Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978
Essie Mae McDonald Vickers Myers
Mrs. Essie Mae McDonald Vickers Myers, 91, of Douglas, Ga., passed away on Saturday, December 25, 2004, at Coffee Regional Medical Center in Douglas, Ga.
Mrs. Myers, a native of Coffee County, Ga. was born on October 11, 1913, the daughter of the late Tommy and Rebecca Vickers McDonald. She was a homemaker and her church membership was at Mount Union Primitive Baptist Church.
Survivors include: her husband, Virgil Myers; two step-daughters, Bonnie Kunberger and husband John, and Shirley Robertson, all of Willacoochee, Ga.; two granddaughters, Terry Steptoe and husband Charlie, and Sandra Murray and husband Carl, all of Douglas Ga., one grandson, Lee Steptoe of Douglas, Ga. Mrs. Myers’ first husband, Youngie Lee Vickers, a son, Herman Lee Vickers, and a daughter-in-law, Shelby Jean Vickers, preceded her in death.
Funeral services were held at Mount Union Primitive Baptist Church with Rev. Den Weniger officiating. Lois Mills, pianist, provided soft music for the prelude, interlude and postlude. Interment followed in the Mount Union Church Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Charles Moore, James Oliver Henderson, Robert Murray, Willie Hicks, Bryan Fussell, and Norman Fussell.
Sims Funeral Home of Douglas, Ga., was in charge of the arrangements.
Carroll Lee Waters
Mr. Carroll Lee Waters, 67, of Nicholls, Ga., passed away Monday night, January 10, 2005, at his residence following an extended illness.
Mr. Waters was a Bacon County native, son of Mildred Coley Waters and the late C.L. Waters of Alma, Ga. He was a retired truck driver and a member of Nicholls United Methodist Church.
Survivors include: his mother, Mildred Coley Waters of Alma, Ga.; his wife, Catherine Hutcheson Waters of Nicholls, Ga.; three sons, Ricky Carroll Waters and wife, Cindy, of Nicholls, Ga., Randy Lee Waters of Douglas, Ga., and Russell Anthony Waters of Millwood, Ga.; one daughter, Sandy Overstreet and husband, Bennie, of Douglas, Ga.; one brother, Billy Payne Waters of Lake Oconee, Ga., five sisters, Margaret Boatright of Alma, Ga., Mary Sue Lightsey and Gwenelle Lightsey, both of Jesup, Ga., Betty Wilson of Savannah, Ga., and Debra Medders of Alma, Ga.; 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. Mr. Waters was preceded in death by one son, Ronnie Dale Waters.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, January 12, 2005, in the Chapel of Crosby Funeral Home, with Rev. Mark Carver and Rev. Jerry Campbell officiating. Interment followed in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Mark Boatright, Mike Boatright, Jeffery Williford, Ryan Deal, Greg Lightsey, and Michael Dixon.
Honorary escort will be the extended family members.
Crosby Funeral Home of Alma, Ga., was in charge of all arrangements.
Gene Collins, Sr.
Mr. Gene Collins, Sr., 68, of Hoboken, Ga., passed away on Sunday, December 26, 2004, at his residence.
Mr. Collins, a native of Coffee County, Ga., was born August 4, 1936, the son of the late Ed and Ruth Clements Collins. He was a heavy equipment operator and a Veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard.
Survivors include: three daughters, Diana Wolf of Calif., Rhoda Patty Collins and Darlene Smith both of Douglas, Ga.; two brothers, Bill Collins and wife Jenelle of Waycross, Ga., and John A. Collins, Sr., and wife Cora of Douglas, Ga.; three sisters, Della Mae Lewis of Douglas, Ga., Ann Merritt of Broxton, Ga., and Martha Barber of Sparks, Ga.; six grandchildren, Ricky E. Burch, Spencer “Goat” Burch, John “PeeWee” Collins, Kim Collins, Mandy Smith and Tishia “Turkey” Smith,; five great-grandchildren. Mr. Collins had a son, Gene “Bubba” Collins, Jr., a sister, Mattie Lee Roberson and a brother, Ed Collins, Jr. who preceded him in death.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, December 28, 2004, at the Sims Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. James Merritt officiating. Soloist, Gloria Caves sang, “Amazing Grace,” “Daddy’s Hands,” and “Beulah Land.” Interment followed in the Arna Church Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Carlos Harden, Chris Grantham, John A. Collins, Elisha Burch, Elliot Pittman, and Larry Roberson.
Sims Funeral Home of Douglas, Ga., was in charge of arrangements.
Janie Lott Clement
Mrs. Janie Lott Clement, 92, of Riverdale, Ga., formerly of the Kirkland community, passed away Saturday, December 25, 2004, at Southern Regional Medical Center in Riverdale, Ga., following an extended illness.
A native of Coffee County, Ga., Mrs. Clement was born May 10, 1912, the daughter of John and Lucy Graves Lott. She had made her home in Atkinson County, Ga., for most of her life until moving to live with her daughter 11 years ago. She was the widow of Earnie Clement, a retired food service worker with the Atkinson County School System, and a member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.
Survivors include: two daughters, Neoma Gaskins of Riverdale, Ga., and Earnestine Stuart and husband Mirl of Lake City, Fla.; one son, Earl A. Clement of Ormond Beach, Fla.; two brothers, Gerald Lott of Neptune, N.J., and Frank Lott of Douglasville, Ga.; one sister, Lou Annie Wright of Douglas, Ga.; 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Mrs. Clement was preceded in death by a son, John H. Clement.
Funeral services for Mrs. Clement were held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, December 28, 2004, at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. Jimmy Futch and Rev. Tom Daughterty officiating. Special musical selections included “Abide With Me” and “Amazing Grace,” rendered by soloist Ginger Austin, with Lilla Deems accompanying at the piano. Lilla Deems, pianist provided soft music for the prelude and postlude. Interment followed in the Antioch Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Benjamin Gaskins, Lee Gaskins, Buddy Mitchell, Jerry Wayne Lott, Jesse Edward Tanner, and Leroy Broussard.
Relihan Funeral Home of Pearson, Ga., was in charge of the arrangements.
Ruby Britt Gerritsen
Mrs. Ruby Britt Gerritsen, 86, of Montezuma, Ga., passed away Saturday morning, January 1, 2005.
Mrs. Gerritsen was born on May 21, 1918, the daughter of the late Andrew Jackson Hinton and Ida Cora Dunmon Hinton. Mrs. Gerritsen was a retired seamstress and a member of Americus Church of Christ and widow of the late Herman Britt.
Survivors include: four sons and daughter-in-laws, Wallace Britt, Sr., and wife Edna of Montezuma, James H. Britt and wife Margie of Dublin, Ga., Phillip Britt and wife Carol of Douglas, Ga., and Andrew C. Britt of Montezuma, Ga.; one daughter and son-in-law, Linda C. Little and husband Arthur of Bonifay, Fla.; one brother, Wiley E. Jones of Oglethorpe, Ga.; one sister, Louise Brant of Buford, S.C.; 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services were held on Monday, January 3, 2005 at the Chapel of Watson-Mathews Funeral Home at 11 a.m. Interment was held in Oglethorpe Memorial Gardens with Evangelist Jimmy Tuten officiating.
Watson-Mathews Funeral Home of Montezuma, Ga., was in charge of the arrangements.
Nell Music Sears Anderson
Mrs. Nell Music Sears Anderson, 88, of Douglas Ga. passed away on Sunday, January 2, 2005, at her home.
Mrs. Anderson, a native of Bacon County, Ga., was born April 10, 1915, the daughter of the late Elias and Fannie Stokes Music. She was the widow of the late Oscar Sears, Sr. and the late D. S. Anderson. Her church membership was at the Friendship Baptist Church in Alma, Ga.
Survivors include: four daughters, Wanell Chaney of Douglas, Ga., Patricia Teston of Nicholls, Ga., Virginia Carter Taylor of Alma, Ga., and Betty Musgrove, Homerville, Ga.; one son, Oscar Sears, Jr. of Waycross Ga., three sisters, Denise Burch of Homerville, Ga., Eva Ayers of Jacksonville Fla., and Etha Propes of Orlando Fla.; one brother, Edward Youngblood of Jacksonville Fla.; 11 grandchildren, 27 great- grandchildren, 10 great-great-grandchildren. A son, Kenneth Sears and a daughter, Dorothy Helen Sears preceded her in death.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., on Tuesday, January 4, 2005, at Trinity Church near Douglas, Ga., with Rev. Floyd Musgrove and Rev. Donnie Joe Rigdon officiating. The Man Kirkland Singers sang, “Long, Long Journey” and “Stroll Over Heaven With You” with Lois Mills, Pianist. Interment followed in the Telmore Pentecostal Church Cemetery in Ware County, Ga.
Active pallbearers were Tony Chaney, Tommy Sears, Jimmy Sears, George Carol Teston, Dusty Chaney, and Terry Anderson.
Sims Funeral Home of Douglas, Ga., was in charge of the arrangements.
Joel Thomas Sayer
Mr. Joel Thomas Sayer, 49, of Broxton, Ga., passed away on Friday, December 31, 2004, at home following a brief illness.
Mr. Sayer, a native of Polk County, Fla., was born on October 15, 1955, the son of the late Thomas David and Jean Carolyn Acorn Sayer. He was a sales contractor and a member of DeBerry Baptist Church.
He is perhaps most well known for his impersonation of Elvis Presley in Juke Box Saturday Night in Douglas, Ga.
Survivors include: two daughters, Colby Jean Anne Sayer of Ackworth, Ga., and Jennifer Steedley of Valdosta Ga., one brother, Danny Sayer of Jesup, Ga.; one sister, Dana Jones of Douglas, Ga.; several nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
Funeral services were held at 4 p.m., on Sunday, January 2, 2005, at DeBerry Baptist Church near Broxton, Ga., with Rev. Larry Dean officiating. Music was as follows: “Trilogy” by Elvis Presley, “That’s My Job” by Conway Twitty, “The Dance” by Garth Brooks, “I Can Almost See The Lights of Home” by soloist, June Merritt with Peggy Ott accompanying at the piano. Graveside services included a taped selection of “Go Rest High On That Mountain” and “Amazing Grace” by soloist Phillip Jowers. Interment was held in the Bethany Church Cemetery near Ambrose, Ga.
Active pallbearers were Michael Sayer, Charlie Mac Wooten, Johnny Brantley, Wayne Sayer, Lee Sayer, Phillip Jowers, Georgia Dockery, Johnny Lee Jenkins, Joe Johnson, and Dan Paulk.
Honorary pallbearers were Ron Morris, John Bennett, Isaac Clements, Stuart Mullis, Marcus Mullis, Allen Mullis, Matt Day, Conrad Sayer, James David Sayer, Gregory Sayer, Bryan Standridge, Phillip Acorn, Trey Acorn, J. J. Acorn, Patrick Dowling, Robert Dowling, and Ryan Day.
Dustin Morris Nettles
Mr. Dustin Morris Nettles, 25, of Valdosta, Ga., passed away Thursday, December 29, 2004, following a brief illness.
Mr. Nettles, a native of Coffee County, Ga., was born July 25, 1979, the son of Early Morris and Suzette Brooker Nettles. He was a heat and air repairman.
Survivors include: his wife, Elaine Nettles of Portales, N.M., two daughters, Desiree Nettles and Brianna Nettles both of Portales, N.M.; mother, Suzette Yates and step-father, Challie of Biloxi, Miss.,; his father, Morris Nettles and step-mother, Donna, of Nicholls Ga.; one sister, Kim Nettles of Nicholls, Ga.; one brother Jason O’Steen of Gainesville, Fla.; grandparents, Vivian Smith Taylor of Douglas, Ga., and Florence Hughes of Nashville, Ga.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., on Sunday, January 2, 2005, at Jowers Chapel Church near Axson, Ga., with Rev. Gene Chaney and Rev. Rob Merritt officiating. Carolyn Wright, Chris Purvis and Faye Adams sang “I’ll Be Waiting At The River” with Bonnie Musgrove accompanying at the piano; also soloist/pianist Bonnie Musgrove sang “Far Away.” A taped selection of “The Dance” was also provided. Interment followed in the Tanner Church Cemetery near Douglas, Ga.
Active pallbearers were Phillip Bohannon, Jerry Hill, Chad Hill, Josh Crozier, Pat Holton, Justin Garner, Stan Thomas, and Lee Thomas.
Honorary pallbearers were employees of Wallert Heating and Cooling.
Sims Funeral Home of Douglas, Ga., was in charge of the arrangements.
Era Hewitt Dawson
Mrs. Era Hewitt Dawson, 89, of Axson, Ga., passed away on Friday morning, December 31, 2004, at Satilla Regional Medical Center in Waycross, Ga., following an extended illness.
A native of Coffee County, Ga., Mrs. Dawson was born August 13, 1915, the daughter of the late Thomas M. and Ella Guthrie Hewitt. She had made her home in the Axson Community for most of her life, was a homemaker, and a member of Axson Evangelistic Church.
Survivors include: one son, Neal Dawson and wife Carolyn of Axson, Ga.; one daughter, Elaine Simmons and husband G. C. of Manor, Ga.; one sister, Alice Bennett of Pearson, Ga., seven grandchildren; ten great- grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Mrs. Dawson was preceded in death of her husband, John H. Dawson, one grandson, Allen Dawson, and one great-grandson Alex Pittman.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Sunday, January 2, 2005, at the Axson Evangelistic Church with Rev. James Drake and Rev. Keith Lloyd officiating. Special musical selections included “He Whispers Sweet Peace To Me,” rendered by the congregation, with Freda Simmons accompanying at the piano; “I Bowed On My Knees And Cried Holy,” rendered by Diane Davis, with tape accompaniment; and “Farther Along,” rendered by Shannon Tole, with Freda Simmons accompanying at the piano. Interment followed in the Axson Cemetery with the congregation singing “Amazing Grace” at the graveside.
Active pallbearers were Johnny Simmons, Mickey Simmons, Michael Peavy, John Steven Simmons, Christopher Dawson and Bob Gray.
Honorary pallbearers were Neiland Pittman, James White, Lewis Gurley, D.Q. Pittman, Donald Walker and T.J. Delk.
Relihan Funeral Home of Pearson, Ga., was in charge of the arrangements.
America Bowen Murray
Mrs. America Bowen Murray, 91, of Douglas, Ga., passed away on Saturday, December 25, 2004, at Shady Acres Convalescent Center, in Douglas, Ga.
Mrs. Murray, a native of Coffee County, Ga., was born October 6, 1913, the daughter of the late Willie and Minnie Carter Bowen. She was a homemaker and the widow of the late James Murray. She was of the Baptist Faith.
Survivors include: three daughters, Fay Morgan of Douglas, Ga., Latrelle Jordan of Pearson, Ga., and Shirley Adams of Oxford, Ala.; four sons, James Junior Murray, and Jimmy Carlton Murray both of Pearson Ga., Clayton Murray of Millwood Ga., and Shelton Murray of Douglas, Ga.; one half-sister, Annie Lee Stone, two half brothers, Tommy Bowen and Allen Bowen both of Lakeland, Ga., 24 grandchildren and 31 great- grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., on Thursday, December 30, 2004, at the Sims Funeral Home Chapel in Douglas, Ga., with Rev. Jimmy Jordan officiating. Soloist, Lena McQuaig sang, “Amazing Grace,” “I’ll Fly Away” and “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” with Lois Mills, at the piano. Interment followed in the Sweetwater Church Cemetery near Pearson, Ga.
Active pallbearers were Johnny Morgan, Steve Batten, Donnie Adams III, Jimmy Ray Murray, Donnie Adams and Lonnel Murray.
Sims Funeral Home of Douglas, Ga., was in charge of the arrangements.
Gertrude W. Lee
Mrs. Gertrude Hand Watkins Lee, 83, of Douglas, Ga., passed away Thursday afternoon, December 30, 2004, at The Medical Center in Macon, Ga., following a brief illness.
Mrs. Lee was a native of Jeff Davis County, Ga., however, she had lived in the Douglas and Coffee County area for many years. She was the daughter of the late Arthur D. Hand and the late Cora Lee Walls Hand, was a member of the First Assembly of God.
Survivors include: her husband, Alton “Pat” Lee of Douglas, Ga.; one daughter, Carolyn Mancil of Douglas, Ga.; one son, Raymond Watkins of Cleveland, Ga.; one brother, Edwin Hand of Bonham, Tex.; nine grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and other relatives. She was preceded in death by one son, James Roger Watkins, and one sister, Della Rish.
Funeral services were held on Sunday, January 2, 2005, at 2 p.m., at the First Assembly of God with Rev. Marshall Adcock and Rev. Byron Griffis officiating. Special musical selections, “Wish You Were Here” and “Tears Will Never Stain The Streets,” were rendered by Lena McQuaig with Becky Taylor accompanying at the piano. Interment followed in the Douglas City Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Lamar Medders, Jack Spivey, Timmy Morgan, Terry Morgan, Glenn Gardner, and Vinson Tanner.
Ricketson Funeral Home of Douglas, Ga., was in charge of the arrangements.
Eric L. Moore, Jr.
Mr. Eric L. Moore, Jr., of Douglas, Ga., passed away Tuesday evening, December 28, 2004, at The Medical Center in Macon, Ga., following an extended illness.
Mr. Moore, a native of Broxton and Coffee County, Ga., was a local prominent insurance agent and real estate developer. He was the son of the late Eric L. Moore, Sr., and the late Elizabeth Culbreth Moore, and widower of Mildred Cothern Moore. He had recently received recognition for 45 consecutive years with the Douglas Kiwanis Club. Mr. Moore was a member of the First United Methodist Church.
Survivors include: one son, Lamuel Moore of Douglas, Ga.; three sisters, Dorothy Germaine of Lyon, France; Helen Claxton of Wrightsville, Ga., and Marsha M. Vinic of Dublin, Ga., several nieces, nephews and other relatives also survive.
Private graveside services and interment were held on Thursday, December 30, 2004, at 2 p.m., at the Douglas City Cemetery with Rev. Benjy Varnell officiating.
In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made to the Douglas-Coffee County Humane Society, P.O. Box 1958, Douglas, Ga., 31534; the First United Methodist Church Alter Fund, c/o First United Methodist Church of Douglas, Ga., or any worthy charitable organization of your choice.
Ricketson Funeral Home of Douglas, Ga., was in charge of the arrangements.
