Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978
James Bryant
James Bryant, 45, of Register died Saturday, May 22, 2004 at the South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta. The Bulloch County native lived in Candler and Bulloch counties for most of his life. He worked for several years as a crane operator for Rogers Bridge Construction Company.
He is survived by his parents, Clifford and Laura Byrant of Register; four daughters, LaToya Bryant, Tiffany Bryant, Jakita Bryant and Tamesha Bryant, all of Statesboro; two brothers, Paul Bryant of Pulaski and Bruce Bryant of Clarksville; two sisters, Brenda B. Sapp and Glenese B. Doyle, both of Register; one grandson, one uncle, one aunt, one great-uncle and one great aunt; several nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Funeral services will be on Saturday at 3 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church in Register. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Viewing will be held on Friday from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. at Whitaker Funeral Home.
Whitaker Funeral Home of Metter is in charge of arrangements.
Jewel Bird Lanier McMinn Spry
Jewel Bird Lanier McMinn Spry, 80, passed away on Saturday, May 22, 2004, at 8:02 a.m. in the Roberta Health Care Center in Roberta, after a long illness.
The daughter of Weylud Hudson and Bernice Bird Lanier, she was born on July 31, 1923, in Metter. In addition to her teaching career, she was well-known across Middle Georgia as a fashion designer whose students modeled in fashion short courses that she presented at various locations. She was a graduate of Metter High School where she was editor of the school’s first yearbook. She also penned the words for the high school’s alma mater. She earned her bachelor and masters degrees in home economics at Georgia State College for Women. She later pursued graduate study in art education at Mercer University in Macon.
Mrs. Spry taught home economics for many years in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio and Georgia. She was a member of the teaching faculty in Peach County for over 20 years. After she retired from teaching in Georgia in 1983, she taught art in Callahan, FL and in Miami, FL.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister and her husband, Laurie and Lawton Pearson of Ft. Valley; two brothers, Weylud Hudson Lanier Jr. and Dan L. Lanier and his wife Martha, of Metter; a brother-in-law, John W. Strickland of Lakeland; a niece, Lisa Lanier of Metter; and a nephew, Adam Lanier of San Francisco, CA.
Survivors include her husband, Mark Spry; three sons, Chip McMinn and wife Jan of Marietta, Davy and Lori McMinn of Blakely, Kim and Vida McMinn of St. Simons Island; a sister, Helen L. Strickland of Lakeland; a brother, Albert and Ruth Lanier of San Francisco, CA; nine grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
A private ceremony of remembrance was held on Wednesday, May 26 followed by visitation with the family at the residence of Mrs. Spry’s niece and husband, Ann and Bill McGehee, in Ft. Valley.
Rooks Funeral Home in Fort Valley was in charge of arrangements.
Robbie Dean Allen
Robbie Dean Allen, 74, died Thursday, May 20, 2004, at his home under the care of Ogeechee Area Hospice.
The Bulloch County native had lived in Metter for 23 years before moving back to Statesboro in 1991. He worked for Starling Dairy for 17 years and City Dairy for 17 years as a distributor. He was the owner of Allen Seafood in Statesboro.
Mr. Allen was a veteran of the United States Army, having served in the Korean Conflict. He was a deacon of the First Baptist Church and a member of the Fellowship Sunday School Class. He was preceded in death by two children, Barbara Allen and Danny Allen.
Surviving are his wife, Harriet McCoy Allen of Statesboro; a daughter and son-in-law, Denise and Timmy Sikes of Metter; a son and daughter-in-law, Dennis and Cheryl Allen of Metter; a granddaughter, Lexi Allen; two brothers, Barney Allen and Donald Allen; and four sisters, Doris Bradley, Betty Sue Lowery, Willie Lee Fincher and Linda Allen.
Funeral services were held Saturday at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church with Dr. H. William Perry and Rev. Ricky Allen officiating. Burial was in Upper Mill Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Andy Nay, Barney Allen Jr., Don Allen Jr., George Peterson, Nolan Brown, Dudley Bradley Jr., Edwin Mikell and Paul Davis.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Fellowship Sunday School Class; Dr. Gary Branch; Dr. Carla Branch; Dr. Andrew Cichelli; Stacy Basquin; Dr. Stanley Shin; Jane O’Donnell; and employees of Ogeechee Area Hospice.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to First Baptist Church Nursing Fund, 108 North Main Street, Statesboro GA 30458 or Ogeechee Area Hospice, PO Box 531, Statesboro GA 30459.
Fara Collins Collins
Fara Collins Collins, 95, died Saturday, June 12, 2004, at her home. The Tattnall County native and lifelong resident was a homemaker and an avid gardener. She was an active member of the Cobbtown Baptist Church and the Fidelis Sunday School Class. She loved the Hardee’s Breakfast Club, driving herself there for many years. She was predeceased by her husband, Toy Collins and a son, Johnny Collins.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, J.J. and Johnnie Faye Collins of Miami, FL; grandchildren, Joy Stephens of Fredericksburg, VA, Patty Sikes of Metter, John Collins of Orange Park, FL and Sheila Whiddon of Miami, FL; nine great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Monday at Cobbtown Baptist Church with burial in the Sunlight Cemetery. Rev. Walter Leverett officiated.
Pallbearers were Jimmy Collins, Gary Curl, James Curl, Bunk McCullough, Douglas McCullough and Randy McCullough.
Kennedy-Morgan Funeral Homes, Cobbtown Chapel, was in charge of arrangements.
Eugene “Gene” B. Trapnell
Eugene “Gene” B. Trapnell, 81, died Friday, June 11, 2004, at Toombs Nursing Home in Lyons. The Candler County native lived most of his life in Metter. He and his brother, Barwick Trapnell, owned and operated Metter Farm Implements for many years. He retired from the State of Georgia, Dept of Corrections. He was a veteran of World War II serving in the Army Air Corps. He was predeceased by his wife, Nadine Cain Trapnell and a daughter, Lynn T. Taylor.
He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Becky and Marvin Porter of Lyons and Cindy and Leo Vera of Alpharetta; brother, Morris Trapnell of Metter; two sisters, Marian Wotherspoon of States-boro and Mytyle McLeod of Chapel Hill, N.C.; granddaughters, Jennifer Porter of Chattanooga, TN and Kristy Vera of Alpharetta.
Graveside funeral services were held on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Lake Cemetery with Rev. Dannie Williams officiating.
Pallbearers were Walt Manuel, Billy Trapnell, Joe Deloach, Larry Wright, John Ed Jones, and Grady Franklin.
Remembrances can be made to Lyons First Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 627, Lyons, GA or your favorite charity.
Kennedy-Morgan Funeral Homes, Hooks Chapel, of Metter was in charge of arrangements.
Lee James Mercer
Lee James Mercer was born on October 31, 1934 in Candler County. He passed into eternal rest on Saturday, June 5, 2004 at Candler County Hospital.
He is survived by his wife Della Mae Mercer of Cobbtown; ten children, Patricia Mercer, Robert Mercer, Willie John Mercer, and Linda Mercer, all of Metter, Robert Mikell of Macon, David Mikell of Nebraska, Shelby Nance of Cleveland, OH, Randy Mercer of Fayetteville, NC, Therese Mercer of Killeen, TX and Lee James Mercer Jr. of Cobbtown; his mother, Rosa Lee Williams of Ft. Lauderdale; four brothers, Freddie Mercer of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Cleo Mercer of Newark, NJ, Wallace Dekle of East Orange, NJ, and Willie Mercer of New York; five sisters, Ruth Boswell, Doris Holloway, and Mary Walker, all of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Ines Mercer of Verail Beach, FL and Mildred Mercer of Bellglade, FL.
Public visitation will be held on Thursday, at Hodges Funeral Home Chapel in Metter from 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Friday, at 2 p.m. at the Hodges Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will immediately follow services at Mercer Grove Church Cemetery.
Hodges Funeral Home of Metter is in charge of arrangements.
Charles Edward Smith
Charles Edward Smith, 56, died Saturday, May 5, 2004, at Candler County Hospital. He was a native of Candler County and graduated from Lillian Street High School in 1966. After graduation he worked as a brick mason in Candler county and several other counties in the state of Georgia.
He is survived by two sons, Charon E. Smith of Woonsocket, RI and Tyranski C. Spann of Metter; four daughters, Shawnta M. Smith of Woonsocket, RI, Laterra S. Smith of Portal and Kaneisha T. Spann of Metter; his mother, Carlie Smith of Metter; four brothers, Jimmy Smith and Jerome Smith, both of Atlanta, and Ulysees Smith and Stanley Smith of Metter; six sisters, Linda Grant, Martha Smith, Margaret Alvin, Betty Smith and Cindy Gibson, all of Metter and Evon Smith of Atlanta; two uncles and two aunts; and eleven grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 3 p.m. at W.H. Whitaker Memorial Chapel with burial in Sams Creek Church Cemetery. Wake service will be held Wednesday (today) from 7-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Whitaker Funeral Home of Metter is in charge of arrangements.
Roland Lanier
Roland Lanier, 90, of 218 Grove Hill Avenue in Blackshear, died at 7:15 am Sunday, June 6, 2004, at Sycamore Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Memphis, Tennessee, after a short illness.
Mr. Lanier was born in Metter, Georgia September 3, 1913, one of thirteen children of Math T. & Maggie Jones Lanier. Many of his ancestors were Confederate and Revolutionary war veterans.
He graduated from high school in Candler County. After a year at Berry College in Rome, his education cut short by the Great Depression, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1934, the start of a twenty-year career with the Marines. He served in the Marine Detachment of the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35) 1934-1936 and considered it the very best assignment he ever had. He served in the 4th Defense Battalion at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba until late 1941 when the unit was sent to relieve the Marine Corps Wake Island garrison in the Pacific. They never made it. Mr. Lanier and his unit were at Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked starting American involvement in World War II. A machine gunner, he fired some of the very first shots by Americans in World War II. Following an assignment with the 4th Defense Battalion on Palmyra Island in the Pacific, he served in various training assignments in the United States for the remainder of the war. He was also a veteran of the Korean War serving with the 3rd Marine Air Wing. He retired from the Marines at North Atlanta as a sergeant major.
After his retirement from the Marines, he became a barber and enjoyed the profession for over thirty years. He had also worked as a telegraph train order operator for a short time with Southern Railway in Kentucky. He loved fishing and was a regular sight at rivers, streams and bays in southern Georgia.
Mr. Lanier was very proud of being a member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. It is believed he was the oldest Pearl Harbor survivor in the state of Georgia and he celebrated his 90th birthday with a cake last year at the Association’s meeting in Tifton. He was proud to have been a Marine and enjoyed seeing Marines on television with the comment "They’re the best in the world" preceding any description.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Eunice Marie Boyer Lanier, in August 2000 with whom he enjoyed a 55-year marriage.
He is survived by his son, Alton "Butch" Lanier of Memphis, TN; four grandchildren, Forrest Lanier of Jackson, TN, Anna Marie Lanier of Knoxville, TN, and Brock Lanier & Glen Lanier both of Memphis; a sister, Mrs. Bonnie Aldridge of Eufaula, AL, formerly of Blackshear, and several nieces, nephews & other relatives.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday evening (today), June 9, 2004, at 8:00 o’clock from the Blackshear Presbyterian Church. The family will receive friends at the church from 6 pm until 8 pm.
Interment will be at the Rosemary Cemetery near Metter on Thursday morning at 11:00 o’clock.
A memorial scholarship will be established in memory of Roland and Eunice Lanier, both of whom never had the opportunity to graduate from college but who valued and supported higher education.
Pearson-Treadwell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
J.F. Hudson
J. F. Hudson, 82, died Sunday, June 6, 2004, at Candler County Hospital.
The Emanuel County native and lifelong resident was owner and operator of Hudson Store in Stillmore over 30 years. He was a member of Stillmore Baptist Church and a Mason of Lodge #435 in Metter, receiving his 50 year pin. He was a World War II Air Force veteran and was past Postmaster at Stillmore for many years.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marjorie ‘Snooks’ Hudson; sons and daughter-in-law, Paul Hudson and Pete and Donna Hudson; a daughter and son-in-law, Becky and Emmett Warren; a nephew and his wife, Brad and Carla Daughtry, all of Stillmore; sisters, Margie Harsey of Nashville and Oceil Turner of Jacksonville, Fl.; and granddaughters Emily Warren and Mandy Hudson, both of Stillmore.
Funeral services were conducted Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Kennedy-Morgan Funeral Homes, Hooks Chapel, with burial in the Stillmore City Cemetery. Elder Tommy Rountree officiated.
Pallbearers were Tommy Clark, Keith Slater, Ed Warren, Buddy Bird, George Hostilo and Garland Collins.
Kennedy-Morgan Funeral Homes, Hooks Chapel, of Metter was in charge of arrangements.
Tommie Lewis Cobb
Tommie Lewis Cobb, 51, of Metter died on Thursday, May 27, 2004, at Candler County Hospital. A native of Candler County, he lived all of his life in Metter. He was preceded in death by a brother, Don Cobb.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia Cobb of Metter; a son Alan Cobb of Metter; daughters Tonya Edge and Julia Cobb, both of Metter; his mother and father, Corbet and Bonnette Cobb of Metter; brothers, David Cobb, Gray Cobb and Dean Cobb, all of Metter; a sister, Patricia Sparks of Metter; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Wood Funeral Home with Rev. Johnny Beasley officiating. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Travis Cobb, Ron Spudville, Victor Fordham, Jason Cobb, Eddie Holloway and Alan Wilks.
Wood Funeral Home of Metter was in charge of arrangements.
Thomas Stapleton
Thomas Stapleton, 76, of Metter died Tuesday, May 18, 2004 in the Candler County Hospital. He was a native of Ware County and had resided in Candler County for most of his adult life. He farmed for many years.
Survivors include his wife, Juanita Stapleton of Metter; two sons, Tommy Stapleton of Claxton and Walter Stapleton of Metter; two daughters and sons-in-law, Anna and Ronnie Hobbs and Sharon and Stanley Mincey, all of Metter; his mother-in-law, Mattie Miller of Metter; three sisters-in-law, Beatrice Moore, Annie Wright, and Linda Oglesby; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and several other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held Sunday at the W.H. Whitaker Memorial Chapel. Burial was in Dixon Grove Cemetery in Metter.
Whitaker Funeral Home of Metter was in charge of arrangements.
Cody Douglas Tripp
Cody Douglas Tripp, 18, died May 23, 2004. He was born June 16, 1985 in Bullhead City, AZ. Before moving to Statesboro in 1995, Cody resided in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Illinois and Virginia. Cody graduated from Statesboro High School in 2003 and was employed with TIC in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He had a love for sports, friends, family and church. He was a friend to those around him and always seeking ways to share the happiness of life which he knew. Outgoing, aggressive, and excitable, he possessed a bright outlook and strove to see only the good in others. Cody made no character judgements and it can truly be said that he looked upon the heart of others and not on outward appearances. To his parents he was never a cause for worry and had an especially good relationship with them. Cody was called home to dwell forever with the Lord and will never depart our memories. He will be missed by his loved ones and a host of friends. Cody was preceded in death by his father, Cary Tripp; his grandfather, Ken Cox; his grandmother, Peggy Tripp; and his uncle, Brett Tripp.
Surviving are his parents, Bubba and Traci Brockman of Statesboro; his sisters, Becky Odom of Missouri, Brittany Brockman and Kylie Brockman, both of Statesboro; his brothers, Dino Brockman of Brunswick and Tyler Tripp of Statesboro; his grandparents, Dugan Tripp of Illionois, Bonnie Cox of Statesboro, Margaret Hutchin-son of Darien, Clifford Brockman Sr. of Texas; uncles and aunts, Buddy and Teresa Tripp, Sonny Tripp, Gary Tripp, all of Illinois; and Tim Ullon of California.
Funeral services were held Friday, May 28, at 11 a.m. at Grace Community Church with Rev. Mike Holt officiating. Burial was in Bulloch Memorial Gardens.
Active pallbearers were Josh Buck, Rod Fowler, Ashley O’Neal, Steven Shumake, Patrick Hood, Tony Bacon, Tim Ullon and Buddy Tripp.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the R.A.D. Youth Group of Grace Community Church.
Hodges-Moore Funeral Home of Statesboro was in charge of arrangements.
