Atkinson County GaArchives Obituaries.....Taft, Wilburn Francis February 13, 2011
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Shirley McMillan Durden http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006039 September 16, 2017, 6:41 pm

Atkinson County Citizen - February 24, 2011
 Mr. Wilburn Francis Taft, age 92, of Pearson passed away Sunday, February 13, 2
2011, at his residence, following an extended illness. 
 Mr. Taft, a lifelong resident of Atkinson County, was born Dec. 10, 1918 to 
William “Willie” and Mary Frances Burch Taft. He was a prominent farmer of 
Atkinson County. He attended Atkinson’s early public schools, including 
Sycamore, Pearson Elementary, Kirkland and Puddin School. Because of his 
father’s poor health, he had to quit school in the sixth grade and began fa
farming full time, which he continued to do successfully for the next 80 years.
 In 1941 he married Doris Leavens of Coffee County and they began raising a f
family just as America entered World War II. Because of an initial draft e
exemption for farm operators, Wilburn continued to farm during the war and in t
the off season, he worked in road construction, helping to pave the military b
base at Fort Benning, GA.
 In 1944, he joined the U.S. Army and served with the 105th Infantry Division 
arriving at Okinawa toward the end of the deadliest battle of the Pacific War. 
He was at sea on one of the many battleships preparing for an invasion of 
mainland Japan when the atomic bomb brought an end to the war. He then served 
in Occupied Japan, first in Tokyo then in Hokido, Japan’s largest and n
northernmost island.
 Upon release from the army in 1946, he returned to his family and rented a 
farm along Highway 441, the same farm he later purchased. He provided for his 
family through a lot of hard work and the essential support of his faithful 
wife. Starting with just two mules and a plow, they scrapped out a living by 
planting cotton, corn and tobacco. They also raised pigs and cows and “chipped 
and dipped” pine trees for the turpentine sap.
 During the winter months, Wilburn took on extra jobs. He helped pave the Baker Hig
Highway in Coffee County and then worked for the Georgia Power and Light Com
Company, helping to string power lines from Waycross to Thomasville. During thr
three winters, he built barns, storage bins and pond dams in Blakely, GA, for the
the man he bought his from. He even worked as a barber on many Saturday aft
afternoons, cutting hair for 10 cents a head.
 From those meager beginnings, Wilburn and Doris build an enduring marriage and ma
made a successful living. They saw to it that all 10 of their children received an
an education and then help each one get established in life.
 Wilburn was a devoted member of the Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church for n
near 67 years and served as a deacon there since 1949. He helped build the c
current church building in 1959 and 1960. A gifted musician. Wilburn taught h
himself to play the guitar, organ, piano, and fiddle. He sang tenor in church s
services and often played the piano at Mt. Pleasant even during his final years.
 Mr. Taft also had a creative and inventive mind and was always coming up with 
new attachment for his tractor that enabled him to continue doing work in his 
garden, taking care of his cows and eating his wife’s cooking.
 He leaves behind his devoted wife of nearly 70 years, Doris Leavens Taft of 
Pearson, GA; children and their spouses, JoAnn Brantley and her husband Jimmy 
of Pearson, GA, Linda Waugh of Daytona Beach Shores, FL, Florence Lashley and 
her husband Bobby of Pearson, GA, W. F. “Dub” Taft of Atlanta, GA, Roger Taft and
and his wife Wanda of Pearson, GA, Carolyn Dinkins and her husband Robert of Nay
Naylor, GA, Sharon Lang and her husband Steven of Pearson, GA, Kenneth Taft and his
his wife Shannon of Manor, GA, Gary Taft and his wife Angie of Pearson, GA, and Van
Vance Taft of Pearson, GA; Several nieces, nephews, friends and other relatives.
 Funeral services were held Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 2 P.M. at the Mt. Pl
Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. Bobby Fussell officiating. The In
Interment followed in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, with Rev. Ed Gilliard co
conducting the graveside rites.
 Active pallbearers were Ken Taft, Eric Taft, Matthew Taft, Daniel Taft, Andrew T
Taft, Mark Taft, Jae Brantley, John Lang.
 Special musical selections, “What A Day That Will Be” was presented by the 
soloist and pianist, JohnLang and “Amazing Grace” was presented as a 
congregational hymn and “Chains Are Gone” was presented by Hali Taft, Caitlin Taft,

Taft, with John Lang at the piano.
 Ricketson Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.






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