Clarke Co. GA - Obits from the Athens Daily News/Banner-Herald 25 Jan 1998 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 'R.H.' Bishop Ila Rufus Henry "R.H." Bishop, 89, of Georgia Highway 98 died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998. A native of Cedartown, Mr. Bishop was a son of the late Pascal and Vienna Golden Bishop. He was a retired business owner and entrepreneur. He was preceded in death by two daughters, Virginia Bishop and Pearl Cain, and a son, Robert Bishop. The family will hold a private ceremony. Survivors include two daughters, Ileen Bishop and Henry Ettalee Bishop, both of Danielsville; and 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. In lieu of flowers, memorials and condolences may be made to the family at P.O. Box 12, Ila, Ga., 30647. Benjamin Branch Athens Benjamin M. Branch, 81, of 285 Ponderosa Drive died Thursday, Jan. 22, 1998. A native of Oconee County, he was a son of the late Otha M. and Claire McRee Branch. Mr. Branch was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II, serving as a mechanic and achieving the rank of sergeant. He was a retired banker at C&S Bank in Thomaston and ex-vice president of Bank of Ringgold. When he retired he was vice president of Farmer's and Merchant's Bank in Pine Mountain. He was a former president of the Chamber of Commerce of Pine Mountain. Mr. Branch was a member of Friendship Presbyterian Church. Graveside services were Saturday at Farmington Cemetery with the Rev. Mark Northcutt officiating. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn R. Branch; a daughter, Marcelle Branch Mahan, Marietta; a son, David E. Branch Sr., Bishop; a sister, Margaret Dempsey, Marietta; and five grandchildren, one great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Farmington Cemetery Trust Fund, P.O. Box 767, Farmington, Ga., 30638. Bernstein Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Susan Camp Baldwin Susan Diane Camp, 48, of Trotters Glen died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998. A native of Troup County, she was a daughter of Becky Wilson of LaGrange and the late C.W. Wilson Jr. She was employed in the office of Dr. Holly Rogers. She was a member of First Baptist Church, Spartanburg, S.C., and attended First Baptist Church, Cornelia. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today at Cornelia First Baptist Church with Dr. T. Logan Smith, Dr. Rhett Weaver and Daryl Grinstead officiating. Graveside services and burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Shadow Lawn Cemetery, LaGrange. In addition to her mother, survivors include her husband, Danny Camp Sr.; a daughter, Anna Faye Camp, Abbeville, S.C.; two sons, Robert E. Standard, LaGrange, and Danny Ray Camp Jr., Orlando, Fla.; a sister, Kay Phillips, LaGrange; and two grandchildren. Flowers are optional. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105-1905, or the American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Research, c/o Scarlett Whelchel, 4050 Georgia Highway 115, Demorest, Ga., 30535. The family is at the residence. Whitfield Funeral Home, Baldwin, is in charge of arrangements. Millard Clemmons Toccoa Millard Clemmons, 76, of 223 Prather Bridge died Thursday, Jan. 22, 1998. A native of Lavonia, he was a son of Mrs. Nina Oliver and was raised by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Lena Clemmons. He was the widower of Helen Jones Clemmons. He was preceded in death by a grandson, reared in the home. Mr. Clemmons attended school in Franklin County and retired from Snyder Brothers Chemical Plant. He was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Toccoa. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Mount Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. White officiating. Burial will be in Toccoa City Cemetery. Survivors include three daughters, Wanda Dortch, Beverly Clemmons and Joyce Clemmons, all of Toccoa; five sons, Jerry Clemmons, James Clemmons, Gerald Clemmons, and Chet Clemmons, all of Toccoa, and Gregory Clemmons, Mount Rainer, Md.; and 17 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and several nieces and nephews. The family is at the residence. Moss-Stovall-Neal Funeral Home, Toccoa, is in charge of arrangements. Jerry Craft Royston Jerry Thomas Craft, 65, of 2975 Bakers Bridge Road died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998, at Cobb Memorial Hospital. He was born in Hart County, April 18, 1932, the son of the late Dan Calloway and Jessie Mae Stovall Craft. He retired from Owens-Corning Fiberglas Marketing Department and was one of the founders of the Resins and Coating Division. He was a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, where he served as church clerk and deacon. He was an inactive member of Royston Masonic Lodge No. 52. Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. today at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with the Revs. Charles Holland, Chris Pritchett and Doug Lecroy officiating. Entombment will be in Nancy Hart Memorial Park. The body will be placed in the church at 2:30 p.m. today. Survivors include his wife, Lenora Segars Craft; a daughter and son-in-law, Alice and Wayne Cheek, Canon; a son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Daniel and Cecia Craft, Anderson, S.C.; three brothers, Hugh Craft, Abbeville, S.C., Bob Craft, Hepzibah, and Gerald (Peanut) Craft, Hartwell; and two grandchildren, Stephanie Cheek and Jason Cheek, both of Canon. Flowers are optional. Memorials may be made to the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Family Life Center, c/o Mrs. Inez Brown, 1082 Dove Drake Road, Royston, Ga., 30662. Pruitte Funeral Home, Royston, is in charge of arrangements. Helen Davis Winder Helen R. Davis, 66, died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998. A native of Newton County, Ark., she was a daughter of the late Sanford and Mae Snow Henderson. She had lived in Barrow County for the last 24 years. Mrs. Davis was the Customer Relations Manager with Promenaders Inc. She was a member of Union Baptist Church and the Gideon's Auxiliary. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Union Baptist Church with the Revs. Rusty Newman and Edward "Bush" Creel officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at 1:30 p.m. Monday. Survivors include her husband, Don Davis; a daughter, Linda Bramlett, Marietta; two sons, Donnie A. Davis and James E. Davis, both of Winder; a sister, Naomi Vaughn, Wayton, Ark.; a brother, Bobby Henderson, Wayton, Ark.; and four grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gideons International Bible Fund, c/o P.O. Box 449, Winder, Ga., 30680. The family will receive friends at Carter-Stewart Funeral Home, Winder, after 2 p.m. today. Martha Dye Jacksonville, Fla. Martha Belle Nolan Dye died Thursday, Jan. 22, 1998. She was a member of First Baptist Church and Eastern Star Southside Chapter No. 28. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, Jacksonville. Burial will be in Chapel Hills Memory Gardens. Survivors include a daughter, Priscilla Acuff Clapper; a son, Walter Dennis Acuff Jr., Lavonia; two brothers, Jack Nolan and Jerry Nolan; and five grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Florida Baptist Children's Home, P.O. Box 8190, Lakeland, Fla., 33802-9963. The family will receive friends at the funeral home at 9 a.m. Monday. This announcement is courtesy of Hamby-Weldon Funeral Home, Lavonia. Lula Hall Monroe Lula Hall, 97, died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998. A native of Barrow County, she was a daughter of the late Jim and Martha Ann Ethridge Kilgore and the widow of Sam Hall. She was a member of Carter Hill Christian Church. Funeral services will be at 4 p.m. today at Wise-Connolly Funeral Home, Winder, with the Rev. James Sweat officiating. Burial will be in Carter Hill Christian Church Cemetery. Survivors include a daughter, Runell Skinner, Winder; a son, Clyde Hall, Farmington; and four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Albert Jackson Monroe Albert Jackson died Wednesday, Jan. 21, 1998. Funeral services were Saturday at Little Bethel Baptist Church. Survivors include two daughters, Lucy Jackson, Monroe, and Mattie Turner, Hawthorne; and a son, the Rev. H.A. Jackson. Jackson Funeral Home, Monroe, was in charge of arrangements. Milton Morris Sr. Harlem Milton Agee Morris Sr., 67, died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998. A native of Augusta, he was a member of Pierce Memorial Methodist Church. Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at Thomas L. King Funeral Home, Martinez, with the Rev. Donald Wilson officiating. Burial will be in Bellevue Memorial Gardens, Grovetown. Survivors include his wife, Geneva Driggers Morris; a daughter, Pamela O'Donald, Ringgold; two sons, Milton A. Morris Jr. and Darrell E. Morris, both of Harlem; a sister, Annie Mae Hattaway, Commerce; a brother, Grady B. Morris, Augusta; and nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Pallbearers will be Robin Williams, Larry McCrary, John Rushing, Albert Delgado, David Rollins and Aubrey Arrington. Memorials may be made to the St. Joseph Hospice Program, 2260 Wrightsboro Road, Augusta, Ga., 30904. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6-9 p.m. today. Kenneth Nix Jefferson Kenneth Wayne Nix, 54, of Athens Highway died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998. A native of Jackson County, he was a son of the late Joe Walter Nix and Martha Adams Nix. He was a card tender at a textile mill. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at Jackson Funeral Home, Jefferson, with the Revs. Dennis Kesler and Roy Smith officiating. Burial will be in Galilee Christian Church Cemetery. Survivors include three sisters, Evelyn Hooper and Jeanette Aaron, both of Jefferson, and Joyce McCord, Monroe; three brothers, Danny Nix, Nicholson, Willie Nix, Gainesville, and Bobby Nix, Jefferson; and several nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7-9 p.m. today. Leslie Norwood Atlanta Leslie Hill Norwood, 76, of 370 St. John's Ave. died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998. A native of Iva, S.C., he was a son of the late William Henry and Hattie Maleecy Hammond Norwood and the widower of Amy Jane Argo Akin Norwood. He had been a resident of Atlanta since 1946 and was retired from Johnson Motor Lines. He was a U.S. Army veteran and of the Baptist faith. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Trinity United Methodist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Fred Heard officiating. Survivors include a son, William Leslie Norwood, Atlanta; three sisters, Esta N. Burton, Iva, S.C., Kathryn N. Egri, Plainville, Conn., and Maleecy N. Johnston, Post, Texas; and three brothers, William Henry Norwood, Anderson, S.C., Jack M. Norwood, Westminster, S.C., and C. Mason Norwood, Iva, S.C. Pallbearers will be nephews. Family members are at their respective homes. The family will receive friends at Ginn Funeral Home, Carnesville, from 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday. James O. Reedy Rome James O. Reedy died Jan. 22, 1998, following a sudden illness. "Jim" Reedy was born Aug. 4, 1935, in Faulkner County, Ark., and had lived in Gainesville since 1968. Jim was the son of Thomas Dewitt and Noreen Graham Reedy. He grew up on a farm near Conway, Ark., with three brothers and four sisters. He attended Arkansas State Teachers College and Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. Jim worked in the fields of retail and real estate. He was a creative thinker who loved to negotiate a good deal. His greatest expertise was buying and merchandising. He began his career with West & Co. of Minden, La., a chain of department stores. He worked with Sam Walton in Bentonville, Ark., as Mr. Walton began to build the Wal-mart operation. Jim worked directly for Mr. Walton and was instrumental in the soft goods development of the early Wal-mart stores. Mr. Reedy moved to Gainesville in 1968 and was one of the founders of Gibson's Discount Center. Gibson's grew to a five-store operation with two stores in Gainesville, and stores in Athens, Cleveland and Covington. The business changed its trade name to Big G Discount Centers in 1980. Through these operations, Big G employed thousands of people over two decades. Mr. Reedy closed the retail operation in 1989 as the discount department store business came to be dominated by national chain stores. Jim's greatest pleasure from his retail career was the many relationships he formed with customers, employees and suppliers. During the 1990s, Jim applied his knowledge of the retail business to start a new career in commercial real estate. He was employed by Charles Williams REIC of Rome. He was a partner in Riverbend Mall and served as its general manager. Jim was an outstanding amateur golfer. He played "scratch" golf for many years, and won numerous tournaments including the Gainesville City Championship and the Chattahoochee Country Club Championship. His golf buddies were his best friends; some of them have enjoyed a regular game for almost 30 years. Jim will be remembered for the strength of his character, humor, warmth, compassion and generosity. Bible study was his primary personal interest over the past several years. He firmly believed in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. His recent days have been happy and contented. His family takes great comfort in his spiritual peace. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, at Little-Davenport Funeral Home, Gainesville, with the Rev. Matt McGowan officiating. Mr. Reedy's nephew, Bill Reedy, will sing. This service will worship Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and celebrate Mr. Reedy's life and graduation into God's hands. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery following the worship service. Jim loved and served his family well. He is survived by his wife, Marian Reedy; a son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Ginger Reedy; a daughter, Susan Reedy; grandchildren, Sarah Linn Reedy, Gailey Ann Reedy and John Reedy; brothers and sisters, Reg Reedy, Jaunita Mauldin, Ruby Bradfield, John Reedy and Nancy Skinner; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7-9 p.m. today. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Sheperd's Chapel, P.O. Box 416, Gravett, Ark., 72736-0416, or Eagle Ranch, P.O. Box 7200, Chestnut Mountain, Ga. 30502-7200. Mildred Rucker Elberton Mildred V. Rucker, 40, of 312 Prince St. died Thursday, Jan. 22, 1998. A native of Elbert County, she was a daughter of Carrie Ann Dubose of Elberton and the late Gilbert Maxwell. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Lofton Grove Baptist Church, Elberton, with the Rev. John W. Strong officiating. Burial will be in Pineview Cemetery. In addition to her mother, survivors include her husband, Jessie Rucker Sr.; three daughters, Mrs. Renick Robinson, Jessica Rucker and Carrie Rucker, all of Elberton; two sons, Jessie Rucker Jr. and Jermine Rucker, both of Elberton; two sisters, Clendora Dubose and Corene Rucker, both of Elberton; a brother, Tony Fortson, Gainesville; and seven grandchildren. The family is at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Renick Robinson, 385 Wilcox Heights, Elberton, Ga. McKinney-Neal Mortuary, Elberton, is in charge of arrangements. Frances Thomas Watkinsville Frances Huff Thomas, 89, of Main Street died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998. A native of Oconee County, she was the daughter of the late Howard L. Huff and Mattie S. Saxon and the widow of Weyman Thomas. She was preceded in death by a son, Parks Thomas. She was a homemaker and a member of Watkinsville First Christian Church. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Bishop Cemetery with Dr. Franklin Shumake officiating. Survivors include a daughter, Millie T. Harris, Watkinsville; a sister, Lois H. Lee, Watkinsville; three grandchildren, Thomas M. Branch, Teresa H. Wilbanks and Tracy H. Henson, all of Winterville; and two great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Watkinsville First Christian Church. The family will receive friends at Bernstein Funeral Home from 6-8 p.m. today. Guy Watson Danielsville Guy Watson, 82, of Route 1, Macedonia Church Road, died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998. A native of Madison County, he was a son of the late Samuel Lee and Leila Gaddis Watson. He was a retired poultry farmer and a school bus driver for the Madison County School System. He was a member of Bluestone Baptist Church where he was a former deacon. Funeral services will be at 4 p.m. today at Bluestone Baptist Church with the Revs. Ray Jenkins and David McDonald officiating. Burial will be in Danielsville Memorial Garden. The body will be placed in the church at 3:30 p.m. today. Survivors include his wife, Nell Booth Watson; three daughters, Peggy Sorrells and Elaine Sexton, both of Danielsville, and Martha Coile, Comer; five sisters, Ruth Phillips, Athens, Henrietta Kinney, Kannapolis, N.C., Montie Johnson, Cumming, Dossie Adams, Ila, and Blanche Fowler, Comer; a step-sister, Edna Ruth McClure, Easley, S.C.; a step-mother, Lily Watson, Easley, S.C.; and five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Michael Sorrells, Jason Sorrells, Kevin Sexton, Brian Ingram, Benjamin Scarborough and David Carey. The family is at the residence. Pruitte Funeral Home, Royston, is in charge of arrangements. Alexander Finch Columbus Alexander Finch, 71, formerly of Winder, died Thursday, Jan. 22, 1998. Eberhart & Son Mortuary, Winder, will announce arrangements. Leslie A. Hanson Athens Leslie A. Hanson of 145 Beverly Drive died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998. Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, East, will announce arrangements. Robert Johnson Jr. Union City Robert Charles Johnson Jr., 38, of 5153 High Point Drive died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998. Lord & Stephens Oglethorpe Chapel, Crawford, will announce arrangements. Shirley Meadows Hull Shirley Meadows of McCannon-Morris Road died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998. Jackson-McWhorter Funeral Home will announce arrangements. Imogene Starr Putman Tulsa, Okla. Imogene Starr Putman, 77, formerly of Royston, died Thursday, Jan. 22, 1998. The body is at Pruitte Funeral Home, Royston, where the family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Monday. Pruitte Funeral Home will announce arrangements. William Strange Winterville William "Bill" Strange of 1325 Springvalley Road died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998. Mack and Payne Funeral Home will announce arrangements. ______ ______________________________ Athens Daily News/Banner Herald Šopyright 1998 Athens Newspapers Inc.