Clarke Co. GA - Obits from the Athens Daily News/Banner-Herald 17 Jan 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 Ed Blissit Rabun County Thomas Edwin Blissit, 70, died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. A native of Henry County, Mr. Blissit resided in Athens all of his adult life until a recent move to Rabun County and was a son of the late A.O. and Annie Mae Blissit. A U.S. Army Air Corps World War II veteran, he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Georgia in 1952. After graduation, he worked in the Plant Operations Department at UGA. He then joined Farmer's Hardware as secretary-treasurer for 30 years before starting his own plumbing and electrical supply company, B&F Associates, before retiring last year. He had been an active member of First Baptist Church of Athens where he served as chairman of the Board of Deacons, as church treasurer and taught Sunday school and Training Union for many years. He had been a member of the Kiwanis Club and had served on the Athens Zoning Commission. Most recently, he was president of Lakemont Properties Association, Rabun County. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, West, with the Rev. Dr. Jan Blissit officiating. Burial will be in Oconee Hill Cemetery. Survivors include his wife, Sarah C. Blissit; daughters and sons-in-law Linda and Hope Ritter and Brenda and Cliff Holt, all of Athens, and Kitty Blissit, Princeton, N.J.; two brothers, James Blissit, Grovetown, and Joe Blissit, McDonough; two sisters, Sue B. Hansard, Fayetteville, and Julia Mae Coan, McDonough; a grandson, Michael T. Ritter, Athens; and two granddaughters, Melissa Canady and Christina Canady, both of Athens. The family will receive friends 7-9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Flowers are optional; donations may be made to the charity of the donor's choice. Francis H. Burge Madison Francis Howard Burge, 86, of 1081 Cornwall Drive died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. A native of Morgan County, Mr. Burge was a son of the late Jessie Nunn and William Elmer Burge and was preceded in death by a daughter, Rita Neal. He was the owner of Burge Appliance and was retired from law enforcement. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. today in Morgan Memorial Park with Dr. Jim Ross and the Rev. W.T. Booth officiating. Survivors include his wife, Alice B. Burge; two daughters, Linda Ivey, Lake Wylie, S.C., and Jean Channell, Athens; three sons-in-law, Harry Ivey, Lake Wylie, S.C., Godfrey Channell, Athens, and Jimmy Neal, Lithonia; a sister, Peggie Malcom, Winder; a granddaughter, Melinda McMillan, Lithonia; and three nephews. Simmons Funeral Home, Madison, is in charge of arrangements. Tilson C. Carroll Elberton Tilson Coan Carroll, 81, of 1007 Miller Drive died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. A native of Childersburg, Ala., Mr. Carrol was a son of the late Thomas and Idella Pope Carroll and was preceded in death by a son, T. Samuel Carroll. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he was a retired land surveyor and a member of Elberton First Presbyterian Church where he served as a deacon and elder. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in Elmhurst Cemetery with the Rev. Glenn Gilstrap officiating. Survivors include his wife, Maxine D. Carrol, of the home; a daughter, Barbara Burroughs, Omaha, Neb.; a son, Stacy C. Carroll, Elberton; two stepsons, E.K. Binion Jr., Stafford, Va., and Warren Binion, Fort Worth, Texas; and 10 stepgrandchildren. Pallbearers will be Jack McConnell, Chester Almond, Bob Conger, Jimmy Brown, Harold Jones, Edsel Pleasants and Marvin Higginbotham. The family will be at the residence and will receive friends 6-8 p.m. today at Berry Funeral Home. Felma 'Blue' Clarke Hull Felma "Blue" Clarke, 62, of 788-B McCannon-Morris Road died Sunday, Jan. 12, 1997. Mr. Clarke was a son of Eunice Clarke, Athens, and the late Frank Sims. He was a member of Oconee Baptist Church, Stephens. Funeral services will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the church with the Rev. Hoyt Smith officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at noon. Survivors, in addition to his mother, include his wife, Betty Clarke, Hull; four daughters, Lucille Young, Sherry Henderson and Margie Arnold, all of Athens, and Faye Clyde, Albany; two sons, William Clarke, Hinesville, and Julious Hector, Norfolk, Va.; a brother, Elmo "Red" Clarke, Athens; a sister, Eva Mae Handy, Athens; 11 grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Jackson-McWhorter Funeral Home, Athens, is in charge of arrangements. Lucile D. Cowart Commerce Lucile Dailey Cowart, 85, of 521 State St. died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. A native of Jackson County, Mrs. Cowart was a daughter of the late Tadum and Cora Belle Hembree Dailey and the widow of John Burton Cowart. She was a retired grocery store owner and a member of Madison Street Baptist Church. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. today at the chapel of Little-Ward Funeral Home with the Rev. David Harbin officiating. Burial will be in Jackson Memorial Gardens. The body will be placed in the chapel at 10:30 a.m. Survivors include a son, Willie Cowart, Commerce; a brother, Edward Dailey, Gastonia, N.C.; four sisters, Thelma Hardy and Ollie G. Smith, both of Gastonia, N.C., Estelle McCuen, Greenwood, S.C., and Lillie Streetman, Athens; a grandchild; and two great-grandchildren. Gladys M. Greene Greensboro Gladys Mae Greene, 53, of 1991 Carey Station Road died Monday, Jan. 13, 1997. A native of Greene County, Mrs. Greene was a daughter of the late Add and Mamie Thomas Greene and was a member of Jefferson Baptist Church, Eatonton. Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the church with the Revs. James Bishop and James Reid officiating. Survivors include her husband, James Greene, Greensboro; a daughter, Sharon Greene, Greensboro; five sisters, Addie Thompson, Mamie Armour, Delois Middlebrook, Georgia B. Morrow and Annie M. Nelson, all of Atlanta; six brothers, Ulysee Walker and Nathaniel Swain, both of Detroit, Benjamin Early, Miami, and Earl Swain, Garfield Swain and Rufus Swain, all of Atlanta; four grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. The family is at the residence. Watts Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Myrtle Mathews Winterville Myrtle Lorine Mathews, 78, of 1860 Robert Hardeman Road died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. A native of Clarke County, Mrs. Mathews was a daughter of the late Frank and Elda Dills. She was retired from the University of Georgia Extension Service and was past president of Athens Business Girls Club. She was a member of First Christian Church where she was secretary of Mr. and Mrs. Sunday School Class. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. today at Lord & Stephens Funeral Home Chapel, East, with the Revs. Ray Austin and Ray Jenkins officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park. Survivors include her husband, J. Carroll "J.C." Mathews; nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Liston Drury, Kenneth Shealy, Robert Osborne, Harold Parady, Lamar Downs and Kenneth Dills. Memorials may be made to the church or a charity of the donor's choice. George Mattox Maxeys George Mattox, 86, died Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1997. A native of Oglethorpe County, Mr. Mattox was a son of the late Natham and Hattie Mae Mattox and was retired from Calloway Farms. Private services will be held at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Rayle. Survivors include two sisters, Lucile Friends, Chicago, and Bobbie Mattox, Cleveland, Ohio; a brother, Nathaniel Mattox, San Francisco; and a niece. Watts Funeral Home, Union Point, is in charge of arrangements. Francine P. McDonald Baldwin Francine Pritchett McDonald, 73, died Thursday, Jan. 16, 1997. A native of Stephens County, Mrs. McDonald was a daughter of late Fort and Neatie Norton Chitwood and the widow of her first husband, Swayne Pritchett, and was preceded in death by a daughter, Marlene Bennett. She was a homemaker and a member of Cornelia Christian Church where she was involved in Willing Workers Sunday School Class, served as chairman of the Floral Committee and the Personal Card Ministry. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the church with David Terrell officiating. Burial will be in Leatherwood Baptist Church Cemetery. Survivors include her husband, Homer McDonald, Baldwin; two sons, C.L. Pritchett and Harold Pritchett, both of Baldwin; a stepson, Doug McDonald; two sisters, Dorothy Caudell, Buford, and Joyce Hill, Habersham; five brothers, Steve Chitwood, Mansfield, Ohio, Charles Chitwood and Kenneth Chitwood, both of Lavonia, and James Chitwood and Virlyn Chitwood, both of Canon; 16 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. today at Whitfield Funeral Home, Cornelia. Flowers are optional; memorials may be made to the Francine McDonald Memorial Fund, c/o Johnny Ayers, 157 Crabapple Lane, Cornelia, Ga. 30531. Mattie Lou Sikes Colbert Mattie Lou Sikes, of Route 3, died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. A native of Madison County, Mrs. Sikes was a daughter of the late Burnice and Jesse Long and the widow of Theodis Sikes Sr. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Springfield Baptist Church, Comer, with the Rev. Larry E. Blount officiating. Burial will be in Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery, Carlton. The body will be placed in the church at noon. Survivors include two daughters, Ann E. Turner, Chicago, and Susie Townsend, Athens; a son, Theodis Sikes Sr., Atlanta; four sisters, Tommie L. Slaughter and Bessie Smith, both of Cincinnati, Willie J. Knox, Flint, Mich., and Eloise Osborne, Detroit; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Hurley Funeral Home, Athens, is in charge of arrangements. Will 'Pete' Smith Atlanta Will O. "Pete" Smith, formerly of Oconee County, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 1997. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Walnut Grove Baptist Church, Watkinsville, with the Rev. Leroy Barnes officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Sellers Brothers Funeral Home of Atlanta is in charge of arrangements. Announcement courtesy of Jackson-McWhorter Funeral Home, Athens. Charles E. Taylor Pendergrass Charles Edward Taylor, 82, of 2644 Wayne Poultry Road died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. A native Rayle, Mr. Taylor was a son of the late Mary Echols and Otis Mitchell Taylor and was a meat packer at Gold Kist. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today at Ivie Funeral Home with the Rev. Phil Patterson officiating. Burial will be in Jackson Memorial Park, Commerce. Survivors include his wife, Lynda B. Taylor, Pendergrass; two sons, Marvin E. Taylor, Jefferson, and Walter D. Taylor, Pendergrass; two daughters, Jean Knapp, Jefferson, and Gail McAbee, Athens; a sister, Ruby Sorrow, Union Point; and two grandchildren. DEATH NOTICES Elizabeth B. Jenkins HARTWELL - Elizabeth Bell Jenkins, 78, of 108 Smith St. died Thursday, Jan. 16, 1997. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Strickland Funeral Home. J.B. Turner DETROIT - J.B. Turner, formerly of Greene County, died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Watts Funeral Home, Union Point. Lucy H. White HARTWELL - Lucy Hutcherson White, 83, of 554 Benson St. died Thursday, Jan. 16, 1997. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Strickland Funeral Home. (C)opyright 1996 Athens Banner Herald/Daily News