Clarke Co. GA - Obits from the Athens Daily News/Banner-Herald 16 Oct 1997 Thanks for permission from the Athens Daily News /Banner-Herald http://www.onlineathens.com/ ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Obituaries header ANET Options Terry Beatty Jefferson Terry Gene Beatty, 47, of 284 Standridge Road, died Monday, Oct. 13, 1997. A native of Jackson County, Mr. Beatty was a son of Betty Standridge Beatty of Jefferson and the late Harold Gene Beatty. He was a foreman at Certainteed Corp. and was a member of Bethany United Methodist Church. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Bethany United Methodist Church with the Rev. Hulon Hill officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Survivors, in addition to his mother, include his wife, Yvonne Stowe Beatty; two daughters, Angel Pinion, Talmo, and Tracey Anglin, Jefferson, three sons, Rod Beatty, Chris Beatty and Raymond Beatty, all of Jefferson; a sister, Ginger Kennerly, Jefferson; two brothers, Tony Beatty and Ricky Beatty, both of Jefferson; and five grandchildren. Evans Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Thomas Branson Winder Thomas Raymond "Tom" Branson, 40, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 1997. A native of Duvall, Fla., Mr. Branson was a son of Hoke and Betty Branson of Cobb Town. He was a foreman at Gary's Grading & Pipe Line Construction. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. today at Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Jim Webb officiating. Burial will be in Carter Hill Church Cemetery. Survivors, in addition to his parents, include his wife, Teresa Moore Branson; three daughters, Brandee Branson, Danielle Branson and Brittney Branson, all of Winder; a son, Thomas Branson Jr., Winder; two sisters, Cindy Mathis, Metter, and Pam Branson, Florida; and two brothers, Nicky Branson, Metter, and Ken Branson, Cobb Town. Dan Kitchens Athens Daniel Walton Kitchens of 253-1/2 King Ave., retired member of the University of Georgia faculty, died Monday, Oct. 13, 1997. Born and reared in Lyons, Toombs County, Mr. Kitchens was a son of Carrie Thompson and Robert Abraham Kitchens. After serving with the U.S. Navy in England during World War II, Kitchens settled in Atlanta, where he worked for the Atlanta Journal as a cub reporter and attended night school at what would become Georgia State University. There he met Don Carter, a University graduate who was city editor of the newspaper and instructor for journalism courses at Georgia State. Carter persuaded Kitchens to come to Athens to meet Dean John Drewry and pursue his education in journalism. The young veteran from South Georgia became an outstanding student, editor of The Red & Black student newspaper and assistant to the dean. In 1953, he became a part-time instructor in the school of journalism, and he worked as correspondent for metropolitan newspapers, as assistant sports information director for local radio stations and as a freelance writer and editorial consultant. Joining the faculty of the school of journalism as a full-time instructor in 1961, Kitchens subsequently received a master's degree from the University of South Carolina. He retired as an associate professor in 1988. He continued to teach individual courses and to coach and advise staff-members of The Red & Black student newspaper. When The Red & Black became independent of the school of journalism and the university, Kitchens became a member and secretary of the board of advisers of the corporation. Until recent years he had continued to work with the statistics team of the university athletic department, covering football and baseball competition. Since retirement he had become editorial consultant for Athens Magazine, a job which gave him opportunity to exercise his considerable skills, and an occasional opportunity to display his gifts as a writer. He excelled in brief, humorous essays, human interest stories and in stories which portrayed his knowledge and love of Georgia, its people and their heritage. One of his most recent pieces was a colorful tale of the 19th century traffic on the Altamaha river. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Oconee Hills Cemetery with the Rev. Bill Britt of Athens First United Methodist Church officiating. Kitchens was preceded in death by his three brothers and one sister: Joseph Robert Kitchens, William Weston Kitchens, Jimmy Logan Kitchens and Sara Elizabeth Kitchens Sutton Johnson. He is survived by 10 nieces and nephews, 16 great-nieces and nephews; a great-great-nephew; and two great-great-nieces. The Kitchens family will receive friends 7-9 p.m. today at Bernstein Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the University of Georgia Foundation, marked for "Dan Kitchens Memorial" and mailed to Grady College of Journalism, Journalism Building, UGA, Athens, Ga. 30602. Joseph Mobley Eatonton Joseph Roberts Mobley, 89, formerly of Jefferson, died Monday, Oct. 13, 1997. A native of Jackson County, Mr. Mobley was a son of the late Ila Mae Roberts and Herman T. Mobley and the widower of Dalia Strickland Mobley. An Army veteran of World War II, he was a retired employee with Georgia Power after 45 years of service. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Jefferson and First Methodist Church in Eatonton. Graveside services will be at noon today in Woodbine Cemetery with the Rev. Carol Scroggs officiating. Survivors include nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends 11 a.m.-noon today at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Methodist Church Building Fund, Eatonton, Ga. Jackson Funeral Home, Jefferson, is in charge of arrangements. Willie Mae Rucker Athens Willie Mae Rucker, of 145 Fernwood Court, died Monday, Oct. 13, 1997. A native of Clarke-County, Mrs. Rucker was a daughter of the late Annie Mae Harvest and Tobe Rucker. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Springfield Baptist Church with the Revs. Charles Mock and Troy Waymon officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Cemetery. Survivors include two daughters, Marionetta Rucker and Carol R. Hubbard, both of Athens; a son, Andrew C. Rucker, Athens; a grandson raised in the home, Clinton A. Hubbard; nine other grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and cousins. Winfrey's Mutual Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Bertha Smith Toccoa Bertha Garvice McAvoy Smith died Tuesday, Oct. 14, 1997, at Stephens County Hospital in Toccoa, Ga. Born March 19, 1913, she was the youngest of eight children of Joanna Davis Whitlock McAvoy and Whitman Rhodes McAvoy. She was the widow of Rudy Smith, who died January 16, 1979. Mrs. Smith was a telegrapher for Postal Telegraph before her marriage. During World War II, she worked as a welder while her husband served in the Army. After the war, she was a successful homemaker and gardener. A lifelong Baptist, she was a member of Hill Street Baptist Church in Toccoa. Prior to this, she was a charter member of White Oak Hills Baptist Church in Atlanta. Mrs. Smith is survived by nieces Jenna Charles, Nell Kimsey, Louanna Flynn, Alma Simmons, Delores Cheek, Rebecca Jordan and Bernice McAvoy, all of Toccoa, Victoria Little Engleberger of Dunwoody, Ann Gilbert, Norcorss, Betty Odom, Mount Carmel, Tenn., Mattie Jo Dalby, Smackover, Ark., and Beatrice Hall and Eutrulia Long, both of Raleigh, N.C. Surviving nephews include Ruben Richie, Alton Richie, Chris Duncan and Phillip Whitlock, all of Toccoa; Donald Duncan, Watkinsville, Dale Whitlock, Fredericksburg, Va., Clemmie McAvoy and Dan McAvoy, both of Bosier City, L.A. Ralph McAvoy, Smackover, Ark., Bill McAvoy, Churchill, Tenn., and Frank McAvoy, Pascagoula, Miss. The family will receive friends 7-9 p.m. today at Acree-Davis Funeral Home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. Talmadge Chandler officiating. Burial will be in Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will please assemble 30 minutes prior to the services. James Thomas Athens James Thomas, of 1141 Dowdy Road, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 1997. A native of Oconee County, Mr. Thomas was a son of the late John Grant and Viola Wright Thomas. He war retired from The Gold Kist Inc. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Mack & Payne Funeral Home with Pastor Bill T. Hillsman officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Cemetery. Survivors include his wife, Mattie Mae Thomas; three daughters, Janice Sims, Linda Taylor and Dianne Edwards, all of Athens; three sons, Benny Thomas, Roy Lee Thomas and Roger Lee Thomas, all of Athens; seven sisters, Mattie Mae Brown, Cincinnati, Ohio, Helen Lawrence, Eula Mae Anderson, Johnnie Lue Gordon and Lois Lumpkin, all of Athens, and Virginia Clark and Susie Freeman, both of Arnoldsville; 16 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends 7-8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Ruth Westbrook Toccoa Ruth Mary Barry Westbrook, 82, of Quincy, Calif., formerly of Toccoa, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 1997. A native of Rockland, Mass., Mrs. Westbrook was a daughter of the late Vincent and Mary Barry and the widow of William C. Westbrook. She had served with the Womens Air Corp during World War II as a photographer and was retired after 25 years as a bookkeeper at Stephens County Hospital. She was a church member in Quincy, where she had lived since 1991. Funeral services were at 5 p.m. Monday at Fehrman Mortuary Chapel in Quincy with the Rev. Barry Westbrook officiating. Graveside services will be at 4 p.m. Thursday in Liberty Hill Baptist Church Cemetery in Toccoa with the Rev. Gerald Westbrook officiating. Survivors include a son, the Rev. William Barry Westbrook, Quincy, Calif.; a brother, Raymond Barry, Port Charlotte, Fla.; and five grandchildren. Whitlock Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. ______ ______________________________ Athens Daily News/Banner Herald Šopyright 1998 Athens Newspapers Inc.