Tift County GaArchives Obituaries.....Gleaton, Betty Jean Andrews Goes December 8, 2007
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Shirley McMillan Durden http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006039 July 24, 2014, 7:15 pm

Tifton Gazette - December 13, 2007
 Betty Jean Andrews Goes Gleaton, 82, of Tifton, died Saturday, December 8, 
2007 at her residence.
 Born April 21, 1915 in Batesville, Ark,. to the late Marvin Melvin Andrews and 
Allie Barnett Andrews, Mrs. Gleaton was also preceded in death by her first 
husband, Andrew Robert Goes, her second husband, James Petty Gleaton and two 
brothers, Marvin Andrews and William Andrews..
 Mrs. Gleaton moved to Tifton from Greenville, ILL in 1964. She was the former 
CEO of Plant Telephone and was the President of Telcom Group. She was a member 
of First Baptist Church of Tifton.
 In 1971, Mrs. Gleaton met and married James P. (Jimmy) Gleaton. It was then 
that she began to step away from her job at the Department of Labor and take on 
more responsibility with Mr. Gleaton on Plant Telephone and Power Company. From 
1971 to 1978 when Mr. Gleaton died, she worked tirelessly at Plant Telephone. 
As Mr. Gleaton's health declined, he shifted more and more responsibility to 
her. After his death she took over the operation of the local exchange 
telephone  company. At that time there were only a handful of women operating 
telephone companies in the country. With the many changes in the 
telecommunications industry, she saw opportunities along the way. Plant 
Telecommunication Sales and services was formed to offer equipment and services 
in South Georgia. In 1990 she was instrumental in contributing to the structure 
of the cellular phone industry in the state of Georgia. Through her efforts, 
the Georgia Telephone Association had the only state trade association had the 
only state trade association plan to gain Federal Communication Commission 
approval when, as President of the Georgia Telephone Association, she "walked 
the plan" through the FCC. At her direction, Plant Cellular created a 
partnership with Alltel Mobile, Inc. to provide cellular service in 16 counties 
in South Georgia. In 1996 Plant Telephone spun off its landline holding and 
renamed the parent company, Telecom Group, In.
 Over her lifetime, Mrs. Gleaton was a member and served on various committee 
for USTA (United States Telephone Association) OPASTCO (Organization for the 
Protection and Advancement of Small Telephone Companies) and GTA (Georgia 
Telephone Association), where she served on the board of directors, served a 
term as president, as well as serving on the GTA Credit Union Board for 12 
years.
 Mrs. Gleaton is survived by three daughters, Debbie Hardegree and Bobbie Goes, 
both of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL and Karen Goes of Tifton; three grandchildren, 
Lindsey Hardegree, Andrew Cown and David Hardegree, III, all of Ponte Vedra 
Beach, FL; and an extended family member Emma Jean Moss of Tifton.
 A celebration of Mrs. Gleaton's life was held 2 p.m. Thursday, December 13, 
2007 in the chapel of First Baptist Church, Tifton, with Dr. W. Ches Smith, III 
and Dr. W. Wayne Roe officiating. Private interment rites were held at Oakridge 
Cemetery.
Albritton-Beaumont Funeral Directors were in charge of the arrangements.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/tift/obits/g/gleaton4012nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/gafiles/

File size: 3.6 Kb