RALPH JAMES HOLBROOKS
August 24, 1922 - March 26, 2001

Ralph James Holbrooks, 78, of Shiloh, died March 26 at Upson Regional Medical Center in Thomaston. Funeral Services were conducted at the Chapel of Cox Funeral Home in Manchester March 29 with Reverend Drew Stephens of Shiloh Baptist Church in Thomaston officiating.

Burial was at Meriwether Memory Gardens with Terry Moss, Woody Woods, Gene Davis, and Jim Clayborn serving as pallbearers.

Mr. Holbrooks was born August 24, 1922 in Toccoa, son of the late Geneva Brown Holbrooks and the late Arthur Holbrooks. He was retired from General Motors and was a World War II Navy veteran.

Survivors include two daughters, Deborah R. Postell of Shiloh and Geeorgene H. Cawthorn of Westminister, South Carolina; one son, Donald Wayne Holbrooks of Westminister, South Carolina; four brothers, Hal Holbrooks and Lawrence Holbrooks, both of Westminister, Tom Holbrooks of Pendleton, South Carolina, and Linberg Holbrooks of Social Circle; one sister, Frances H. Sciflet of Anderson, South Carolina; three grandchildren, Browning Postell of Shiloh, and Danielle and Lucas Cawthorn of Westminister.

SEARCH NAMES: HOLBROOKS, STEPHENS, MOSS, WOODS, DAVIS, CLAYBORN, BROWN, POSTELL, CAWTHORN, SCIFLET

WENDELL HUFF
February 16, 2001

Wendell Huff, 65, of Gamaliel, Kentucky, died February 16 at the Monroe County Medical Center. Funeral services were held February 19 at the Lick Branch Cumberland Presbyterian Church with burial in the Lick Branch Cemetery.

Mr. Huff was a son of the late Sylvester and Hallie Harper Huff and was a member and deacon of the Cornerstone Church. He was an employee of Stitches, Inc. of Gamaliel, and was manager of the Dollar General Store in Manchester from February 1968 until March 1975.

Survivors include his wife, Ruby Cook Huff; a daughter, Loretta Wise and her husband Steve of Glasgow, Kentucky; a son, Jaydean Huff and his wife Deloris of Gamaliel, Kentucky; three grandchildren, Shawn and Luke Wise and David Huff; three sisters, Marie Pedigo of Summer Shade, Kentucky and Joyce Harrison and Gail Capps, both of Glasgow, Kentucky; and two brothers, Joe Huff of Edmonton, Kentucky and Junior Huff of Summer Shade. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Fern Bunch, and a brother, Cecil Huff.

McMurtrey Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: HUFF, HARPER, COOK, WISE, PEDIGO, HARRISON, CAPPS, BUNCH

MRS. LUELLA CHRISTINA ACHESON
July 19, 1922 - April 8, 2001

Mrs. Luella Christina Acheson, 78, of Woodbury, died April 8 at her residence. Funeral services were held April 10 at Smith-Steele-Meadows Funeral Home Chapel in Woodbury with burial in the Greenville City Cemetery. Officiating was Reverend Ruth Willingham, assisted by Reverend Ted Willingham and Reverend Eugene Wiseman.

Mrs. Acheson was born July 19, 1922 in Hutchinson, Kansas. She received her nursing degree from the Samaritan Hospital in Nampa, Idaho, and after graduation was employed at the Mary Secor Hospital in Emmett, Idaho. She was a member of the Emmett Church of the Nazarene where shere met Reverend Margo Acheson and they were united in holy wedlock on July 13, 1947. For the next 31 years, they pastored together at churches in McCall and Boise, Idaho. After retiring from nursing and pastoring they moved to Georgia to be near their children and grandchildren. Recently they have been residing in Woodbury.

Survivors include her husband, Margo Acheson; a son, Mrago "AJ" Acheson, Jr., and wife Patti of Woodbury; three granddaughters, Kimberly (Acheson) Wilmoth, Krisit Acheson and Karalee (Rogers) Goodrich; grandsons, Raymond and Daryl Rogers; and great granddaughter Kayla Anne Acheson; sisters, Viola (Unruh) Owens, Winnifred (Unruh) George, and Grace (Unruh) Wallace. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Ramon and Melvin Unruh, and daughter, Lois Kay (Acheson) Rogers.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Mrs. Acheson to Harmony Church of the Nazarene, P. O. Box 371, Warm Springs, GA 31830.

Smith-Steel-Meadows Funeral Home of Woodbury was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: ACHESON, WILLINGHAM, WISEMAN, WILMOTH, GOODRICH, ROGERS, UNRUH, OWENS, GEORGE, WALLACE

MRS. DAISY NEAL SERLS
February 20, 1932 - March 28, 2001

Mrs. Daisy Neal Serls, 69, died March 28, 2001 at St. Francis Hospital in Columbus. Funeral services were held March 31 from Friendship Baptist Church with Reverend R. T. Stevenson officiating. Interment was in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Serls was born February 20, 1932 in Woodland, daughter of the late Warren and Hattie Neal, Sr., She was educated in Talbot County at Woodland High School and graduated with honors in 1950 as Salutatorian of the class. She joined the Friendship Baptist Church at an early age, served on the Usher Board as Treasurer, the report for sick and shut-ins, and for a number of years as financial secretary. She and J. D. Serls were joined in Holy Matrimony in June 1954.

Survivors include two daughters, Jacquelyn Williams, and Myra (Baby Ray) Williams, both of Woodland; two grandsons, Brian and Travis Williams; three godchildren, Jeffery, Tomika and Michael Pye; one brother, Warren Neal, Jr., of Haines City, Florida; three sisters, Evelyn Evans of Haines City, Florida, Marie Reeves of Woodland, and Annie M. Neal of Los Angeles, California; four sisters-in-law, Mildred Neal of Woodland, Mary Glovers of Union Springs, Alabama, Martha Fields of Columbus, and Georgia M. Neal of Jackson, Mississippi; one brother-in-law, Bennie Serls; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends; very devoted friends Irene Hardnett and Rubye Hardnett. Three sisters and four brothers preceded her in death.

Anderson & Marshall Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: SERLS, STEVENSON, NEAL, WILLIAMS, PYE, EVANS, REEVES, GLOVERS, FIELDS, HARDNETT

JAMES LEWIS BROWNING, SR.
November 21, 1921 - April 4, 2001

James Lewis Browning, Sr., 79, of Fayetteville, died April 4. Graveside services were held at Camp Memorial Park Cemetery April 6 with Reverend Paul Carrier officiating.

Mr. Browning was born November 21, 1921 to Ella McDaniel Browning And Lewis Mallard Browning in Augusta. He moved to West End in Atlanta at an early age and attended Brown High School. He was the founder and owner of Browning Company until it was sold to J. M. Tull Company in 1969. He was a Mason and a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia Holloway Browning; son and daughter-in-law, Jimmy and Claudia Browning; granddaughters, Michelle and Stephen Walker and Jenny Browning of Fayetteville; brother-in-law, Raymond C. Holloway of Manchester.

Carl J. Mowell & Son Funeral Home of Fayetteville was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: BROWNING, CARRIER, MALLARD, HOLLOWAY, WALKER

PRESTON ETHERIDGE
June 29, 1921 - April 5, 2001

William Preston Etheridge, 79, of Greenville, died Thursday, April 5 at his home. A memorial service was conducted April 7 in the Chapel of the Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home in Hogansville. The Reverend Jonathan Porter officiated and private interment was in the Greenville Cemetery.

Mr. Etheridge was born June 29, 1921 in Brantley, Alabama, son of the late Daniel and Bessie Davis Etheridge. He had lived in Greenville for many years and was a retired truck driver. He was a Methodist and was an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Margie Stitcher Etheridge of Greenville; one sister, Mrs. Frances E. Smith of Manchester; and nieces and nephews.

A Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home of Hogansville was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: ETHERIDGE, PORTER, DAVIS, STITCHER, SMITH

SAM WILLIAMS
March 25, 1918 - March 29, 2001

Sam (Chin) Williams, 83, died March 29 in Miami, Florida. Funeral services were conducted April 6 from New Hope Baptist Church in Manchester with Reverend Wallace Steed officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery.

Mr. Williams was born March 25, 1918 in Warm Springs, son of the late Sam and Mandy Williams. He was employed at Roosevelt Institute in Warm Springs for a number of years and later moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee where he was employed at the Roadhouse Hotel for 20 years. He later moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan where he retired from Wayne Company and was a member of St. John Baptist Church of Ypsilanti.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Julia Williams; five daughters, Janina Williams and Peggy Steed, both of Ypsilanti, Michigan, Mary Nell Cooks of Chicago, Illinois, Betty (Railey) Stanford of College Park and Larita Hayes of Minneapolis, Minnesota; two sons, Willie Clarence (Sandra) of Decatur, and Larry Wolfork (Dorothy) of Ypsilanti; and a niece that he raised like a daughter, Ms. Jannie Houston of Manchester; a brother-in-law, Claude (Dorothy) Brown of Leslie, West Virginia; a grandson Kendred Hubbs; a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by four sisters, one brother, and a son, Tommy.

Anderson & Marshall Funeral Home of Manchester was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: WILLIAMS, STEED, COOKS, STANFORD, HAYES, HOUSTON, BROWN, HUBBS

STEPHEN THOMAS RAYBURN
May 8, 1963 - April 8, 2001

Stephen Thomas Rayburn, 37, of Roswell, died April 8 in Fulton County. Funeral services were held from the First United Methosdist Church April 11 with the Reverend Greg Porterfield officiating. Interment followed in the Crown Hill Cemetery in Albany.

Mr. Rayburn was born May 8, 1963 in Atlanta, the son of Gordy "Ike" and Sybil McRae Rayburn. He made his home in the Atlanta area for the last 12 years, having been in the first graduating class of the Atlanta Culinary School and was a professional chef.

Survivors, other than his parents, are a sister and brother-in-law, Michele and Tony Harris of LaGrange; maternal grandmother, Mrs. Gladys McRae of LaGrange; step grandmother, Mrs. Mildred Rayburn of Lake City, Florida. He was preceded in death by his brother, Phillip Edward Rayburn.

Striffler-Hamby Mortuary of LaGrange was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: RAYBURN, PORTERFIELD, MCRAE, HARRIS

FRANK DURWARD FORD, SR.
October 27, 1914 - April 10, 2001

Frank Durward Ford, Sr., 86, of Camp Hill, Alabama, formerly of Thomaston, died April 10 at his home. Funeral services were held April 13 at the Pasley-Fletcher Chapel in Thomaston with Reverend Greg Gregory officiating. Burial was in South View Cemetery in Thomaston.

Mr. Ford was born October 27, 1914 in Crawford County, son of [----------copy missing from obit----------] was a Naval veteran of World War II.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Helen Ford of Camp Hill, Alabama, and Mrs. Carol Estes of Molena; two sons, Charles E. Ford of Montecello, and Frank D. Ford, Jr. of Camp Hill, Alabama; two sisters, Mrs. Evelyn Waldron of Tampa, Florida and Mrs. Rebecca Paladino of West Palm Beach, Florida; one brother, John G. Ford of Sacramento, California; 12 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren.

Pasley-Fletcher Funeral Home of Thomaston was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: FORD, GREGORY, ESTES, WALDRON, PALADINO

MRS. FAYE HALL WALLS
April 12, 2001

Mrs. Faye Hall Walls, 49, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, died April 12 at her residence. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, April 21 at Evans Chapel United Methodist Church in Woodland.

A native of Manchester, where she had lived most of her life, Mrs. Walls had lived in Vicksburg for the past years. She had been employed by the Rainbow Casino and Cracker Barrell Restaurant and was a Baptist.

Survivors include her mother, Audry Hall of Warm Springs; husband, Edgar Walls of Vicksburg; daughter, Angela Jackson of Phenix City, Alabama; grandchildren, Taelor Sanford and Tyler Jackson, both of Phenix City; brothers, Jimmy Hall of Manchester, and Larry Hall of Pine Mountain; sisters, Diane Ponder and Carol Conner, both of Manchester; Billie Frost of Columbus and Frances Oliver of Pine Mountain; several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, James Reginald Hall and a sister, Linda Kendrick.

Fisher-Riles Funeral Home of Vicksburg is in charge. Local arrangements will be handled by Smith-Steele-Meadows Funeral Home of Manchester.

SEARCH NAMES: WALLS, HALL, JACKSON, SANFORD, PONDER, CONNER, FROST, OLIVER, KENDRICK

MRS. ANNIE LEE JOHNSON
September 17, 1910 - April 15, 2001

Mrs. Annie Lee Johnson, 90, of Manchester, died April 15 at Lynn Haven Nursing Home in Gray. Graveside services will be held April 18 at Manchester City Cemetery with Reverend Tommy Harrison, her former pastor, officiating.

Mrs. Johnson was born September 17, 1910 in Coweta County, daughter of the late Sudie Boggs Entrekin and the late T. C. Entrekin. She was a retired inspector for Callaway Mills, and was a member of Northside Baptist Church.

Survivors include one daughter, Carol Collins of Gray; three sisters, Mildred Gordy of Prattville, Alabama, Maxine Estes of Moreland, and Laverne Warren of Manchester; one brother, Henry L. Entrekin of Covington; three grandchildren, Jeff Collins of Macon, Jennifer Tribble of Gray and Cpl. Amber Collins of Albany; five great grandchildren, Monica Collins, Jeffery Collins, Ansley Collins, Christian Collins, and Trenton Tribble. She was predeceased by her husband, William S. Johnson.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

[-------copy missing from paper --------]

SEARCH NAMES: JOHNSON, HARRISON, BOGGS, ENTREKIN, COLLINS, GORDY, ESTES, WARREN, TRIBBLE

HOMER G. IRVIN, JR.
July 8, 1922 - April 16, 2001

Homer G. Irvin, Jr., 78, of Warm Springs (Durand) died April 16 at St. Francis Hospital. Funeral services were held April 18 at the graveside at Trinity United Methodist Church Cemetery, with Reverend Mickey Grubb officiating.

Mr. Irvin was born July 8, 1922 in Harris County, son of the late Annie Mae Irvin and the late Homer G. Irvin, Sr. He was a retired CPO in the US Navy, retired Civil Service, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was a Baptist by faith and attended Trinity United Methodist Church in Durand.

Survivors include his wife, Emma Roberts Irvin of Durand; family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Cemetery Fund at Trinity United Methodist Church, Durand.

Cox Funeral Home of Manchester was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: IRVIN, GRUBB, ROBERTS

MRS. LILLIE MAE CHAPMAN
October 6, 1911 - April 17, 2001

Mrs. Lillie Mae Chapman, 89, of Scenic Heights in Manchester, passed away Tuesday, April 17 at Georgia Baptist Meriwether Nursing Home in Warm Springs following and extended illness.

Mrs. Chapman was born October 5, 1911 in Carroll County, a daughter of the late Homer and Violia Hendrix Allen. She had lived here most of her life, was a member of Sardis Methodist Church and was the widow of Albert B. Chapman.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 21 from the Chapel of Cox Funeral Home in Manchester with the Reverend C. R. Hicks officiating. Burial was in Sardis Methodist Church Cemetery with Ted Williams, Larry Williams, Mike Brown, Billy Webb, Danny Hill, Jimmy Spencer and Tim Clark serving as pallbearers.

"Miss Mae" as she was affectionately called by her friends and neighbors, was the first fifty year retiree from Callaway Mills (Milliken). She told a fib about her age, she said in a 1981 Star-Mercury interview, and went to work at age 12. "You were supposed to be 13," she said. She worked in the mill for five years until her children were born, and then worked continuously from 1931 - 1981.

Mrs. Chapman said in the interview that she remembered Fuller E. Callaway, Sr., the founder of the mill. "He used to visit here, riding around on a big, red horse. He was really a fatherly type, never missed stopping and talking to us on his horse."

The first paycheck Miss Mae drew at the mill was for $5.95 for 60 hours work. When she retired, she had worked herself up to an instructor in the spinning and weaving deparment.

After retirement, Mrs. Chapman was able to do some fishing, more church work, spent more time with the family and spent more time visiting older people.

She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Christine Chapman Hill of Lilburn and Mrs. Thelma Chapman Williams of Louisville, Kentucky; 12 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren; and 13 great-great grandchildren.

SEARCH NAMES: CHAPMAN, HENDRIX, ALLEN, HICKS, WILLIAMS, BROWN, WEBB, HILL, SPENCER, CLARK, CALLAWAY, HILL

FLORRIE LANELL BROOKS
November 13, 1912 - February 13, 2001

Mrs. Florrie Lanell Brooks, 88, of Manchester, died February 13 at Georgia Baptist Meriwether Hospital in Warm Springs. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 28 at the Manchester First Baptist Church Chapel with Reverend Craig Williamson officiating.

Mrs. Brooks was born November 13, 1912 in Walton County, a daughter of Ansel Melton and Hattie Kidd Melton. She was a homemaker and a member of Manchester First Baptist Church.

She was survived by a son, John Brooks of Davie, Florida; and a son, Charles Brooks of Tucker, who passed away two weeks following his mother’s death; a sister, Thelma Sexton of Rockdale, Texas; two grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Sanders Brooks.

Smith-Steele-Meadows Funeral Home of Manchester was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: BROOKS, WILLIAMSON, MELTON, KIDD, SEXTON

AMOS LAMAR DEEN
April 16, 2001

Amos Lamar Deen, 87, died April 16 at Carl Vincent Affairs Medical Center in Dublin. Funeral services were conducted April 18 in the chapel of Swain Funeral Home and burial was at Satilla Baptist Church Cemetery at Baxley. Serving as pallbearers were his grandsons and nephews.

The native of Baxley lived in Manchester the past 30 years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Manchester and an Army veteran of World War II. He retired from Pipefitters Local No. 177.

Survivors include his wife, Hilda K. Deen of Manchester; four daughters, Judy McGowan of Dublin, Nancy Wolfinger of Millen, Martha Daniel of Woodland and Betty Davis of Dahlonega; a son, William Lamar Deen of Peachtree City; two sisters Adele Bryan of St. Simons Island and Mildred Hamm of Brunswick; 13 grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

SEARCH NAMES: DEEN, MCGOWAN, WOLFINGER, DANIEL, DAVIS, BRYAN, HAMM

MRS. THELMA CHRISTINE MANN
September 29, 1919 - April 16, 2001

Mrs. Thelma Christine Mann, 81, of Shiloh, died April 16 at Hamilton House Nursing Home in Columbus. Funeral services were conducted at Old Shiloh Baptist Church April 19 with Reverend Russell Thornton, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Hamilton, officiating. Burial followed in church cemetery.

Mrs. Mann was born September 29, 1919 in Harris County, daughter of the late Luther M. and Minnie Gilson Duke. She was a retired sandwich shop operator in Shiloh, member of Ebenezer Baptist Church and was the widow of William Weaver and Tommie Lewis Mann.

Survivors include two sisters, Mattie Milner of Columbus, Alleen Evans of Hamilton; four grandchildren, Kevin (Tina) Phillips of Marion County, Karen (Ray) Mathis of Cataula, Christie (Steve) Armstrong of Columbus, and Lisa (Larry) Little of Columbus; 11 great grandchildren; a number of nieces and nephews.

Cox Funeral Home of Hamilton was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: MANN, THORNTON, GILSON, DUKE, WEAVER, MILNER, EVANS, PHILLIPS, MATHIS, ARMSTRONG, LITTLE

MRS. ETHEL KATE FERGUSON
April 12, 2001

Mrs. Ethel Kate Ferguson, 75, died April 12. Funeral services were held April 17 at Friendship Baptist Church in Woodland with Reverend J. D. Daniel officiating. Interment followed at Concord Baptist Church Cemetery in Woodland.

Mrs. Ferguson was the eldest of thirteen children. She joined Powell Baptist Church at an early age and later moved her membership to Concord Baptist Church were she served as an usher until her health failed.

In 1947, she married the late Robert L. Ferguson and to this union five children were born: John (Louise) Terry of Eleria, Ohio, Marion (Barbara) Parham of Beach Park, Illinois, Herman Ferguson, Biase Ferguson and Morris Ferguson of Woodland; an adopted daughter Brenda (David) Howe of Warm Springs.

Survivors include five sisters, Mary Lou Stanley of Cincinnati, Ohio, Annie Easley and Daisyetta Hough of Lorian, Ohio, Lillie (Jeff) Willis and Dorothy (George) Willis of Woodland; two brothers, James (Letha) Barnes of Woodland and Melvin Barnes of Lorian, Ohio; one sister-in-law, Jennie Bell Ferguson of Manchester; two aunts and one uncle; 12 grandchildren; three very special grandchildren, Damien and Troy Lowe and Skye Ferguson; 10 great grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Anderson & Marshall Funeral Home of Manchester was in charge of arrangements.

SEARCH NAMES: FERGUSON, DANIEL, TERRY, PARHAM, HOWE, STANLEY, EASLEY, HOUGH, WILLIS, BARNES, LOWE

MRS. EVELYN ELIZABETH BRAMLETT
April 19, 2001

Mrs. Evelyn Elizabeth Bramlett, 77, of Woodstock, formerly of Smyrna, died Thursday, April 19. Funeral services were held April 23 from the Carmichael Funeral Home Chapel in Smyrna with Reverend Truman Pyles and Reverend Oneal Evans officiating. Burial was in the Georgia Memorial Park Cemetery in Marietta.

Mrs. Bramlett was employed by the Lerner Shops for 26 years before retiring and was a Baptist.

Survivors include her husband, Reverend Clyde Bramlett of Woodstock; one daughter, Polly Bramlett Miller, also of Woodstock; one son, Jackie Bramlett of Smyrrna; seven sisters, Mary Tidwell of Luthersville, Patricia Stevens and Judy Thaxton of Griffin, Christine Kee of Conyers, Doris Conell, Elaine Brown and Eula Gill, all of Woodbury; one brother, Hiram Massengale of Jonesboro; five grandchildren; two great grandchildren.

Carmichael Funeral Home in Smyrna was in charge of arrangements.