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The soul of Susan Converse McKey (Susie) Thomas departed this earthly life for her heavenly reward on Feb. 20, 2013. The youngest of four children, born on Sept. 5, 1920, to Susan Catherine Converse McKey and Earle Sinclair McKey, Sr., she was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers: Dr. Earle Sinclair McKey II; William Converse (Bud) McKey; and Dr. Robert Wilburn (Wibby) McKey. She leaves behind her family legacy with two sons: Lyndle Eugene (Lynn) Thomas, Jr. of Lake Park, and William Converse (Bud) Thomas of Valdosta; two granddaughters: Tracey Thomas Fetting of Cumming, and Melissa Diehl (Missy) Thomas of Philadelphia; one great-grandson: William Thomas (Will) Fetting; and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.
Susie was a native Valdostan who graduated from Valdosta High School in 1937 and Georgia State Women’s College (now Valdosta State University) in 1941. She then attended and graduated from Katharine Gibbs College in New York City, where she pursued a course of study in the Business School toward becoming an Executive Assistant.
Upon her return to Valdosta, she was employed at The First National Bank and later at Moody Air Force Base, where she met her future husband. Once married, she began raising a family. Subsequently divorced, as a single mother she raised two sons (ably assisted by her mother) and worked for the Valdosta City School System for many years as a Secretary/Administrative Assistant at Central Elementary and S. L. Mason schools.
After her retirement from the school system, Susie next turned her energies toward the one true passion of her personal life other than her family: preserving the history of Valdosta and Lowndes County through her work and efforts in conjunction with, and for, the Lowndes County Historical Society and Museum. A past member of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, two of her special projects toward Valdosta’s historic preservation resulted in the publication of In Search of the Hollidays: The Story of Doc Holliday and His Holliday and McKey Families (originally published in 1973; revised edition published in 2008) and The Confederate Soldiers of Sunset Hill Cemetery ˆ Valdosta, Georgia (published in 1999).
Susie was a loving mother, grandmother, aunt and person whose life touched and influenced not only her family, but many other people from all walks of life. She was a blessing to all who knew her, and to the community of Valdosta. She will be sorely missed, but lovingly and most gratefully remembered.
“This is love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.” 1 John 4:10-11 and 4:15
Memorial services will be held on Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, at 2 p.m. at First Christian Church in Valdosta. Reverend Chris Michael will officiate. The family will receive friends at the church following the service.
The family respectfully requests that donations in Susie’s honor and memory be considered for the following: Langdale Hospice House, 2263 Pineview Dr., Valdosta, GA 31602; Lowndes County Historical Society, 305 W. Central Ave., P. O. Box 56, Valdosta, GA 31603-0056; and First Christian Church, 1905 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31602.
Condolences may be conveyed at www.mclanecares.com. — Carson McLane Funeral Home.
Obituaries
Susan Converse McKey (Susie) Thomas
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James “ Jim” Robert Marshall Jr.
Mr. James “ Jim” Robert Marshall Jr., 72, of Lenox, Georgia passed away Friday, May 17, 2013 at his residence.
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Robert Hammond Jr.,
Robert Hammond Jr., 66, of Valdosta passed away Friday morning in Langdale Hospice house.
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Susan J. Snelgrove Owens
Susan J. Snelgrove Owens, age 47, passed away May 2, 2013 after a brief illness. Susan was born on March 14, 1966.
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Faye Griffin
Faye Griffin, 82, of Barney died Thursday, May 16, 2013 at her home after a lengthy illness.
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Irene Greene
Funeral service celebrating the life of Irene Greene, age 85, of Newark, OH, will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 18, 2013, at the Family of Faith Community Church, with Pastor Theodis Foy and Pastor Recoir Puryear will officiate.
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Julia Mae Davis
Julia Mae Davis, 75, left this life on Monday, May 13, 2013, at 9:40 p.m., at South Georgia Medical Center.
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Doris Morgan
Doris Morgan of Newark, New Jersey formerly of Hahira, Ga passed away on May 15, 2013.
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Castria Sabrina Tiller
Funeral service for Mrs. Castria Sabrina Tiller, age 43, will be held Saturday, May 18, 2013, at 2:00 p.m., from the sanctuary of Universal Deliverance Church, Inc., 519 W. Adair Street, Valdosta.
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Eugene Frederick Wright
Eugene Frederick Wright, 84, of Nashville, Ga., passed into eternal rest on Thursday, May 16, 2013, with his beloved wife of 62 years, Billie Ruth (Nix) Wright, and daughter Susan (Wright) Barney by his side.
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Sylvester Dudley
Mr. Sylvester Dudley was born on March 25, 1952, in Quitman, to the late Mr. Willie and Mrs. Mattie Newsome Dudley. He departed this life on Monday, May 13, 2013.
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James “ Jim” Robert Marshall Jr.
