 1940s. He worked for
a pharmacy as a “soda jerk.” He later worked as an
upholsterer for Southern Springs. Then Mr. Martin
served MARTA for 30 years as a driver. During this
time he drove an ambulance as a volunteer.
He and his wife Clara raised their three children
and two grandchildren in a three bedroom/one bath
room house. Always giving someone a place to stay
when someone was in need. Later on he kept build
ing on to the house and it was always full of Love.
He never met a stranger, was a wealth of knowl
edge and could fix anything, never used instructions
and always had parts left over.
He was always joking and laughing and those who
knew him were blessed to have known him. He was
a happy and content person.
He was a sweet soul and the best Daddy and Papa.
He is loved and missed.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 24-30
Ricky Shope
WINDER — Ricky Shope, 47, Winder, passed
away on Saturday, December 9, 2023.
Mr. Shope was an avid
outdoorsman that loved
fishing and hunting. He
also enjoyed going on
vacations to the beach,
grilling and spending
time with his friends
and family. Above all,
Ricky was devoted to his
faith and loved the Lord
wholeheartedly.
Mr. Shope was preced
ed in death by his father,
Ricky E. Shope; and his grandmother, Mary Nell
(Reece) Avera.
Mr. Shope is survived by his children, Lance Shope,
age 20, Winder, and Layna Shope, age 16, Wind
er; mother of the children and Ricky’s lifelong best
friend, Stacy Shope, Winder; mother, Murleen Lee
Mote, Gainesville; aunts, Ann Alexander, Gaines
ville, Dee House, Gainesville, and Sandra Foy Mor
gan, Winder; cousins, Chrissy Rawlins, Tabby Foy,
Laura House, Hannah Foy, Lindsey Wright, Ethan
Epps, Jesse Cofield, Kaley Thomas, Jayson Foy and
Khristian Cox; and cherished friends and extended
family, Ellen Bailey, Justin Ewing, Brandon Ewing,
Dylan Brice, Savannah Newton, Cooper Parsons, Al
isa Bailey, Robbie Steele, Logan and Dakota.
Funeral service: Saturday, December 23, 2023, at
11 a.m. in the chapel of Carter Funeral Home with
Pastor Angie Burgess officiating.
Family to receive friends: Saturday, December 23,
2023, from 10 until 11 a.m. at Carter Funeral Home.
Carter Funeral Home, Winder, is entrusted with the
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 24-30
Rae D. Skinner
WINDER — Rae D. Skinner, 72, Winder, passed
away Tuesday, December 19,2023, at her residence.
A native of Wilson,
North Carolina, Rae was
the daughter of the late
Bob and Leona Jones
Holland. She was preced
ed by a granddaughter,
Stephanie Wright, and
had resided in Winder for
the past 49 years.
Rae was a member of
the Winder First United
Methodist Church, was
an avid reader and loved
looking after her loved ones. She had served as a
Registered Nurse at Athens Regional Medical Center
for 42 years.
Surviving are husband of 50 years, Charles Skin
ner; children, Billy (Penny) Skinner and Leabee
(James Alexander) Skinner, all of Winder; grandchil
dren, Paige (Jadon) DuBose, Carson (Jacob) Skinner
and Laney Holland; sisters by choice, Sandra Rooks,
Joyce Murphy and Connie Tippett; and siblings,
Richard Holland, Betty Felton and Kim Biggs.
Funeral service: Thursday, December 21, 2023, at
2 p.m. from the chapel of Carter Funeral Home with
Connie Tippett and others speaking. Interment will
be in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Family to receive friends: Thursday, December 21,
2023, from 12 until 2 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home.
Rae had requested that flowers please be omitted
and that those desiring please make memorials to the
Winder First United Methodist Church Altar Fund,
280 North Broad Street, Winder, Georgia 30680 or
the American Humane Society, 1400 16th Street,
N.W., Suite 360, Washington, D.C. 20036.
Carter Funeral Home of Winder is in charge of ar
rangements. Online condolences maybe expressed at
www.carterfhwinder.com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of December 24-30
