THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2025 - PAGE 9A
Obituaries
Family to receive friends: Monday, March 17,
2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Evans Funeral Home.
Evans Funeral Home, Inc., 1350 Winder High
way, Jefferson, Georgia. Online condolences at
www.evansfuneralhomeinc.com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of March 17-23
Tony Lay
ROSWELL — Tony Lay passed away on Tues
day, March 11, 2025, in Roswell, due to surgical
complications relieving chronic back and hip pain.
He is reunited with
his Heavenly Father
through the grace of Je
sus Christ (fatherslovel-
etter.com/god-and-you.
html). Born in Winder
to the late James and
Tootsie Lay, and brother
to the late Michael Lay,
Tony graduated from
Winder-Barrow High
School, attended West
Georgia College, and
earned a degree from the University of Georgia.
A Vietnam War veteran, Tony rose to Sergeant
in the U.S. Army’s American Division. He worked
as district director at the State YMCA of Georgia
before moving to Mississippi. An avid guitarist, he
enjoyed Kingston Trio Fantasy Camps and YMCA
Blue Ridge Assembly programs, and sang in the
choir at Mount Bethel United Methodist Church in
Marietta. Tony officiated baseball, softball, foot
ball, basketball, volleyball and soccer.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Guthrie Lay
(Miss Virginia 1958), married in 2014; four chil
dren; and eight grandchildren.
A private memorial will be held in the near future
with close family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations
to the American Bible Society or a veteran’s orga
nization in Tony’s honor.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of March 17-23
Charles “Charlie” Hampton Owen Jr.
STATHAM — Charles “Charlie” Hampton
Owen Jr., 63, Statham, passed away on Monday,
February 10, 2025.
He was a member of Pleasant Hill Presbyterian
Church. Charlie was part of the baseball team in
Barrow County that won a state championship in
1977. He later coached baseball, football, softball
and soccer.
He is predeceased by his mother, Joan Owen;
f word
4
7
y
and brother-in-law, Keith Greeson.
Charlie is survived
by his father, Charles
Hampton Owen Sr.;
son, Charles Hampton
“Trey” (Jennifer) Owen
111; daughters, Amber
(Nic) Owen Glenn and
Sarah (Luke) Lackore;
step-son, Jacob Couch;
brother, Scott Owen;
sister, Mary “Cissy”
Greeson; and his grand
children, Adalynn, Hen
ley, Hollyn and Lakelynn.
Funeral service: Sunday, March 23, 2025, at
3 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home Memory Chapel,
755 Atlanta Hwy. SE, Winder.
Family to receive friends: Sunday, March 23,
2025, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the funeral home.
Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of ar
rangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of March 17-23
Charles Hampton Owen Sr.
STATHAM — Charles Hampton Owen Sr., 87,
Statham, passed away on Wednesday, March 12,
2025.
He was bom in Com
merce to the late Ross
Hampton and Rachel
Owen. Charles served
his country in the U.S.
Army. Before retire
ment, he was an elec
trician with Guardian
Cable. Charles enjoyed
coaching baseball and
was a Little League
coach from 1975 until
1984. He was a member
of Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church.
In addition to his parents, Charles was preced
ed in death by his wife, Joan Owen; son, Charles
“Charlie” Owen Jr.;four siblings; and son-in-law,
Keith Greeson.
He is survived by his children, Scott Owen
and Mary “Cissy” Greeson; five grandchildren,
Charles Hampton Owen III, Brett Owen, Amber
(Nic) Glenn, Harley Elizabeth Owen and Keleigh
Cheyenne Greeson; six great-grandchildren, Ada
lynn, Henley, Hollyn, Lakelynn, Millie and Ricky;
and his brother, Hamp Owen.
Funeral service: Sunday, March 23, 2025 at
3 p.m. in Smith Funeral Home Memory Chapel,
755 Atlanta Hwy. SE, Winder.
Family to receive friends: Sunday, March 23,
2025, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home.
Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of ar
rangements.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of March 17-23
June Winifred Jackson Sturdy
PATTERSON — June Winifred Jackson Sturdy,
87, Patterson, formerly of Dahlonega, passed away
into the arms of Jesus on Tuesday morning, March
11, 2025, at Harborview — Pierce.
Born in Edgware,
Middlesex England,
on December 9, 1937,
to Thomas Henry and
Lucy Springford Jack-
son. She grew up in
the suburbs of London
during WWII. After her
schooling, she was ap
prenticed as a hairdress
er, then later working in
the grocer.
She married Brian
Sturdy in 1957. They had 2 daughters and a son.
In 1967, the family followed Brian’s career to Fort
Worth, Texas, then, in 1974, to Georgia. They lived
in Dahlonega until the summer of 2024 when they
moved to Jefferson and then finally to Patterson.
June was a stay-at-home mom while raising her
children, then returned to work until she retired
from Winn-Dixie. She was preceded in death by
her parents; and brothers, Tommy and Tony Jack
son.
June had a love for crafts, including crocheting,
scrapbooking and putting together jigsaw puzzles.
June leaves behind her loving husband of 68
years, Brian Sturdy, Patterson; her children, Julie
(Chris) Smith, Patterson, Wendy (Gerald) Alex
ander, Dahlonega, and Rodney (Christine) Sturdy,
Jefferson; six grandchildren, Jennifer (Qaishun)
Rivers, Holly (Jason) Hammond-Gabb, Cale
(Kat) Roper, Cindy (Brad) O’Neal, Nick (Miran
da) Sturdy and Tim (Katherine) Watkins; and 11
great-grandchildren.
Funeral service: Saturday, March 22, 2025, at
11 a.m. from the Patterson Baptist Church with the
Rev. Vance Colley officiating. The family will be
receiving guests immediately following the ser
vice. Memorialization will be by cremation.
Pearson-Dial Funeral Home of Blackshear is
in charge of an angements. Sympathy may be ex
pressed by signing the online register at www.pear-
sondial.com.
Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Week of March 17-23
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