Clarke Co. GA - Obits from the Athens Daily News/Banner-Herald 29 Aug 2000 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 Story last updated at 11:00 p.m. on Monday, August 28, 2000 Deborah A. Wilbanks Cornelia Deborah Alexander Wilbanks, 38, of 391 Heads Ferry Road died Saturday, Aug. 26, 2000. A native of Habersham County, Mrs. Wilbanks was a daughter of Ruth Dill Alexander, Mount Airy, and the late James Crawford Alexander. She was a 1979 graduate of Habersham Central High School and attended Brenau College. She was a member of Level Grove Baptist Church. Services were Monday at Level Grove Baptist Church with the Revs. Terry Rice and Billy Burrell officiating. Burial was in Yonah Memorial Gardens. Survivors, in addition to her mother, include her husband, Donald E. Wilbanks; two daughters, Kristen Wilbanks and Caitlin Wilbanks, both of Cornelia; a son, Travis Wilbanks, Cornelia; two sisters, Linda Bair, Rincon, and Elaine Ferguson, Mount Airy; and a brother, Kerry Alexander, Clarkesville. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to The American Cancer Society, c/o Scarlett Whelchel, 4050 Georgia Highway 115, Demorest, GA 30535. Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, Baldwin, had charge of arrangements. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 11:00 p.m. on Monday, August 28, 2000 Louise Catherine Ruark Bishop Louise Catherine Ruark, 85, of 1191 Ruark Lane died Monday, Aug. 28, 2000. A native of Morgan County, Mrs. Ruark was a daughter of the late William Franklin Peppers and Zillie Catherine Gilbert Peppers and was the widow of Wiley A. Ruark. She worked in the lunch room at Morgan County Middle School. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Gibbs Memorial Baptist Church with the Revs. Norman Waldrip, Terrel Burge and Brian Scott officiating. The body will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Bostwick City Cemetery. Survivors include three daughters, Nancy Peters, Rutledge, Patricia Burnett, Watkinsville, and Linda Schwamlein, Canon; a son, James Ruark, Mansfield; a sister, Nellie Richardson, Monroe; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. today at Simmons Funeral Home, Madison. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 11:00 p.m. on Monday, August 28, 2000 T.H. Henson Toccoa Thomas Hoyt ''T.H.'' Henson, 67, of 330 Northside Drive died Sunday, Aug. 27, 2000. A native of Franklin County, Mr. Henson was a son of the late Dwain Bush and Beulah LeCroy Henson. He was a U.S. Navy veteran having served in the Korean and Cuban crises. He was retired from Robertson Furniture Company and was later employed with Golden Pantry. He was a member and deacon of Northside Baptist Church. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Acree-Davis Funeral Home with the Revs. Truitt Brawner and Roger Elrod officiating. Burial will be in Toccoa City Cemetery with full military honors rendered by Toccoa VFW Post 4346. Survivors include his wife, Peggy Westmoreland Henson; a daughter, Margetta Key, Toccoa; a son, Steve Henson, Toccoa; two sisters, Ruth Owens, Nicholson, and Laverne Delrio, Snellville; two brothers, Harold Henson, Layton, Utah, and Walter Henson, Ellijay; a grandson; and nieces and nephews. The family will be at the residence and will receive friends from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 11:00 p.m. on Monday, August 28, 2000 Doris L. Jenkins Connell Athens Doris Louise Jenkins Connell, 76, died Saturday, Aug. 26, 2000. A native of Colquitt, Mrs. Connell was a daughter of Silas Jenkins and Pearl Virginia Beamon Jenkins. She was preceded in death by a son, James Gregory Connell. She graduated from Grady Hospital Cadet Nursing School, Atlanta, and was a retired registered nurse. She was of the Baptist faith. Services were Monday in Westview Cemetery with the Rev. Milton Gardner officiating. Survivors include a daughter, Patti Connell McWhorter, Athens; a sister, Opheila J. Blanton, Moultrie; and three grandchildren. Harrell-Fairclotch Funeral Home, Moultrie, had charge of arrangements. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 11:00 p.m. on Monday, August 28, 2000 Ray Everett Gailey Jonesboro Ray Everett Gailey, 62, died Monday, Aug. 28, 2000. Mr. Gailey was a son of Eleanor Gailey, Alto. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Pope Dickson and Son Jonesboro Chapel and at 2 p.m. at B.C. Grant Baptist Church, Cornelia, with the Rev. Clyde Garrison officiating. The body will be placed in the church at noon. Burial will be in Yonah Memorial Gardens, Cornelia. Survivors, in addition to his mother, include his wife, Ruby Gailey; two sons, Rodney Gailey, Enterprise, Ala., and Ricky Gailey, Jonesboro; a brother, Mitchell Gailey, Baldwin; and five grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. today at Pope Dickson and Son Jonesboro Chapel. McGahee-Griffin and Stewart Funeral Home, Cornelia, has charge of local arrangements. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 10:39 p.m. on Monday, August 28, 2000 Albert Bert (A.B.) Griffeth Watkinsville Albert Bert (A.B.) Griffeth, age 81 of Watkinsville, passed away on Sunday, August 27, 2000 after a prolonged battle with heart disease. A native and life-long resident of the Athens area, A.B. founded the paint-contracting firm of A.B. Griffeth and Sons in 1945, which is still in operation today and is headed by sons James and Wayman. He also owned and maintained several apartment complexes in Athens, which are currently managed by daughter Doris Cleghorn. After his retirement from the painting business in 1983, A.B. returned to his true passion and opened a fruit stand on his Prince Avenue property next to McDonalds. He especially enjoyed selling watermelons during the summer months and baskets of mixed fruit during the Christmas season where he could often be seen, accompanied by his grandson Michael Griffeth, driving his ''fruit truck'' and pulling a trailer of the current season's finest produce. A.B. is preceded in death by his parents, Albertus Griffeth and Ruth Centers Griffeth; his first wife, Ruth Griffeth; and a brother, Frank Griffeth all of Athens; a daughter, Betty Williams of Winder; and a stepson, Jimmy Baxter of Crawford. A.B. is survived by his wife of 28 years, Frances Waddell Griffeth and Michael Griffeth, a grandson raised in their home, both of Watkinsville; a sister, Sarah Martin; son, James Griffeth; daughter, Doris Cleghorn; son, Wayman Griffeth; and daughter Pat Powell, all of Athens; stepdaughter, Shirley Dyer of Arnoldsville; son, Dennis Griffeth of Jefferson; 14 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren as well as numerous nieces, nephews and other loving family members and friends. The family will receive visitors at Bernstein Funeral Home in Athens today, August 29 from 7:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. Services will be held at Bethebara Baptist Church in Statham on Wednesday, August 30 at 11:00 A.M. and will be officiated by the Reverend Russell Burt, grandson of the deceased, and by the Reverend Frank Johnson of Bethebara Baptist Church. Internment will be at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Athens directly following the church service. Pallbearers include grandsons Rusty Williams, Pete Martin, Alex Powell and Andrew Griffeth; nephew Doug Martin; and Mack Martin. Honorary pallbearers include members of A.B.'s Sunday school class at Bethebara Baptist Church. For those desiring to do so, contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 1353 Jennings Mill Road, Ste. A, Bogart, GA 30622 or to Bethebara Baptist Church, Monroe Highway, Statham, GA 30666. Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. See www.legacy.com. Athens Daily News/Banner-Herald , Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 10:39 p.m. on Monday, August 28, 2000 Herschel Wellington Smith II Lithonia Herschel Wellington Smith II, 70, died Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2000. Mr. Smith was born in Milledgeville, Ga., on September 2, 1929, to Herschel and Sarah Smith. He graduated from Monroe High School in Albany, Ga., in 1946 and Albany State University in 1952. He married Ms. Elizabeth B. Scott of Athens in 1952 and they became the parents of four children. He attended graduate classes at Boston University in Boston, Mass. Mr. Smith taught in the elementary, middle and high schools of Tallapoosa, Watley, and Albany, Ga. He also served in the United States Armed Forces from 1952 to 1954. Funeral services were Monday at Carl Williams Memorial Funeral Home, Atlanta. Internment was in East Lawn Memorial Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth B. Scott Smith of Athens, Ga.; two sons, Herschel W. Smith III, MD of Roswell, Ga., Michael A. Smith of Jonesboro, Ga.; a daughter, Michelle H. Smith of Athens, Ga.; two sisters, Eve Ann Harden and Lucia Brown, both of Lithonia, Ga.; five grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Lyndon F. Smith of Athens. Announcement courtesy of Winfrey's Mutual Funeral Home, Athens. Athens Daily News/Banner-Herald , Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc.