Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978
James Roger ‘Papa’ Farmer
James Roger “Papa” Farmer, 76, of Gray, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 2, at the Coliseum Medical Center in Macon.
Funeral services were held 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, October 4 in the chapel of Bridges Funeral Home with Father Robert Gibson officiating. Burial was at Cedar Ridge cemetery in Gray.
Farmer was born January 10, 1930, in Telfair County, and was the son of the late William Joseph Farmer and Leila Towns Farmer. He graduated from Milan High School, where he was active in FFA, and his main interest was forestry. Farmer completed some classes at the University of Georgia and then completed school at Georgia Business College where he specialized in accounting. He was a veteran of the United States Army and saw active duty in Korea and was awarded the Korean service medal, with two bronze stars, a United Nations medal, an occupational medal (Japan), and a combat infantry badge. Farmer retired from Prudential Insurance Company and was vice president of Claude Joiner Court Reporting Services. He was a Mason at Masonic Lodge #5, a former member of the Jaycees and a member of the Macon Elks Club. Farmer was a Baptist and a confirmed member of St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Milledgeville. He was an avid gardener and his greatest joy in life was his God, wife, children, sons-in-law, grandchildren and friends, along with his beloved Yorkie, “Sophie.”
Farmer is survived by his wife of 52 years, Hazel Cravey Farmer of Gray; daughters and sons-in-law: Denise and Steve Lynch of Claxton and Debbie and Jason Briley of Gray; grandchildren, Laura Lynch, Melissa Lynch and Hannah Lynch, all of Claxton, Jason Briley Jr., James Briley and Jessica Briley, all of Gray; sister, Mary Pitts of Warner Robins; brothers and sisters-in-law, John Thomas and Ann Farmer of Macon and William Joseph and Rose Farmer of Lake Sinclair; several nieces and nephews.
He also considered Hazel’s family his own, Drucilla Taylor and her family; Sue Daniel and her family; Tena Swygert and her family; Faye Barrett-Robbins and her family; and Thomas Cravey Jr. and his family, along with many, many valued friends and relatives.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Scottish Rite Hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation, Attn: Gift Processing, 1687 Tullie Circle, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30329 or to The Methodist Home For Children and Youth, Post Office Box 2525, Macon, Georgia 31203-2525.
Bridges Funeral Home in Gray was in charge of arrangements.
Carolyn O. Stokes
Carolyn O. Stokes, 85, passed away January 11 at Evans Memorial Hospital.
A native of McIntosh County she resided for the majority of her life in Battleboro, N.C., where she retired from the People’s Bank.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James L. Stokes.
Surviving are two brothers, Coleman Owens of Townsend and Ludwig Owens of Brunswick; two sisters, Lois Franklin of Brunswick and Louise Sapp of Hinesville; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Saturday, January 13, 2 p.m. at J. Mellie NeSmith Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Battleboro City cemetery with graveside services Monday January 15, at 11 a.m.
J. Mellie NeSmith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Nancy P. Robbins
Nancy P. Robbins, 62, passed away Thursday, February 1 at home from a lengthy illness with lung cancer. Robbins was a member of the United Methodist Women at West Highland United Methodist Church in Selma, Ala.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harry C. ‘Yogi’ Robbins Jr.
Surviving are a son, Harry C. ‘Cuffie’ Robbins of Selma, Ala.; two daughters, Tonya Robbins of Selma and Kristine (Eddie) Blair of Prattville; one grandchild, Trea Blair; sister-in-law, Loretta Scott of Claxton; and a nephew, Michael Scott.
Funeral services were held Monday, February 5, 11 a.m. at J. Mellie NeSmith Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Tony Smith officiating. Burial was in Brewton Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jerry Kight, Barney Joe Durrence, Mike Scott, Roger Patrick and Junior Brown.
J. Mellie NeSmith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Bonnie Crews
Bonnie Crews, 60, passed into eternal rest on February 1. She was born in New Bedford, Mass. and raised in Wareham, Mass. She and her children moved here in 1988 and settled here.
Many people in Claxton knew her as Bonnie Todd, when she and her father and brothers would come to visit their family here. More recently, many people knew her as Miss Bonnie, when she taught classes or saw them somewhere in town.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John Wiley Todd and Helen Ruth Lacerda Todd.
Surviving are three daughters, Marla and Jennifer Crews, both of Claxton, and Jennifer Hanoian, of Falmouth Mass.; one step-daughter, Kelly Owens of Nicholason, Ga.; five grandchildren; four brothers, John, David, Richard, and Robert Todd, all of Massachusetts; several nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.
Memorial services were held Monday, February 5, 2 p.m. with the Rev. Edward Brannen officiating.
J. Mellie NeSmith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
A.J. ‘Juston’ Lowery
A.J. ‘Juston’ Lowery, 85, passed away March 29 at Ogeechee Area Hospice in Statesboro. The Laurens County native lived in Caxton and Nevils for many years. He was a member of the Nevils United Methodist Church and the Ruth Lowery Sunday School Class. He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. He loved to go fishing and attending to his variety of livestock.
Surviving are his wife, Ruth Bevill Brewton Lowery of Nevils; two sons, A. Joseph Lowery of Nevils and James F. Brewton Jr. of Richmond Hill; one daughter and son-in-law, Jeri Brewton and Cedric Palmer of the Leefield Community; two grandchildren, Vicki P. Lucas of Statesboro and J. Keith Palmer of the Leefield Community; four great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Monday, April 2, 11 a.m. at the Nevils United Methodist Church with Dr. Tab Smith and the Rev. George Masciarelli officiating. Burial was in Nevils United Methodist Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Keith Palmer, Dennis Lucas, Justin Lucas, Calvin Webb, Ralph Rawls, and Cullen Lowery.
Honorary pallbearers were the Ruth Lowery Sunday School Class.
Remembrances may be sent to Ogeechee Area Hospice, P.O. Box 531, Statesboro, Ga. 30459.
J. Mellie NeSmith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Imogene Ray Colson
Imogene Ray Colson, 73, passed away Saturday, March 31 at Evans Memorial Hospital. The Tattnall County native had lived in Glennville all of her life. She was retired from TAM Industries, a homemaker and a member of Watermelon Creek Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Curtis and Mollie Ray; stepmother, Minnie Lee Ray.
Surviving are her husband of 57 years, Leroy Colson Jr. of Glennville; two daughters and a son-in-law, Wanda and Raymond Pettegrew of Claxton, Barbara Hatcher of Thomasville; a son and daughter-in-law, Randy and Suzanne Colson of Glennville; three sisters and a brother-in-law, Christine Sapp of Hagan, Reba Hill of Greenville, Joy and Steve Spence of Rincon; four brothers and sisters-in-law, Avon and Annette Ray of Glennville, O.T. and Joyce Ray of Reidsville, Ronnie and Sue Ray of Dallas, Eugene and Carolyn Ray of Springfield; 11 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 3 at Watermelon Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Steve Miller officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jimmy Bland, Brian Blocker, Danny Ray, Paul Dutton, Gary Ray, and David Cammack.
Brannen-Kennedy Funeral Home of Glennville was in charge of arrangements.
Christopher Ray Deloach
Christopher Ray Deloach, 7, passed away Monday evening at Memorial Health Medical University Hospital. The Bulloch County native had lived in Claxton all of his life. He was a second grader at Claxton Elementary School and loved playing his video games. He was a member of Pembroke Assembly of God.
Surviving are his mother, Samantha Tapley of Claxton; father, Christopher Deloach of Claxton; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Carrie and Jeremy Deloach of Claxton, Tracey Tapley of Claxton; maternal grandparents, Ronnie and Alma Myers of Jesup; paternal grandparents, Raymond and Jean Deloach of Daisy; two nephews, Austin and Andrew Deloach of Daisy; several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Visitation was 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Bradley Anderson Funeral Home in Reidsville.
Funeral services will be held 4 p.m. Thursday at Eastside Baptist Church in Claxton with Pastor Steve Hester of the Pembroke Assembly of God officiating. iIntermentwill follow in the Brewton cemetery in Hagan.
Bradley B. Anderson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Lillian Salas
Lillian Salas, 66, of Las Vegas, New Mexico, died Monday, April 2 after a long, courageous battle with cancer. She was under the care of Hospice. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.
Surviving are five children, Gonzalo and Sue Garcia of Claxton, Angela Allen, Robert Garcia of Las Vegas, N.M., Mary Lu Helm of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, Renee Montayo of Tucson, Arizona; four sisters, one brother, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 5 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Margie O. Rich
Margie O. Rich, age 65 of 1310 Georgia Highway 152, Lyons, died Sunday, April 1, 2007 in Southeast Georgia Hospital in Brunswick after a sudden illness. She was a native of Evans County, growing up there and moving to Toombs County in 1964. She was retired as co-owner of Cecil Cycle Center in Lyons, member of the Quint Shrine Ladies Auxiliary in Lyons and member of the Union Baptist Church in Evans County.
Rich is survived by her husband, Cecil Rich of Lyons; one daughter, Kim (Randy) Robinson of Vidalia; three grandchildren, Rich, Ruston and Rileigh Robinson, all of Vidalia; one sister, Sara Lou O. Thigpen of Mt. Vernon; three brothers, Owen Odom of Metter, Charles Odom and Prentice Odom of Claxton; several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 3, 2007 at 3 p.m. in the First Baptist Church of Lyons with the Rev. Dannie T. Williams and the Rev. Clint Hutcheson officiating. Entombment followed in Lyons City Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Mack Griffin, Ramon Powell, Kenneth Kirkland, Ronnie Blaxton, Danny Ray Allmond, Greg Burkhalter, Hardy Thomas and Bob Lawler.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, c/o Alee Shrine, P.O. Box 14147, Savannah, Ga. 31416.
Murchison Funeral Home of Vidalia was in charge of arrangements.
Elizabeth (McArthur) Morris Southwell
Elizabeth (McArthur) Morris Southwell, 93, died March 27 at the Presbyterian Home in Quitman. She was born in Tattnall County on March 24, 1914 to Malcolm Dwight and Mabel Tietgen McArthur. Prior to moving to the Presbyterian Home, she had lived in Tattnall County for most of her life.
Throughout her life she was an avid gardener who grew many varieties of flowers, shrubs, and fruits. In addition, she loved both wild and domesticated animals and usually kept several pets.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Herbert Southwell.
Surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Ann Morris and William H. Carswell of Reidsville; two sons, McArthur ‘Mac’ Southwell of Reidsville and Johnny William Southwell of Macon; three grandchildren, Teresa Carswell Howard of Columbus, Robert Southwell of Glennville, and Rogni Southwell of Statesboro; two great-grandsons, Robert Cameron Southwell and Damian Southwell, both of Hinesville.
Funeral services were held 11 a.m. Friday, March 30 at Bradley B. Anderson Funeral Home Chapel. iIntermentwas in the Joyce-McArthur Family Cemetery.
Bradley B. Anderson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
