Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 8A-M
MAINSTREET NEWSPAPERS
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2009
Obituaries
Hazel Beck
COMMERCE - Hazel
Beck, 88, died Friday, July
10, 2009, at Athens Regional
Medical Center.
Born in Jackson County,
she was
the daugh
ter of the
late Reuben
and Stella
Boswell
McGinnis
and step-
in o t h e r ,
Mary
McGinnis.
She was a homemaker and a
member of Ridgeway Baptist
Church. Mrs. Beck was pre
ceded in death by her husband.
Ernest Beck; grandson, Kevin
Ledford; and sister, Helen
Cochran.
Survivors include sons and
daughters-in-law, James and
Jane Beck, Gillsville, Bobby
and Wanda Beck and Randy
and Donna Beck, all of
Maysville. Thomas and Carol
Beck, Homer; sons. Billy
Beck and Larry Beck, both
of Commerce; daughters and
sons-in-law, Linda and Aubrey
Ledford and Peggy and Jim
Bailey, all of Commerce, Patsy
and Donald Beck and Shirley
and Wayne Wilbanks, all of
Jefferson; sisters, Mary Lou
Lacy, Oneida Jackson, Malise
Cheek and Nadine Seabolt, all
of Commerce; 16 grandchil
dren; and 18 great-grandchil
dren.
Funeral services were held
Monday, July 13, at Ridgeway
Baptist Church with the
Revs. Bill Manus and Luther
Williams officiating. Burial
was in the church cemetery.
Little-Ward Funeral Home.
Commerce, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(622)
Howard Deschner
NICHOLSON - Howard
Roy Deschner, 70, died
Tuesday, July 7, 2009.
Born on April 1, 1939, in
Newton, Kan., he was the son
of the late
Lester and
Vivian
Haynes
Deschner.
He was
a self-
employed
d r y w a 11
finisher.
Survivors include his wife,
Elaine Cathey Deschner,
Nicholson; children, Angie
Deschner, Ft. Worth, Texas,
Michael Aaron and Katie
Cathey, Brock, Texas, Robin
and Bill Vigliotte, Omaha,
Neb., Wanda and Thomas
Smith, Cumming, Lynn and
Rudy Dominquez, Augusta,
Travis Cathey, Ft. Worth, Texas;
brothers, Wilbur and Edith
Deschner, Kansas, Bob and
Edwina Deschner, Colorado;
a sister, Barbara Spalitta,
California; 18 grandchildren;
and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation was held Friday,
July 10, at the funeral home.
The body was cremated after
the visitation.
Memorial contributions
may be made to the American
Cancer Society, 1684 Barnett
Shoals Rd., Athens, GA
30605.
Evans Funeral Home,
Jefferson, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
H. Gary Fortson
DEWY ROSE - H. Gary
Fortson, 54, died Monday, July
13, 2009, following an extend
ed illness.
He was the son of the late
Horace and Annie Laura
Fortson and was preceded in
death by his father-in-law, J.W.
Davis.
Survivors include his wife
of 25 years, Patricia Fortson;
daughter and son-in-law, Lynn
and Buddy Stephens; grand
children, Tyler and Heather
Stephens; sisters, Connie
Carter, Lisa Candler, Elaine
Short and Lynn Herman; broth
ers, Ronnie and Alex Fortson;
mother-in-law, Patsy Davis;
brother-in-law, Wayne Davis;
a special niece; and a number
of friends.
Funeral services were held
Thursday, July 16, in the cha
pel of Hicks Funeral Home
with the Rev. Gary Purvis offi
ciating. Burial was in Elmhurst
Cemetery.
Hicks Funeral Home,
Elberton, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(19105)
Callie Gaines
ROYSTON - Callie Wright
Gaines, 87, died Sunday, July
12, 2009, at her residence.
Born in Jackson County, she
was the daughter of the late
Benjamin and Nora Strickland
Wright. She was a homemaker
and a member of the Holiness
denomination. Mrs. Gaines was
preceded in death by her hus
band, Eugene Gaines; a son,
Carlton Gaines; and daughter,
Charlotte Fowler.
Survivors include daughters,
Betty Henson, Stockbridge,
Peggy Ivey, Loganville, Nora
Tiller, Flowery Branch, Minnie
Murphy, Royston; sons, Larry
Gaines, Hoschton, H.L. Gaines,
Lavonia, Kenneth Gaines,
Royston, Tommy Gaines,
Conyers; brothers. Bill Wright,
Canon, and Joseph Wright,
Buford; sister, Lillie Seabolt,
Jefferson; 23 grandchildren; 37
great-grandchildren; and five
great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held
Tuesday, July 14, in the chapel
of Little-Ward Funeral Home
with the Revs. Wesley Craig
and William Ivey officiating.
Burial was at Center Grove
Baptist Church cemetery.
Little-Ward Funeral Home,
Commerce, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(622)
Donna Jean Griffin
MAYSVILLE - Donna Jean
Griffin, 66, died Saturday, July
11, 2009, at her residence.
Born in Cook County, Ill.,
she was the daughter of the
late Bill and Ruth Schwarts
Cox, and was retired from the
Banks County Department of
Family and Children Services.
Mrs. Griffin was preceded in
death by her husband, Barney
Griffin; a son, Calvin Griffin;
and grandsons, Riley and Tyler
Griffin.
She was a foster parent and
over the years she had 28 foster
children. She was a missionary
child and grew up in Africa.
She and her husband pastored
several churches and her main
purpose in life was to serve
the Lord.
Survivors include sons and
daughter-in-law, Matthew and
Christy Griffin, Maysville,
Jeremy Griffin, New Mexico;
daughters, Cindy Bartow,
Angela Mason, Becky
Plemmons and Teresa Yale,
all of Asheville, N.C., and
Elizabeth Wilson, Commerce;
brother. Bill Cox Jr., Des
Moines, Iowa; 10 grandchil
dren; and three great-grand
children.
Funeral services were held
Monday, July 13, at Grove
Level Baptist Church Chantry
with the Revs. Jeff Appling and
John Wood officiating. Burial
was in Sunrise Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may
be made to the Grove Level
Baptist Church, 1702 Grove
Level Rd., Maysville, GA
30558.
Little-Ward Funeral Home,
Commerce, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(622)
Charles McDaniel
BETHLEHEM - Charles
N. McDaniel, 81, died Sunday,
July 12, 2009.
Born on May 1, 1928, he
was the son of Bridges and
Leveda Wall McDaniel. He
was preceded in death by
brothers, Thomas and Herbert
McDaniel.
He was raised in Bethlehem
by his grandmother, Jenny
Doster McDaniel, following
the death of his mother when he
was an infant. During the war at
age 14 he worked briefly in the
shipyards at Brunswick before
joining the Merchant Marines
at age 15 for one tour of duty.
Following that he joined the
Coast Guard.
During World
War II he served
on Coast Guard
Cutters in the waters off of
France and the Northeast Coast
of Canada and the US. He
owned and operated Holiday6
Grocery in Winder following
his retirement.
He was a Mason and Shriner,
was a deacon at the First
Christian Church in Winder,
but in 1980 was ordained as a
New Thought Minister at the
Center for Spiritual Awareness,
and was thus able to work with
alcoholics who were incarcer
ated and “ready” to hear about
AA.
Survivors include his wife of
64 years, Hassie Lee Stewart
McDaniel; daughters and
sons-in-law, Cheryl and Hank
Hilderbrand, Jackson, Debbie
McDaniel, Bethlehem, and
Marsha and David Gooch,
Jefferson; grandchildren and
spouses, Henry and Cassie
Hilderbrand, Johns Creek,
Jeremy and Lynne Hilderbrand,
Stockbridge, Chuck and
Maureen Gooch, Bethlehem,
and Kellee Gooch, Nashville,
Tenn.; three great-grandchil
dren; one niece; and numerous
cousins.
Smith Funeral Home,
Winder, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(18360)
Ettie McElhannon
CONYERS - Ettie Faye
McElhannon, 83, died Friday,
July 10, 2009.
A native of Hoschton, she
was the daughter of the late
Elbert and Lulu Elizabeth
Fagins Ethridge. She was a
retired administrative assis
tant with the Georgia State
Department of Civil Defense
with 30 years of service. Mrs.
McElhannon was preceded in
death by her husband, Stewart
McElhannon Jr.
Survivors include sons and
daughters-in-law, Stewart
McElhannon III and Mary S.
McElhannon, Conyers, James
Monroe McElhannon, Tucker,
Dr. Mark Andrew McElhannon
and Alma M. McElhannon,
Atlanta; grandsons and spous
es, Joel S. and Rosemary
McElhannon, Russell J. and
Erin McElhannon; grand
daughters and spouse, Taryn
F. and Algernon Tennyson,
Margaret C. McElhannon, and
Mari J. McElhannon.
Funeral services were held
Sunday, July 12, in the chapel
of Carter Funeral Home with
the Rev. Grover Jehue Thomas
Jr. officiating. Burial was in
Rose Hill Cemetery.
Carter Funeral Home,
Winder, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(19080)
Henry Miller
PENDERGRASS - Henry
Joe Miller, 69, died Saturday,
July 11, 2009, at the St. Mary’s
Hospice House in Athens, fol
lowing an extended illness.
Born in Oconee County on
July 28,
1939, he
was the
son of the
late Henry
Grady and
Nannie Bell
Miller. He
had been a
member of
Pond Fork
Baptist Church for 30 years,
and was founder and president
of the H.J. Miller Company,
which specializes in the sales
and maintenance of industrial
canning and packaging equip
ment internationally.
Survivors include his
wife, Janis Williams Miller,
‘Missy’ Morgan
WINDER - Melinda “Missy” Bailey
Morgan, 46, died Wednesday, July 8,
2009.
Born in Jefferson County, Ala., she
was the daughter of Gene and Ernestine
Blackwell Bailey of Winder. She was a
20-year member of the community, gradu
ated from the University of Georgia in 1984,
and Georgia State in 1985 with her mas
ter’s and was a member of the Pi Beta Phi.
She was a speech pathologist at Bethlehem
Elementary School, was the past president
of both the PTO at Bethlehem Elementary
School and the Barracuda Swim Team.
Mrs. Morgan was preceded in death by a
brother, Warren Bailey.
Survivors in addition to her par
ents include her husband, Les Morgan,
Winder; sons. Will and Ryan Morgan,
Winder; daughter, Heidi Morgan, Winder;
brother, Walter Bailey, Statham; sisters,
Fonda Sullivan, Winder, and Celena Davis,
Braselton.
Funeral services will be held Saturday,
July 18, at 2 p.m., at the Bethlehem First
Baptist Church with Muriel Cash and Julie
Peck officiating. The family will receive
friends Friday, July 17, from 2 to 4 p.m.
and 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to
The Lighthouse, P.O. Box 847, Marietta,
GA 30061, or C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer,
1835 Savoy Dr., Ste. 102, Atlanta, GA
30341.
Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in
charge of arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(18360)
'MISSY' AND RYAN MORGAN
Ryan Morgan
WINDER - Ryan Morgan, 10, died Friday,
July 10, 2009.
Bom in Clarke County, he was the son of
Les Morgan of Winder and the late Melinda
“Missy” Bailey Morgan, who passed away
July 8, 2009. He was a student of Bethlehem
Elementary School, a member of the Barracuda
swim team, and was a Barrow County soccer
player with the Recreation Department.
Survivors in addition to his father include
a brother. Will Morgan, Winder; sister, Heidi
Morgan, Winder; grandparents, Ron and
Thelma Morgan, Courtenay, BC, and Gene and
Ernestine Bailey, Winder.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, July
18, at 2 p.m„ at the Bethlehem First Baptist
Church with Muriel Cash and Julie Peck offi
ciating. The family will receive friends Friday,
July 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m., at the
funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to The
Lighthouse, P.O. Box 847, Marietta, GA 30061,
or C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer, 1835 Savoy Dr.,
Ste. 102, Atlanta, GA 30341.
Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(18360)
Pendergrass; daughters, Kim
Jackson, Loganville, and Jenny
Dunbar, Pendergrass; sons,
Bruce Miller, Pendergrass,
and Kevin Miller, Alto; sisters,
Y vonne Faulkner, Watkinsville,
and Margie Nelson, Hampton;
brother, James Boyd Miller,
Stockbridge; 13 grandchildren;
and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held
Monday, July 13, at Pond
Fork Baptist Church with
the Revs. Johnny Knight and
Scott Lance officiating. Burial
was in the Huff Cemetery in
Watkinsville.
Memorial contributions
may be made to the Pond
Fork Baptist Church, c/o Rev.
Johnny Knight, 104 Gordon
Rd., Commerce, GA 30529,
or St. Mary’s Hospice House,
P.O. Box 6588, Athens, GA
30604.
Evans Funeral Home,
Jefferson, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(S75)
Ralph Miller
BRASELTON - Ralph
Charles Miller, 83, died
Monday, July 13, 2009.
Born in Fulton County, he
was the son of the late John
Benson and Ruth Agnes Kesler
Miller. He was a retired fireman
with the City
of Atlanta Fire
Department,
a member of
the Atlanta Jaycees, member
of Zion Baptist Church, and
a veteran, having served in
the United States Army during
World War II.
Survivors include his wife,
Betty Lou Jenkins Miller,
Braselton; children, Ben and
Kathy Miller, Braselton, Barry
L. and Karon Miller, Tiger,
Judy and Paul Dressner, St.
Simons Island, Bob and Cindy
Miller, Pendergrass; sisters and
brothers-in-law, Runell and
Howard Lykins, Illinois, Betty
Davis, Hoschton, Barbara and
Bob Samples, Covington; 15
grandchildren; six great-grand
children; and one great-great-
grandchild.
Funeral services were held
Tuesday, July 14, at Zion
Baptist Church with the Rev.
Mike Phillips officiating.
Burial was in the church cem
etery.
Memorial contributions may
be made to the Zion Baptist
Church, 2001 Cherry Dr.,
Braselton, GA 30517.
Evans Funeral Home,
Jefferson, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(S75)
Frances Moore
CORNELIA - Fances Ruth
Moore, 90, died Wednesday,
July 8, 2009, at BJC Nursing
Home following an extended
illness.
Born in Habersham County
on May 24, 1919, she was the
daughter of the late Ed and
Carrie Gaddie Zimmerman.
She was a homemaker and of
the Baptist denomination. Mrs.
Moore was preceded in death
by her husband, George W.
Moore; sisters, Lucille Jones,
Lois Zimmerman and Ruby
Zimmerman; and brother, John
Zimmerman.
Survivors include a daughter
and son-in-law, Millie and Joe
Pezzuto, Maysville; son and
daughter-in-law, George T. and
Ruth Moore, Toccoa; sisters,
Louise Grant, Montgomery,
Ala., and Annie Bell York, Mt.
Airy; four grandchildren and
five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held
Friday, July 10, from the cha
pel of McGahee-Griffin &
Stewart with Pastor Charles
Crabbe officiating. Burial was
in Yonah Memorial Gardens.
McGahee-Griffin & Stewart
Funeral Home, Cornelia, was
in charge of arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(19090)
Thelma Murray
ATHENS - Thelma Grace
Williamson Murray, 82, died
Tuesday, July 7, 2009.
Born in Jackson County on
January 16, 1927, she was a
daughter of the late Worthy L.
and Alma Matthews Williamson
and the widow of Elmer Lloyd
Murray. She was also preceded
in death by a brother, Dewey
Williamson; and sisters, Mary
Wilda Dougherty and Ida
Frances Baxter. She was a
homemaker and a seamstress
for many years.
Survivors include children,
Loriane Shelton, Nicholson,
Cathe White, Athens, Pam
(Ruff) Smith, Danielsville,
and E. Kenneth (Jean) Murray,
Monroe; a brother, Horace
Williamson, Columbia,
S.C.; sister-in-law, Margie
Williamson, Nicholson; 12
grandchildren; and 21 great
grandchildren.
Graveside services were
held Thursday, July 9, at
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church
Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church
Cemetery Fund.
Lord and Stephens, East,
Athens, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
Gary Paugh
NICHOLSON - Gary Alvin
Paugh, 71, died Wednesday
July 8, 2009, at his residence.
Born in Lewis County, W. Va.,
he was the son of the late
Denzil and Lillian Clem Paugh.
He was retired from Service
Master Hospital Management
and was a member of the First
United Methodist Church of
Commerce.
Survivors include his wife,
Judith Anne Bass Paugh,
Nicholson; sons and daughters-
in-law, Tim and Gwen Paugh,
Ocala, Fla. and Greg and Leigh
Ann Paugh, Birmingham,
Ala.; daughter and son-in-
law, Sherry and Matt Parker,
Lawrenceville; brothers, David
Paugh, Jacksonville, Fla. and
Den Paugh, Conway, Ark.;
sister, Judy Gibson, Vilonia,
Ark.; ten grandchildren and
one great-grandchild.
Funeral services were held
Saturday, July 11, at the First
United Methodist Church of
Commerce with Dr. David
Bowen officiating. Burial was
in East Shadowlawn Memorial
Gardens, Lawrenceville.
Little-Ward Funeral Home,
Commerce, was in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
(622)
Lida Pirkle
HOSCHTON - Lida Emily
Westbrook Pirkle, 92, retired
educator, died Wednesday, July
8, 2009, following a brief ill
ness.
Born in Forsyth County,
she was the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. C.J. Westbrook of
Chestnut Mountain. Her career
spanned 35 years of teaching
math, science, physics, home
econom
ics, and
elemen
tary edu
cation in
Floyd,
Hart, Hall,
Gwinnett,
Jackson,
and
Barrow
counties. She was a 1938 grad
uate of Berry College, received
her Master’s of Education
from the University of Georgia
in 1962, and was a National
Science Foundation scholar.
Mrs. Pirkle was preceded in
death by her husband Jack
Pirkle; and brothers, Cecil
Westbrook, Marietta, and Hugh
Westbrook, Gainesville
Survivors include a sister,
Louise Westbrook McGowan,
Chestnut Mountain; daugh
ters and son-in-law: Frances
Benson, Moultrie, and Jack
and Ada Spruill, Hoschton;
grandchildren and their fami
lies: Scott, Jackie, and Conor
Batson and Jordan Benson of
Alpharetta; Robert, Brooke,
Charlie, Wyatt, and Ben Spruill
of Moultrie; Shannon, Carol,
Emma, and Clayborn Lawrence
of Kite; and Cliff, Abby, and
John Tippens of Jackson.
Memorial services are
planned for Saturday July 18,
at 10 a.m„ at Hoschton United
Methodist Church.
Wages and Sons,
Lawrenceville, is in charge of
arrangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
July 16, 2009.
continued on following page