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Estelle M. Freeman
Mrs. Estelle M. Freeman of Holt community, Irwin County died Tuesday, January 7, 2003 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany. She was 96.
Mrs. Freeman was born March 8, 1906 in Berrien County, the daughter of the late Leila (Griffin) Mobley and Warren Mobley.
Mrs. Freeman lived in the community most of her life. She was a homemaker and a former manager of the lunch room at the Holt School. Mrs. Freeman was a former member of the Home Demonstration Club and a member of Spring Hill Primitive Baptist Church. She attended Holt Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by a son, James Kenneth Paulk; her first husband, Lonnie Paulk; sisters, Mattie, Bessie, Lila and Lora; brothers, Orvil, Edgar, Owen, Gilbert and Waylon.
Survivors include her husband, D. J. “Jack” Freeman of Irwin County; son and daughter-in-law, Orman and Wilma Paulk of Ocilla; grandchildren, Ronald Paulk of Waycross and Linda Duncan of Moultrie; daughter-in-law, Nellie Paulk of Moultrie and sister, Ruth Odum of Ocilla; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.
Services were held at Holt Baptist Church on Thursday, January 9 at 2 p.m., with Rev. Sonny Pate, Rev. David Biggers and Rev. John Gibbs officiating.
Music was provided by pianist, Susan Veal and soloist, Amber Duncan.
Pallbearers were Ronald Paulk, Michael Duncan, Jimmy Mobley, Joey Veal, Weyman Mobley, Eliott McDaniel, Walter Hudson and Bobby Morris.
Interment was held at Spring Hill Cemetery in Irwin County.
Paulk Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Ruth Fowler Powell Sherret
Mrs. Ruth Fowler Powell Sherret of Fitzgerald died Thursday, January 9, 2003. She was 95.
Mrs. Sherret was born April 12, 1907 in Forsyth County, the daughter of the late Cynthia Missouri (Nix) Fowler and William Thomas Fowler.
Mrs. Sherret lived most of her life in Ben Hill and Irwin Counties. She graduated from the New Tapley School, Irwin County and taught 4th and 5th grades at New Tapley. She was a retired secretary, having worked for W. R. Bowen and Emory, Tom and Alvie Roberts. Mrs. Sherret was a member of Big Creek Baptist Church in Irwin County.
She was preceded in death by husband, Herschel Earl Sherret; six brothers, Wimpy, Luther, F. P., Herbert, Brawton and Lewis Fowler and four sisters, Edith Reeves, Myrtie Barton, Ollie Sharp and Eula Brookshire.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Eleanor P. and John McGowan of Fitzgerald; step-son, Donald E. Sherret of Shreveport, LA; grandchildren, Pamela McNatt of Roswell, Kim Vickers of Ocilla, Jay McGowan, of Jacksonville, FL, Mike Sherret of Fitzgerald, Gerry Lynn S. Griffin of Fitzgerald and Kevin Sherret of Atlanta; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Services were held at Paulk Funeral Home Chapel in Fitzgerald on Sunday, January 12 at 2 p.m., with Rev. Ed Reeves officiating.
Music was provided by organist, Marty Smith and soloist, Pam Gay.
Pallbearers were Mike Sherret, Lyndon Sherret, Don Vickers, Sam Youmans, Byron Smith, Brian Sherret, Justin Griffin and Adam O’Quinn.
Interment was held in Evergreen Cemetery.
Paulk Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Fred W. “Freddie” Benefield
Mr. Fred W. “Freddie” Benefield of Fayetteville died Monday, January 6, 2003. He was 53.
Mr. Benefield was born January 17, 1949 in Stockton, the son of the late Mollie (Singletary) Benefield and Walter Benefield.
Mr. Benefield lived in Fayetteville for the past 20 years and was a former resident of College Park. He was the co-owner of Benefield Towing Company and former owner of Benefield Airport Texaco for 35 years. Mr. Benefield was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was a member of the Pole Kat Hunting Club and the Guys & Dolls Bass Club and the Cartersville Marina Couples Bass Club. He was 1967 graduate of Berrien County High School.
He was preceded in death by parents and two sisters, Dot and Bernice.
Survivors include his son, Curtis Benefield of Fayetteville; daughter, Amanda R. Benefield of Powder Springs; brothers, Clyde Benefield of Eatonton and Ron Benefield of Sharpsburg; sisters, Martha Nell Lane and Carolyn Hughes, both of Valdosta, Bunnie Brown of Marietta and four grandcildren.
Services were held at Paulk Funeral Home Chapel in Ocilla on Saturday, January 11 at 2 p.m., with Rev. Vernon Hughes officiating.
Pallbearers were Russell Nixon, Curtis Benefield, Travis Doige, Nick Nixon, Dennis Grimsley, Adren Wheeler and Gary Simmons.
Interment was held at Fletcher Cemetery in Alapaha.
Paulk Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Evelyn Elizabeth Cravey Tyson
Mrs. Evelyn Elizabeth Cravey Tyson of Tifton died Monday, January 6, 2003, at Tift Health Care Center. She was 81.
Mrs. Tyson was born September 19, 1921 in Turner County, the daughter of the late Joe Mark Cravey and Bertye Wynn Cravey.
Mrs. Tyson was a homemaker and retired from the Rural Development Center Cafeteria and Printing Office. She was a member of New River Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Buford Beaton Tyson, Sr., who died in 1968. She was also preceded in death by one daughter, Lynda Marlyn Tyson; one son, B. B. Tyson, Jr.; one brother and one sister.
Survivors include three sons, Jimmy R. Tyson and Donald W. Tyson, both of Tifton and Wilbur R. Tyson of Fitzgerald; three daughters, Dixie T. Mullis of Tifton, Barbara T. Newsome of Eatonton and Eileen T. Brogdon of Omega and three sisters, Essie Arnold of Sycamore, Geneva Williams of Thomaston and Juanita Carr of Brookfield; 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Services were held at Chapel of Albritton-Beaumont Funeral Directors on Wednesday, January 8 at 4 p.m., with Rev. Eddie Allen and Rev. Larry Layfield officiating.
Pallbearers were Buddy Brogdon, Doug Newsome, Dr. Don Tyson, Jr., Eric Tyson, Gerald Sumner and Tony Spires.
Interment was held at Oakridge Cemetery.
Donations may be made to Hospice of Tiftarea.
Albritton-Beaumont Funeral Directors - Tiftarea Chapel were in charge of arrangements.
Ruth Booker Gray
Mrs. Ruth Booker Gray of Ocilla died January 1, 2003. She was 90.
Mrs. Gray was born July 12, 1912 in Thomas County, the daughter of the late Carey William and Mattie Belle NeSmith Booker.
She was married to Claude Nelson Gray of Locust Grove and Ocilla. He preceded her in death on April 9, 1984. Survivors include children, twins, Jack Alan Gray and Gwen of Ocilla and Jill Anne Gray Walker and Cliff of Valdosta and Jean Alice Gray Benfield and Joe of Bangkok, Thailand; seven grandchildren, Dr. Wade Walker and Stephanie of Hartwell, Tammy Benfield Thain and Kevin of Central Asia, Alan Gray and Tami of Ocilla, Greg Benfield and Darby of Blackshear, John Walker and Jennifer of Athens, James Walker of Atlanta and Jeana Benfield of Yalta, Ukraine; eight great-grandchildren; two nieces, Mary Alice Booker Bowman and Sandy Ruth Booker and sister-in-law, Margaret Ann Booker.
She was preceded in death by son, Claude Nelson Gray, Jr., who died in 1942; three brothers, James Ellis Booker, John Howard Booker and George Thomas Booker.
Mrs. Gray graduated from Thomasville High School in 1931 and Macon Hospital School of Nursing in 1935. From 1937 to 1939 she worked with the United States Public Health Service in Camden, Glynn and McIntosh counties. She trained at Peabody School of Nursing for Public Health in Nashville, TN. In 1941 she began working as Public Health Nurse at the Irwin County Health Department; was appointed as a Red Cross nurse in 1966 and retired from the Irwin County Health Department in 1967. She was a member of the Ocilla Baptist Church.
Services were held at Ocilla Baptist Church on Monday, January 6 at 10 a.m., with Rev. Gerald Thomas officiating.
Music was provided by soloists, Rev. Joe Benfield and Dr. Jennifer Walker and pianist and organist, Sujette Giddens. Greg Benfield read the poem, “My Journey,” written by Daisy Dean Gray. Rev. Kevin Thain read scripture.
Active pallbearers were her grandsons, Wade Walker, Alan Gray, Greg Benfield, John Walker, James Walker and Kevin Thain.
Honorary pallbearers were Harry Mixon, Pat Ashley, Valjean Meeks, Billy Sams, Wycliff Griffin, Kermit Elliot, Norman Brantley, Larry Young, Cleon Tankersley, Kenneth Sutton, Loren Purvis and Murphey Rogers.
Interment was held at the Ocilla Cemetery with the Rev. John Walker officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ocilla Baptist Church Pastorium Fund or to the Ocilla Cemetery Fund.
Paulk Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Elder G. W. Harper
Elder G. W. Harper, age 83, died on Friday, December 27, 2002 at home. He was born in Albertville, AL, on June 8, 1919. He spent his childhood in Kissimmee, FL. As a young man he moved to southern Georgia where he met and married his wife of 62 years, Louise Giddens.
He was a WW II veteran and was in the Pacific Theatre for two years and two months. During that time he fought in Luzon, the retaking of Bataan and the Battle of Manila Bay. He received a Bronze Star and was cited for a Purple Heart. He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans.
He was an ordained Baptist minister but preferred the term Elder. He was the minister of the Grant Street Baptist Church in Orlando for six and one-half years. At the time of his death he was a member of the Fellowship Baptist Church on Holden Avenue in Orlando. He was involved with many local Baptist churches during his 45-year career as a minister.
Survivors include his wife, Louise; his daughter, Dr. Linda S. Harper; his sons, James M. Harper and Thomas D. Harper; son-in-law, Dr. Thomas Philpot and daughter-in-law, Dorothy Harper; granddaughters, Kimberly Harper and Kelley Archer and great grandsons, Tylor Archer and Cameron Archer; sisters-in-law, Sara Tucker and Grace Griffin, both of Ocilla; brother-in-law, Franklin Giddens of Nashville and many nieces and nephews.
Services were held at Fellowship Baptist Church on Monday, December 30 at 10 a.m. with Pastor Dan Fowler and Minister Horace Hunt officiating.
Interment was in Glen Haven Memorial Park in Winter Park, FL.
Newcomer Family Funeral Home in Orlando, FL, was in charge of arrangements.
Welton Grantham
Mr. Welton Grantham of Trenton, FL, died December 31, 2002, at Gainesville, FL. He was 84.
Mr. Grantham was born in Ocilla. A roofer, Mr. Grantham lived in Trenton, FL, since 1998, moving there from Hialeah, FL. He was a veteran of the U. S. Army during WWII. Mr. Grantham was a member of Union Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Mamie Grace Grantham; daughter, Joann Edgerly of Miami, FL; son, Eugene “Gene” Grantham of Trenton, FL; sisters, Mary Ellen Barnett and Bobby Nell Sweat, both of Ellijay and three grandchildren, Alice Louise Ebanks, Timothy Robert Walker and Curtis Welton Edgerly and one great-grandchild, Charles Jefrey Walker.
Services were held at Union Baptist Church in Trenton, FL, on Friday, January 3, 2003, at 2 p.m., with Pastor Dave Curty officiating.
Milan Funeral Home of Newberry, FL, was in charge of arrangements.
Vallie McFadden Ford
Mrs. Vallie McFadden Ford of Ocilla died Wednesday, March 26, 2003. She was 57.
Mrs. Ford was born February 2, 1945, daughter of the late Rossie Sr. and Savannah McFadden.
She attended Ocilla High Industrial School. She was married to Mr. Charles A. Ford.
She joined New Bethel Baptist Church at an early age. She served as a faithful member, supervising the daycare and Easter programs. She also served on the Kitchen committee. Mrs. Ford also operated a daycare.
Preceding her in death were two brothers, Michael and Jimmy McFadden and one daughter-in-law, Nettie Ford.
Survivors include a daughter, Debbie (Jimmy) Cobb of Ocilla; three sons, Randy McFadden, Terry Ford, both of Ocilla and SFC Charles Alexander Ford of Columbus; ten grandchildren; one goddaughter, Destiny Moore; three sisters, Cornelia M. Anderson of Fitzgerald, Faye Hall of Ocilla and Arlene (Randy) Robinson of Moultrie; seven brothers, Rossie (Joyce) McFadden, Jr. of Fresno, CA, Ozzie Lee (Ethel) McFadden of Allentown, PA; Marvin (Julia) McFadden of Miami, FL; Harris (Alfreda) McFadden of Perry, Jerry (Annie) McFadden of Warner Robins; Rocelee McFadden of Maple Heights, OH and Mark Spradlin of Moultrie; mother-in-law, Madgaline Ford of Tifton and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Services were held at New Bethel Baptist Church in Ocilla on Monday, March 31 at 11 a.m., with Rev. I. B. Harmon officiating.
Music was provided by the church choir and a duet of Deacon Jerry nd Sister Annie McFadden.
Active pallbearers were Edgar Anderson, Joe B. Battle, Sr., Randy Robinson, Antonio Eady, Carlos Eady, Terry Eady and Randy Mathis.
Honorary pallbearers were Charles Ford, Randy McFadden, Rossie McFadden, Marvin McFadden, Ozzie Lee McFadden, Terry Ford, Jimmy Cobb, Harry McFadden, Jerry McFadden and Roce Lee McFadden.
Interment was held at Ocilla Cemetery.
Davis Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Ola Mae Bryant Johnson
Mrs. Ola Mae Bryant Johnson died Monday, March 31, 2003 at Beverly Health Care Center in Tifton. She was 77.
Mrs. Johnson was born December 28, 1925 in Worth County, daughter of the late Ulysses and Lula Mae Bryant. At an early age her family moved to Irwin County where she spent most of her life. She was a member of the Piney Grove Baptist Church for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie B. Johnson, Sr. and three children, Frances, Johnny and Frank Johnson.
Survivors include one daughter, Juanita (James) King of Fitzgerald; seven sons, Elijah Johnson of Fitzgerald, Kenneth (Lavada) Johnson of Tifton, Raymond (Betty) Johnson of Tifton, James Arthur (Margie) Johnson of Route Hall, NC, Willie B. (Vivieca) Johnson of Winston Salem, NC, Calvin Johnson of Atlanta and Leon Johnson of Fitzgerald; at the loss of her daughter, Frances Wilcox, she raised her two grandchildren, Arthur Wilcox and Christopher Adams, both of Fitzgerald; brothers and sisters, James (Melvina) Bryant of Ocilla, Clarence (Carrie Bell) Bryant of Douglas, Lula Mae (Major) Davis of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Ruth Gamble, Louvinie White, Columbus (Ernestine) Bryant, Catherine (John) Bormus, all of Ocilla and Carrie (Theotis) Sneed of Miami, FL; brother and sister-in-law, John and Francis Johnson of Ocilla; daughters-in-law, Willie Mae Johnson of Winston Salem, NC and Terisa and Neil Johnson of Douglas; a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many friends.
Services were held at New Providence Baptist Church in Fitzgerald on Saturday, April 5 at 2 p.m., with Rev. Willie B. Johnson, Jr. officiating.
Music was provided by the choir and soloist, Evelyn Anderson, niece.
Active pallbearers were classmates and friends of the family.
Honorary pallbearers were sons, grandsons and friends of the family.
Interment was held at Ocilla City Cemetery.
Davis Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Harris LeMaire
Harris LeMaire, 74, of Irwinville died Thursday, April 3, 2003 at Tift Regional Medical Center. He was 74.
Born in Abbeville, LA on February 27, 1929, to Otto and Eunice Vaughan LeMaire, he was one of five children.
He was preceded in death by his father; wife, Mary Jo LeMaire; son, Harris (Tiger) LeMaire Jr and step-son, Craig Hendricks.
He retired from the U. S. Navy as Yeoman Senior Chief Petty Officer after 24 years and serving during World War II, Korean War and two tours of duty in Vietnam. He was awarded the Fleet Marine Force insignia.
Survivors include mother, Eunice LeMaire and Godmother, Zelena Vaughan of Kaplan, LA; daughters and sons-in-law, Roxana and Ben Welch of St. Augustine, FL and Renee LeMaire and Lamar Woodham of Andalusia, AL; step-daughter, Lynda Carol Gurley of Macon; step-sons and spouses, Larry and Mary Glen Hendricks and Chris and Renee Hendricks, all of Tifton; sisters and brothers-in-law, Mavis and June Vincent of Kaplan, LA; Imay and Dave Bouillion of Lafayette, LA and Marjorie and Francis Klein of Gueydon, LA; brother, Curvis LeMaire of Kaplan, LA; five grandchidren; eight step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and two step great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers were grandsons, Jason Hendricks, Harris Welch, Shawn Woodham, Chris Hendricks and Larry Hendricks.
Honorary pallbearers were Roy Pitts, Michael Graham, Jim Aycock, Winston McDuffie, Jackie Benson and Bobby Harris.
He was of the Roman Catholic faith.
Services were held at Paulk Funeral Home Chapel on Sunday, April 6 at 2 p.m., with Rev. Doug Gibson officiating.
Interment was held at Irwinville Cemetery with full military honors.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Oncology Center, 1623 Madison Ave., Tifton.
Paulk Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
