Hilton Ray Culbreth
Hilton Ray Culbreth, 83, of Shellman, died Tuesday, March 18, 2003, at the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany. A native of Spartanburg County, S.C., he was born July 5, 1919 to the late John and Blennie Seay Culbreth. He was also preceded in death by four brothers and a sister. He attended and played football at Clemson University, before serving four years in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a recipient of the Bronze Star. After discharge, he attended Wofford College in Spartanburg, where he played football and graduated with honors. Mr. Culbreth retired from teaching and coaching in both the South Carolina and Georgia schools. He was a member of the Shellman Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife, Gladys Prescott Culbreth; three children, Paul Langford, Bryson Langford and Mary Jane L. Salter, all of Shellman; a special niece, Penny Ward, Independence, MO; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, all of Randolph County. Graveside funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, from the East View Cemetery with the Rev. Olin Johnson officiating. Memorials may be made to the Randolph Southern School Football Fund, P.O. Box 566, Shellman or to a charity of one’s choice. Curry Funeral Home of Shellman was in charge of arrangements.

Willie L. Taylor
Willie L. Taylor ,74, of Blackshear died Thursday afternoon, March 20, 2003, at the Waycross Health and Rehabilitation Center after an extended illness. A native of North Carolina, he had lived in Pierce County since 1986. Mr. Taylor was a retired mechanic and formerly owned a furniture store in Jacksonville, Fl. He was of the Christian Faith. He is survived by many friends in Pierce County. Private memorial services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, from the home of George Loyd in Blackshear. The service took place at the bridge by the pond where Mr. Taylor loved to visit. The Rev. J.R. Ganey officiated. Memorialization was by cremation. Smith Funeral Home in Blackshear was in charge of the arrangements.

Effie Mae Tyre Womack
Mrs. Effie Mae Tyre Womack, 91, passed away Sunday morning, March 23, 2003, at the Integrated Health Care Facility in Jacksonville, FL. A native of Wayne County, she had lived in Patterson for many years. She was a retired school teacher having taught with the Pierce County School System for twenty-three years. She was a member of the Patterson Methodist Church and was a daughter of the late Dr. J. Lawton & Bertie Walker Tyre. She was also preceded in death by her husband, James J. Womack, who passed away in 1982 and by her daughter, Bertie Jo Farley, who passed away in 1988. Survivors are her grandson, James Andrew (Carrie) Farley, Sr. of Jacksonville, FL; a great grandson, James Andrew Farley, Jr. of Jacksonville; her son-n-law, Sonny O. (Carol) Farley of Jacksonville and several other relatives. Funeral services for Mrs. Womack will be held Wednesday morning, March 26, 2003, at 11:00 a.m. from the Patterson Methodist Church. Officiating will be Rev. Robert Hendrix and Dr. Ted Harris. Interment will be in the Patterson Cemetery. Mrs. Womack will lay in state at the church one hour prior to the service. Pearson-Treadwell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Arnold Kemsey Mulkey
Arnold Kemsey Mulkey, 91, passed away late Tuesday afternoon, March 4, 2003, at the Satilla Regional Medical Center. A native of Gilmer County, he had lived in Bowling Green, KY for several years before moving to Pierce County thirteen years ago. He retired from the US Army where he had served during World War II and the Korean Conflict. After his retirement from the military he went to work with Pinkerton Security as a security guard for several years. He attended the Walkerville Baptist Church and was a son of the late George Arnold and Addie Orsborn Mulkey. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Bessie Green Mulkey, who passed away in 1985, by a sister, Hester Mulkey King and two brothers, F. Carter Mulkey and Ben Mulkey. Survivors are two of his nieces who were also his caregivers, Addie Faye King and Nellie Smith, both of Blackshear and numerous other nieces, nephews and other relatives. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 7, from the Pearson-Treadwell Chapel with Rev. Herman Moore and Rev. Wayne Hutchinson officiating. Interment followed in the Bristol Cemetery with full military rites. Pearson-Treadwell Funeral Home of Blackshear was in charge of arrangements.

Charles L. Woodall, Sr.
Charles L. Woodall, Sr., 49 passed away Tuesday, March 4, 2003 at South Georgia Medical Center. A native of Waycross he had lived in Valdosta for nineteen years. He was the location manager for the Five Points Winn Dixie Marketplace and a member of the Northside Baptist Church. He was an outdoorsman loved spending time with family and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Mr. Ralph T. Woodall and a brother, Buddy Woodall. Survivors includes his wife, Debbie Woodall, Valdosta; a son and daughter-in law, Chuck and Amy Woodall; two grandchildren, Ron Woodall and Suzanna Woodall of Lake Park; his mother, Willie Mae Woodall, Blackshear; two sisters and brothers-in law, Margaret and Jerry Drews, Blackshear; Christie and Ed Patrick, Waycross; parents-in law, Parnell and Martha Morris, Surrency; several nieces, nephews and other extended family members. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Thursday, March, 6 at Northside Baptist Church. The Rev. Kenneth Hall and the Rev. Don Smith officiated. Interment followed in McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens. The family requested memorials be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Northside Baptist Church building fund. Carson Mclane Funeral home of Valdosta was in charge of arrangements.

F.J. “Junior” Fairley
F. J. "Junior" Fairley, 78, died Wednesday afternoon, March 5, 2003 at his residence after an extended illness. He was born in Delo, Mississippi, son of the late Florian Fairley and Eunice Hudson Fairley. He had been making his home in Waycross since 1944 where he retired in 1980 as General Yard Master with the CSX Railroad with 33 years of service. He was a 1942 graduate of Hoboken High School where he played basketball and baseball. He was a member of the Life Christian Center, Senior Sunday School Class and the Senior Citizen Group. He was an avid golfer where he was a member of the Laura Walker Men’s Golf Association and the North Florida and South Georgia Seniors Golf Association. In 2001 he was inducted into the Waycross-Ware County Sports Hall Of Fame. He was a veteran of World War II where he served with the U. S. Navy in the South Pacific. He was preceded in death by a son-in-law Jerry Cureton, two brothers P. E. and Herbert Fairley, three sisters Cleo Nix, Pauline Taylor and Bobby Sue Anderson. He is survived by his wife Ann Young Fairley of Waycross; one son Jim Fairley, wife Margaret of Blackshear; three daughters Jo Piazza, husband Terry of Houston, Tex., Jan Cureton of Waycross and Melanie Hauner, husband Joe of Hoboken, Ga,; a sister Grace Hilliard of Atlanta.; six grandchildren Jonathan and Meg Fairley both of Blackshear; Lindsey and Whitney Piazza both of Houston, Tex.; Jamie Cureton and Joshua Findley both of Waycross; a number of nieces, nephews and other relatives. Funeral services were held Saturday morning, March 8, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of the Miles-Odum Funeral Home. Interment followed in Oakland Cemetery. The family requested that memorials be sent to the Satilla Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center 2004 Pioneer Street Waycross, Georgia 31501. Miles-Odum Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

William “Bill” Bernard Shaw
William “Bill” Bernard Shaw, 72, died Friday evening, March 7, 2003 at the Satilla Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. He was a native of Ware County and had lived here most of his life. He was retired from the CSX Railroad as a car inspector and was a member of the Winona Park United Methodist Church. He was a son of the late Jubal Early Shaw and Rhoda Gillis Shaw. He was also preceded in death by one sister, Doris Cochran, and two brothers, Ira Shaw, Lester Shaw. Survivors include one daughter, Brenda Tyre and her husband Hugh, Blackshear;two sons, William David Shaw, Sr., Waycross; James Bernard Shaw and his wife, Michelle Hancock, Blackshear; four grandsons, Brian Logue, Brunswick, Jason M. Shaw, Orlando, William D. Shaw, Jr., Jacksonville; and James Andrew Shaw, Blackshear; two granddaughters, Keri Lea Shaw and Lauren Alayna Shaw, Blackshear; one brother, James Early Shaw, Waycross; one sister, Mrs. O.D. (Aline) Johnson, Blackshear; several nieces, nephews, and other relatives. Funeral services were held March 11, 2:00 p.m. at the chapel of Miles-Odum Funeral Home. Interment followed in the Oakland Cemetery. Miles-Odum Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Carl Hodges
Carl Hodges, 89, of Blackshear, died March 10, 2003 at Satilla Regional Medical Center following an extended illness. He had lived most of his life in Pierce County and was a retired farmer. Mr. Hodges was a longtime member of Walkerville Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and a Sunday School Teacher. He was preceded in death by his parents: the Late Jasper and Jincy Hollingsworth Hodges. He is survived by his wife of 69 years: Effie Hodges of Blackshear; four daughters: Jackie Taylor (husband Wallace) of Sylvania; Margie Duggan of Waycross; Linda (Philip) Rhodes of Augusta; and Ann (Dan) Cason of Blackshear; four sisters: Bernice Deal of Statesboro; Louise Plyler of Savannah; Maragaret Hotchkiss of Jacksonville; and Dorothy Watkins of Midway, eight grandchildren, 10 great- grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews, and other relatives. A funeral service will take place Thursday, March 13, 2003 at at 3 p.m. in the chapel of Smith Funeral Home. Visitation will be Wednesday, March 12, 2003 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Blackshear City Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Walkerville Baptist Church Building Fund. Smith Funeral Home of Blackshear is in charge of arrangements.

Athleen M. Blount
Athleen M. Blount, 79 of Blackshear died March 10, 2003 at St. Josephs Hospital in Savannah after a brief illness. She was a native of Waycross but had lived most of her life in the Hacklebarney Community of Pierce County. She was preceded in death by her parents Hansel H. McSwain and Ruby Crosby McSwain and two sisters Jewell Lorincz and Margie Eddins. Mrs. Blount worked many years as a sales associate for J C Penny’s in Waycross. She was a longtime and active member of Central Baptist Church since 1939. She was a member of the Dorcas Sunday School Class. She is survived by her husband Charles B. Blount, Jr. of Blackshear; a daughter Vicki Tyre, husband Glennis of Blackshear; a son Chuck Blount, wife Linda of Houston, Tx.; four grandchildren Melissa Smith, husband Blake; Kristi Bennett, husband Dan Jr., all of Blackshear; Bryan Blount, wife Amanda of Owensboro, Ky.; and Tonya Rawley, husband Steve of Houston, Tx.; eight great-grandsons Stetson Smith, Spencer Smith and Daniel Bennett all of Blackshear; Taylor and Parker Rawley of Houston, Tx.; and Joshua, William, and Davis Blount all of Owensboro, Ky.; a sister JoAnn McCaffrey, husband Mike of Orange Park, Fl.; and a brother Herman McSwain, wife Hazel of Blackshear and several nieces, nephews and other relatives. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., March 13, 2003 at Central Baptist Church. Internment will follow in the Oakland Cemetery. Visitation will be held March 12, 2003 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home in Blackshear. Memorials may be given to the Central Baptist Church General Fund. The family also requests that the Dorcas Sunday School Class serve as honorary pallbearers and are asked to be at the church by 10:30 a.m. Smith Funeral Home in Blackshear is in charge of the arrangements.

Jack L. Watkins
Jack L Watkins, 66 of Cave Spring passed away Thursday, February 27, 2003 following an extended illness. A native of Blackshear, Mr. Watkins was the son of the late Oscar Grady and Minnie Estel Young Watkins. Mr. Watkins began school at the Bristol Grammar School, transferring to the Georgia School for the Deaf in Cave Spring in 1945. A 1953 graduate of the Georgia School for the Deaf, he attended the Southern Printing School in Nashville. Mr. Watkins first job as a linotype operator was at The Blackshear Times and later he worked for several newspapers around the country before he joined the staff of the Atlanta Journal Constitution in 1965 as a typesetter, he retired from there in 1985 as a proof reader. While in Atlanta, he attended the Cruselle-Freeman Church of the Deaf and was a member of the Faternal Society for the Deaf and the Georgia Association for the Deaf. He is survived by his wife, Daisy Watkins, four daughters, Addie Watkins, Cindy Watkins, Jackie Watkins, of Cave Spring;Candy Watkins, Atlanta. Two sisters, Mrs. Lois Grizzard, Cave Spring, Mrs. Elvie Bennett of Blackshear; several nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 1, in the chapel of John House’s Cave Spring Funeral Home with the Rev. Jim Whitworth officiating. Interment followed in the Cave Spring City Cemetery. John House’s Cave Spring Chapel, Funeral Homes was in charge of the arrangements.