About The Madison County journal. (Hull, Ga.) 1989-current | View Entire Issue (July 2, 2025)
PAGE 8A - THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2025 Obituaries 1 Jimmy Carl Barrett Jimmy Carl Barrett, 89, peacefully passed away, leav ing behind a legacy of faith, devotion and service to his family, community and country. A man deeply rooted in his love for God, Jimmy lived with the confident assurance that his name is written in the Book of Life. Born with a strong sense of duty and integrity, Jim my had a deep love for his country and lived each day with gratitude for the freedoms and opportuni ties it provided. He carried those values into a lifelong career in real estate alongside his beloved wife, Mari lyn Chatham Barrett. Married for 70 years, Jimmy and Marilyn shared a remarkable journey — one marked by both challenges and blessings, and most of all, endur ing partnership. Together, they contributed significantly to the development of Atlanta real estate, building not only a business but a life of purpose and legacy. In addition to his work and family, Jimmy found great joy in his hobbies — flying his plane, boating and working on his farm. These pursuits reflected his ad venturous spirit and deep appreciation for the beauty of creation. He saw God’s Hand in all he did. Jimmy is survived by his devoted wife, Marilyn; his children, Kathryn and John; his brother, Wayne Bar rett; seven grandchildren, Amanda Webb, Holly Na varre, Alex Umstead, Nick Umstead, Katelyn Umstead, Kristy Pritchett and John Barrett Jr.; and 10 great-grand children. He was preceded in death by his brother, Marvin Bar rett, with whom he shared a close bond. Jimmy will be remembered for his steadfast faith, quiet strength, and unwavering love for his family. He was a man who honored God in both word and deed and who finished his race with dignity and peace. Funeral service: Monday, July 7, 2025, at 12 p.m. at Evans Funeral Home Chapel in Jefferson. Burial will follow at Evans Memory Gardens. Family to receive friends: Monday, July 7, 2025, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. at Evans Funeral Home. Evans Funeral Home, Inc., 1350 Winder Highway, Jefferson, Georgia, 706-367-5467. Online condolences at www.evansfuneralhomeinc.com. Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Week of June 30-JuIy 6 Susan B. Behrle COMMERCE — Susan B. Behrle, 77, Commerce, passed away Sunday, June 29, 2025. She was preceded in death by a son, Jason Casey; and her parents, Robert and Roxie McWaters. Survivors include daughters, Shuree ( Donald) Toney and Cassandra McElroy.; son, Michael ( Stacy) Ca sey; grandchildren, Amanda ( Eduardo), Casey, Jake, Reghan and Aidan; along with two great-grandchildren, Olivia and Ezra. Funeral service: Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at 2 p.m. from the chapel of Ivie Funeral Home with burial in Grey Hill Cemetery. Ivie Funeral Home, Commerce, is in charge of ar rangements. Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Week of June 30-JuIy 6 Betty Jo Bishop Beusse HULL — Betty Jo Bishop Beusse, 69, Hull, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, she was the daughter of the late Herman Bishop and Pearl Haley. In her free time, she enjoyed listening to coun try music, dancing and loving on her fur baby lab mix, Chop; but nothing was more important than spending time with her beautiful family. Along with her par ents, Betty Jo is preceded in death by her sisters, Judy Bishop, Ruby Nell Car ter, Margaret McDonald, Evelyn Holland and Shirley Fowler. Survivors include her husband, Ronald Beusse; daughter, Rhonda Thompson (Scott); son, Chris Beusse (Jordan); four grandchildren, Caleb Beusse, Sarah Bryn Beusse, Aiden Thompson and Collin Thompson; as well as her brother, Wayne Bishop. Funeral service: Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Lord and Stephens East. Burial to follow at Hull Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Adam Bishop, Kaleb Bishop, Raymond Fowler, Walter Fowler, Randy Fowler and Justin Fowler. Family to receive friends: Tuesday, June 24, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the funeral home.B Lord and Stephens Funeral Home, East, Athens, Ga., is in charge of arrangements, www.lordandstephens. com. Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Week of June 30-JuIy 6 JoAnn Worley Bond ROYSTON — JoAnn Worley Bond, 76, Royston, passed away on Monday, June 23, 2025, at Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Bond was bom on March 20, 1949, in Com merce, daughter of the late George Worley and the late Frances Bagwell Worley. She was a bookkeeper having worked at Weyerheuser and was a member of Zidon Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by several brothers and sisters. Survivors include her husband, Charles Bond; sons and daughters-in-law, Andy and Cindy Bond, Royston, and Michael and Stacey Bond, Royston; sisters, Shir ley Martin, Commerce, and Susan Manley, Commerce; grandchildren, Selina Bohannon, Caleb Bond, Dylan Bond, Drake Bond, Trevor Bond and Alec Bond; and great-grandchildren, Zoey Bohannon, Owen Bohan non, Charli Bond, Sadie Bond, Tripp Bond, Jett Bond and Ruthie Bond. Funeral service: Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Zidon Baptist Church with the Revs. Andy Bond and Caleb Bond officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Family to receive friends: Thursday, June 26, 2025, from 10 until 11 a.m. at Zidon Baptist Church. During other times the family will be at the home. Flowers are optional, memorials may be made to Zi don Baptist Church Bible Fund. Pruitt Funeral Home in Royston, Ga., is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.pruittfhroyston.com. Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Week of June 30-JuIy 6 Evelyn Boyd Evelyn Boyd, 96, passed away on Monday, June 23, 2025. She was greatly loved and will be missed by her family who called her “E”, and by her church family and many friends. Eve lyn was born on March 3, 1929, in Barrow County and raised in Bethlehem, Campton and Bonaire. She was the daughter of the late Dessus and Launa Doster Barber. Evelyn was also preced ed in death by her loving 7 husband of more than 75 years, J.P. Boyd, who passed away January 16, 2025; by her great-granddaughter, Arden; and by her closest friends, Helen House, Betty Smith Kelley and Jane Smith Odum. Evelyn was a 1945 graduate of Winder High School. After graduation she began work in her Aunt Floy’s fab ric business in Atlanta where she developed the lifelong love of shopping downtown at least two Saturdays per quarter from Rich’s to Davison’s and all shops in be tween. After a couple of years she moved back home. Evelyn was employed for 50 years with Empire Man ufacturing Company, Winder, as the bookkeeper, and served as their corporate secretary until she retired in 1997. Evelyn was a talented alto singer and even got to sing and meet Minnie Pearl at Walker Park School near Monroe. Their father would drive Evelyn and Frances to an Athens radio station on weekends where they would sing Christian songs on a local radio show. During her youth at Bethlehem Methodist Church she was active in Choir, Sunday School, and Method ist Youth Fellowship (MYF). She joined the Church in 1943 and became a dedicated and active member of Bethlehem First United Methodist Church for the next 80 years. Over the years, Evelyn directed a children’s choir, youth choir and the adult Chancel Choir from 1994-1998. She taught the junior Sunday School class for several years, was a member of the United Method ist Women (formerly known as WSCS), co-taught in the Pre-School, and was an active member of the STARS senior group having monthly fellowship and lunches or day trips, as well as staging shows and skits where Evelyn often portrayed Minnie Pearl. Evelyn and JP served as treasurers for Bethlehem First United Meth odist Church for 35 years (1971-2006) with absolute trustworthiness and dependability. Evelyn loved her family and taught her children and grands to love Jesus and to develop a strong commit ment to learning and working to lift higher each gener ation. She kept up with all birthdays and other activities for family members long before social media. She en joyed gifting music boxes and annual ornaments to the grands at Christmas. Evelyn was known for her baking skills at family and church gatherings especially pound cakes, layer cakes, pies and biscuits. She was still baking each member’s favorite into her nineties. Evelyn loved to travel but her “internal rubber band” would pull her back to Beth lehem in about 10 days at most. She loved numerous mountain and beach trips in Georgia and the south. She has traveled to Washington, D.C., Texas, New York City, Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons national parks, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Evelyn is survived by her son, Phil Boyd (Laurilyn); her daughter, Vickie Washington (Bob); her six grand children, Jillian Armistead (Doug), Rebekah Simmons (Brian), Allison Van Kirk (Ryan), Bo Washington, Jon Philip Boyd (Ursula) and Mary Elizabeth Boylan (Bob); her 19 great-grandchildren, Presley, Joshua, Madeline, Avery, Kane, Malachi, Koa, Brynn, Conner, Judd, Eden, Genevieve, Abel, Roxy, Corban, Harley, Cort, Veda and Jack; her sister, Frances Wood (Henry); and a host of nieces, nephews and other extended family. Funeral service: Saturday, June 28,2025, 2 p.m. at Bethlehem First United Methodist Church, 709 Christ mas Ave., Bethlehem. The graveside service will be held at 3 p.m. at the Bethlehem Methodist Cemetery, 1079 Bethlehem Church Rd., Bethlehem. Family to receive friends: Saturday, June 28, 2029, from 12:30 until 2 p.m. in the Narthex. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to Bethlehem Church Cemetery Fund at Bethlehem First United Methodist Church, 709 Christmas Ave., Bethle hem, Ga. 30620. Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of arrange ments. Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Week of June 30-JuIy 6 Emma Esther Flury Johnson COMMERCE — Emma Esther Flury Johnson, 79, Commerce, formerly of Jefferson, entered rest Tuesday, June 24, 2025. Mrs. Johnson was born December 1, 1945, in Sparta, a daughter of the late Joseph Albert and Ma bel Batchelor Flury. Mrs. Johnson was a homemak er and had worked as a volunteer at Central State Hospital, the V.A. Hospi tal in Augusta and Easter Seals of Augusta. Mrs. Johnson enjoyed bird watching, reading, cross stitch and writing poetry. Mrs. Johnson was an avid fan of the Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Braves and golf, especially the Mas ters. Mrs. Johnson enjoyed spending time with her fam ily most of all. She was of the Methodist faith. Survivors include her husband of 50 years, James “Jimmy” Lawrence Johnson, Commerce; daughter and son-in-law, Leslie Johnson Martin and Jason, Com merce; three grandchildren, Carly Holden, Kinley Hold en, Commerce, and Destiny Martin, Alto; sister, Nancy Arlene Leonard, Augusta; sisters-in-law, Carol Gold man and her husband Gerald, Lincolnton, and Emily May, Thomson; brother-in-law, David Johnson and his wife Patricia, Thomson; and several nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral service: Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Evans Funeral home with the Reverend Jerry O’Neal officiating. Burial will follow in Evans Memory Gardens. Family to receive friends: Friday, June 27, 2025, from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Evans Funeral Home, Inc., 1350 Winder Highway, Jefferson, Georgia. Online condolences at www.evans- funeralhomeinc.com. Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Week of June 30-JuIy 6 Judy Grace Dixon Lampp STATHAM — Judy Grace Dixon Lampp, 83, Statham, passed away on Monday, June 23, 2025. She was the daughter of the late James Linton Dix on and Annie Grace Tipton Dixon and was born and raised in Dublin. Judy was a member of 1025 Church in Statham. In addition to her par ents, Judy was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry D. Lampp; and her brothers, Jimmy Dixon and Alonzo Dixon. She is survived by her sons, David (Kim Casper) Lampp and Ken (Shannon Park) Lampp, both of Winder, and Jeffery (Ginger Akins) Lampp and Jason (Kim McDougald) Lampp, both of Statham; grandchildren, Chase, Duke, Zeb, Sar ah, Emily and Chandler; seven great-grandchildren; and her sister, Madelyn Mimbs. Graveside service: Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Barrow Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations in memory of Judy be made to 1025 Church in Statham. Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of arrange ments. Published by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Week of June 30-JuIy 6 Carolyn Shirley Merk COMMERCE — Carolyn Shirley Merk, 88, Com merce, died Tuesday, June 24, 2025. Mrs. Merk was born in Commerce to the late Leo and Lauree Park Shirley. She was a member of the Baptist faith and retired from the Jefferson City Schools. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Merk was preceded in death by her husband, George Emory Merk; grandchil dren, Chris Merk and Jessica Martin; great-grandson, Boyd Archer Merk; and several brothers and sisters. Mrs. Merk is survived by her sons, Mike Merk (Joni) and Phillip Merk (Ah), both of Commerce; daughter, continued on next page
