Clarke Co. GA - Obits from the Athens Daily News/Banner-Herald 22 May 1999 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/ *********************************************************************** Saturday, 22-May-99 09:53:05 Linda M. Alexander Macon Linda May Alexander, of 5325 Houston Road, died Wednesday, May 19, 1999. A native of Lima, Ohio, Mrs. Alexander was a daughter of the late Homer G. May and Margie Cooper May. She received her bachelor's degree in Christian Education from Toccoa Falls Bible College. She was a retired elementary school teacher at Cross Keys Christian Academy, Macon. She taught Release Time Bible in Indianapolis, Ind., and in Chattanooga, Tenn. She was a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church. Services will be at 11 a.m. today at Bridges Funeral Home, Gray, with the Rev. Don Van Hoozier officiating. Burial will be private. Survivors include her husband, Donald W. Alexander; and four brothers, Daniel May, Athens, Russell May, Robert May and David May, all of Lima, Ohio. The family is at the residence. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Campus Crusade for Christ, 100 Lake Hart Drive, Orlando, FL 32832. Billy Cooper Athens Willis A. "Billy" Cooper, 79, of 145 Whit Davis Road, died Thursday, May 20, 1999. A native of Greene County, Mr. Cooper was a son of the late Willis A. "Phoney" and Della Davis and was the widower of Edith Johnson. He was owner and operator of Coopers Drive-in and Coopers Package Inc. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and was a member of Tuckston United Methodist Church. Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Tuckston United Methodist Church with the Rev. Doug Thrasher officiating. Burial will be in Athens Memory Gardens. Survivors include a son, Ronnie Cooper, Athens; a sister, Carolyn Thurmond, Athens; a grandson, Clint Cooper, Athens; nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. today at Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, East. Ruth T. Cruz Dallas, N.C. Ruth Taylor Cruz, 75, of 1001 Apt. 1, Captains Quarter Drive, died May 19, 1999. Mrs. Cruz was a daughter of the late Robert F. and Clara Lowell Jordan Taylor and was the widow of Louis Cruz Jr. She was a retired civil service employee having served in the U.S. Army for seven years as a personnel specialist. She was a graduate of Dallas High School, class of 1942, and was a member of First United Methodist Church. Services will be at 11 a.m. today at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Joe Law officiating. Burial will be in Long Creek Memorial Baptist Church cemetery. Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Louis "Tony" A. and Elizabeth S. Cruz, Athens; a brother and sister-in-law, Harold R. and Ruth T. Taylor, Dallas; and three grandchildren, Lauren Cruz, Sarah Jane Cruz and Andrew Cruz. The family will be at the residence of the brother, 312 S. College St., Dallas. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 301 W. Main St., Dallas, NC 28034. Elizabeth Diggs Toccoa Elizabeth Jones Diggs, 88, of 118 Oak Creek Circle, died Friday, May 21, 1999. A native of Fluvana County, Va., Mrs. Diggs was a daughter of the late James and Minnie Pace Jones and was the widow of Matthew L. Diggs. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Louise Matheny. She was retired from the Virginia Public School System and was a member of Waynesboro First Baptist Church. Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Waynesboro Chapel of the Reynolds Funeral Service, Waynesboro, Va., with the Rev. Bill Wilson officiating. Burial will be in Augusta Memorial Park. Survivors include a daughter, Marjorie Bowen, Toccoa; a son, Charles Diggs, Hoover, Ala.; a sister, Fannie Cameron, Louisa, Va.; 14 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 7-8 p.m. today at Reynolds Funeral Service. Acree-Davis Funeral Home, Toccoa, is in charge of local arrangements. Virginia L. Doster Athens Virginia Lucille Doster, 84, died Friday, May 21, 1999. A lifetime resident of Clarke County, Ms. Doster was a daughter of the late Garnett A. and Bertha Lucille Sims Doster. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Garnett Curtis Doster and Robert Louis Doster. She was a retired secretary for UGA Dairy Science Department after 40 years of service. She taught Sunday school in the primary department at First Christian Church for 30 years. She was a loving and caring sister and aunt to 14 nieces and nephews, 35 great-nieces and nephews and 31 great-great-nieces and nephews. Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Bernstein Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray Austin officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park. Survivors include two sisters, Olivia McLeroy, Lithonia, and Annie Jean Smith, Athens. Pallbearers will be Marvin Doster, Bob Doster, J. Lester McLeroy Jr., John Dry, John Segars and Jim Anderson. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to First Christian Church, 268 W. Dougherty St., Athens, GA 30601. Inez Edwards Winterville Inez Spratlin Edwards, 96, died Friday, May 21, 1999. A native of Oglethorpe County, Mrs. Edwards was a daughter of the late Abner and Jettie Whitehead Spratlin. She lived in this area all of her life and was a member of Winterville First Baptist Church, where she was active in numerous activities. During the 1930s, she was the operator of the Winterville Telephone Exchange and later provided boarding services for schoolteachers of the Winterville School System. From 1950 through 1975 she was owner and operator of Edwards' Grocery in Winterville. Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Winterville First Baptist Church with the Rev. Rick Standard officiating. Burial will be in Winterville Cemetery. Survivors include a son, Wayne Edwards, Athens; a sister, Lila Slay, Winterville; two grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two nieces and four nephews. The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. today at Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, East. Gloria R. Foote Athens Gloria Rene Foote, 42, of 265 Lee Ann Drive, died Wednesday, May 19, 1999. Mrs. Foote was a daughter of Sarah Nell Hunter and Obediah Foote and was the stepdaughter of James El Hunter. She was a dietary aide and was a member of Colbert Grove Baptist Church. She was a 1976 graduate of Cedar Shoals High School. Services will be at 11 a.m. today at Colbert Grove Baptist Church, Colbert, with the Revs. Dorothy Craft, Leroy Anderson and Rufus Addison officiating. The body will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Survivors, in addition to her parents, include a son, Jaikolo Avarasa Sabrio Foote; three sisters, Kathy Wright, Sharon Hunter and Sandra Hunter; four brothers, Patrick Foote, Jeff Foote, Stephen Hunter and Kenneth Hunter; her grandmother, Fannie Foote; a grandchild; nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be cousins. Flower-bearers will be employees of Athens Regional Medical Center cafeteria. The family is at the residence. Mack & Payne Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Mary L. Harris Athens Mary L. Harris, 57, of 350 Martin Circle died Wednesday, May 19, 1999. Mrs. Harris was a daughter of Lizzie B. Harris, Athens, and the late Caleb Harris Sr. She was a poultry worker and was a member of Oak Hill Baptist Church at an early age and later was a member of Springfield Baptist Church and Mount Olive Seventh Adventist Church. Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Mount Olive Seventh Day Adventist Church with the Rev. Roderick Elzy and Elders Samuel Jallah and J.B. Linston. The body will be placed in the church at 2 p.m. Burial will be in East Lawn Memorial Cemetery. Survivors, in addition to her mother, include a daughter, Judy Harris, Athens; a son, Calvin Harris, Athens; three sisters, Lola Mae Bradford, Leatha Jones and Elizabeth Yearby, all of Athens; five brothers, Caleb Harris Jr., Thomas Harris, Clinton Harris, Charles Harris and Nelson Harris, all of Athens; a half-sister, Annie Nash, Athens; three grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be nephews and friends. Flower-bearers will be nieces and friends. Mack & Payne Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Fannie B. Mitchell Athens Fannie B. Mitchell, 103, of 140 W. Carver Drive died Wednesday, May 19, 1999. Mrs. Mitchell was the widow of Herbert Mitchell Sr. She was preceded in death by six of her children. She was a homemaker. Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Oconee Baptist Church, Stephens, with the Revs. Hoyt Smith, Nathaniel Mitchell, Tommy Mitchell and Joseph Dalton officiating. The body will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Survivors include three daughters, Ada Moses, Lexington, Frances Mitchell, Athens, and Emily Dalton, Atlanta; four sons, Herbert Mitchell, Sheppard Mitchell and Ed Mitchell, all of Athens, and Craig Mitchell, Atlanta; a sister, Carrie Wolff, New York; a brother, Reese Bell, New York; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; great-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be grandsons. Flower-bearers will be granddaughters. The family is at the residence. Mack & Payne Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Eleanor Purcell Carnesville Eleanor Evelyn McMurry Barber Purcell, of 16404 Georgia Highway 59, died Thursday, May 20, 1999. A native of Franklin County, Mrs. Purcell was a daughter of the late Clarence and Ethel Hubbard McMurry and was the widow of Lonnie Barber. She was retired from the Milliken Plant, Avalon, after 13 years and was a member of the Temple Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas. Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Ginn Funeral Home with the Revs. Ralph Gaddy and William Ward officiating. Burial will be in Cross Roads Baptist Church Cemetery. Survivors include two daughters, Debra Jackson, Tignall, and Sherry Smith, Elberton; a son, Tommy Barber, Spokane, Wash.; a stepson, Lonnie Barber, Fort Worth, Texas; two sisters, Leila Mae Sanders, Darlington, S.C., and Mildred Ward, Carnesville; two brothers, Donald McMurry, Marietta, and Lynn McMurry, Dayton, Ohio; nine grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren. The family is at the residence and will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Marion S. Sherk Lavonia Marion Stone Sherk, 97, formerly of 343 Rocky Ford Road, died Thursday, May 20, 1999. A native of LaPear, Mich., Mrs. Sherk was a daughter of the late Charles and Margaret Elizabeth Brooks Stone and was the widow of Edward L. Sherk. She was a retired educator, having begun her teaching career in Dearborn, Mich. She was active in the Lavonia Friends of the Library and was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Mich. Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Hamby Funeral Home with the Rev. Richard Barber officiating. Following the services the body will be cremated. Burial will be held at a later date in Michigan. Survivors include a daughter, Carolyn A. Foster, Lavonia; six grandchildren including Michael Jewell, Mich.; 12 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home. George L. Walker Greensboro George Luther Walker, 66, of 2310 Swords Road, died Thursday, May 20, 1999. A native of Hawkins County, Tenn., Mr. Walker was a son of the late Edison Walker and Fannie Wilhoit Walker. He was owner and operator of Walker Beef and Poultry Farm and was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was a member of the Poultry Federation, the Farm Bureau and Swords Methodist Church. Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Swords Methodist Church with the Revs. Ann Fletcher and Thomas Dial officiating. Burial will be in Greenview Cemetery. Survivors include his wife, Gladys Carnes Walker, Greensboro; a daughter, Deborah Walker, Atlanta; a son, Larry Walker, Cumming; four brothers, Elmer Walker, Madison, Edward Walker, Doraville, Billy Walker, Greenville, Tenn., and Henry Walker, Suwannee; and two grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Howard Hadden, Joe Alexander, Ray Buice, Josh Wheat, Leroy Bird and Ray Hinkle. Honorary pallbearers will be Tom Stern, Charlie Burkhalter, Junior Mullernex, W.H. "Penny" Goss, J.F. Goss, Clarence Poole, Jimmy Ray Breedlove, Danny Hurst, James Smelcear and Sterling Fuller. The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. today at McCommons Funeral Home. Obituary notices are published as a public service. However, we reserve the right to edit funeral notices for content and length. Notices that include information not normally published have been paid for by the family or the funeral home. online athensAthens Daily News/Banner Herald Šopyright 1998 Athens Newspapers Inc.