for Nov. 27, 2001



Loyda Avila

VALDOSTA — Loyda Avila, 87, of Valdosta, died Saturday, Nov. 24, 2001, at her home. She was born in Cuba on Nov. 26, 1914, to the late Jacobo and Adela Perera Gonzalez and had lived in Valdosta for 30 years and was a Baptist. Mrs. Avila was a very loving and great wife, mother, and grandmother. Survivors include two daughters and a son-in-law, Nancy Fox of Valdosta and Eunice and Jerry Owensby of Nashville, Tenn.; one son and daughter-in-law, Ralph and Sandy Avila of Valdosta; 10 grandchildren, Jerry Owensby Jr., Timothy Owensby, Kristy Newman, Danny Avila, Alesha Looper, Adam Avila, Bobby Fox, Angie Wood, Michael Fox, and Andy Fox; nine great-grandchildren; and a special niece, Marta Gonzalez Colon of Miami, Fla. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ignacio Avila, and four brothers, Humberto Gonzalez, Raul Gonzalez, Israel Gonzalez, and Joseito Gonzalez. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. today in Riverview Memorial Gardens with Chaplain Benny Olliff officiating. — Carson McLane Funeral Home



John Harold Hall

NASHVILLE — John Harold Hall, 55, of Nashville, died on Monday, Nov. 26, 2001, in South Georgia Medical Center. He was born on Aug. 31, 1946, in Berrien County to Rossie and Hazel Odom Hall. He was a supervisor with Wayne Barber Construction Co., an equipment manager for “The Pafford’s,” attended Beulah Holiness Church, was a member of the East Berrien Volunteer Fire Dept. and veteran of the U. S. Air Force. Mr. Hall is survived by his wife, Linda McKinnon Hall of Nashville; one daughter and son-in-law, Alicia and Lance Ruis of Moultrie; one son and daughter-in-law, Barry and Deidra Hall of Nashville; father and mother Rossie and Hazel Hall of Nashville; one sister, Barbara Cross of Nashville; and one grandchild, Brandon Hall. He was preceded in death by a son, Jonathan Blake Hall. Funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Donnie Sloan, the Rev. Ferrell Harper and the Rev. Tye Sorrow officiating. Burial will be held in Poplar Springs Cemetery. Visitation will be held after 2 p.m. today with the family receiving friends from 7-9 p.m. Flowers will be accepted or a memorial contribution may be made to a church or selected charity. — Lovein Funeral Home



Lawrence H. Hazelip

CHALYBEATE, Ky. — Lawrence H. Hazelip born on July 15, 1912, in Chalybeate, Ky., the oldest of 10 children born to Herbert and Maggie Ferguson Hazelip died on Nov. 22, 2001, in Nashville, Tenn. He was preceded in death by his son, Donald. Mr. Hazelip is survived by his wife, Barbara Carey Hazelip; his son, Jon, Nashville; seven grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. Lawrence graduated from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky. He spent 53 years in Christian ministry, 10 years of which were as minister of the Central Church of Christ in Valdosta. He also worked with the Garden Oaks Church in Houston and spent 40 years as minister and/or elder with the Watters Road Church in Pasadena, Texas. He was a member of the South Pasadena Rotary Club where he served terms as president and chaplain. He served the Pasadena Police Department as chaplain. Memorial services were conducted at Asphalt, Ky. Church of Christ at 2 p.m. Sunday and at Watters Road Church of Christ, Pasadena, Texas at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Burial was held in Asphalt, Ky., Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes donations be made to IMPAC (Churches of Christ Distribution Center for Poor and Homeless), 1704 Weber St., Houston, TX 77007. — Hermitage Funeral Home, Hermitage, Tenn.



Tallie E. Lasseter

VALDOSTA — Tallie E. Lasseter, 89, of Valdosta, died on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2001, after declining health. Born in Cook County on Nov. 25, 1912, the son of the late Ed and Rossie Thornton Lasseter. He had served with the U.S. Army during WWII, was retired from the Pure Oil Company and had attended Azalea City Church of God. Survivors are his wife, Irene Holder Lasseter of Valdosta; daughter and son-in-law, Debra June and Richard Lewis of Brooks County; grand





sons, Troy Blanton and Wendell Yarbrough of Brooks County; stepdaughters, Helen Perry of Hahira, Joyce Chauncey of Homerville; sisters, Ruby Barfield of Bainbridge, Mary Lou Wise of Lake Park, Kaleda Meeks of Valdosta. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Sunset Hill Cemetery. The Rev. Raymond Gabbard will officiate. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today at the Carson McLane Funeral Home. — Carson McLane Funeral Home



Isaac Nelson

VALDOSTA — On Friday evening following Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, 2001, at approximately 6:15 p.m., Mr. Isaac “By George” Nelson departed this life at South Georgia Medical Center after a lengthy illness. Mr. Isaac or “By George” as he was fondly called, was born on May 19, 1917, to the late Rufus Nelson Sr. and the late Rachel Butler Nelson in Lowndes County. As a young man, Mr. Isaac accepted the Lord into his life and was a member of West Adair Street Church of Christ. Isaac Nelson was united in Holy Matrimony with the late Lessie Lee Lamons Reddick of Barwick. To this union three children were born: a son, Frank, a daughter, Genora, and the youngest son, Alvin. Two stepchildren also entered this union: a daughter, Ethel Mae Reddick, and a son, Ernest Reddick Jr. The family resided in Valdosta for more than 55 years. Mr. Isaac worked as a caretaker at Sunset Hill Cemetery in Valdosta for many years. He later worked and retired as a maintenance and handy man for Sam Stagman and Snapper Lawn Shop. Mr. Nelson was a devoted husband, father, stepfather, grandfather, father-in-law and great-grandfather. He was well known around Lowndes County. He was preceded in death by four of his siblings: Lorraine, Sarah, Maejetter and Wilmer. He leaves to cherish his memories five loving and devoted children: Ethel Mae Brown and Ernest Reddick Jr., of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Frank Nelson and his wife Mary Helen of Valdosta, Genora N. Morgan and her husband Leroy of Hinesville, and Alvin Nelson of Valdosta. He has 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He also leaves to mourn five siblings: brothers, Albert Nelson and his wife Olivia, Preston Nelson and his wife Rose, Melvin Nelson, Rufus Nelson Jr. and his wife Marjorie and one sister, Beatrice Stoney, all of Valdosta, and a host of nieces and nephews as well as other sorrowing relatives and friends. Graveside funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2001, at Sunset Hill Cemetery. Elder Willie Flowers will officiate. — Stevens Funeral Home of Valdosta



Charles Woodrow Schmoe

QUITMAN — Charles Woodrow “Woody” Schmoe, 88 of Quitman, (Brooks County), passed away on Nov. 25, 2001, after a long illness. He was born on June 26, 1913, in Shelbyville, Ind., to Frederick Charles and Daisy Ellen Murphy Schmoe. He graduated from Shelbyville High School in 1931, and Butler University in 1939, and taught school in Boggstown and Shelbyville Ind. He served in WWII as lieutenant with two years in the Eisenhower Headquarters in London and Paris. In 1945, he married Nancy Young of Berrien County and returned to Shelby County, Ind., where he taught school. In 1947, he returned to Berrien County where he farmed and served as a principal, teacher and coach at New Lois and Ray City Schools. In 1954, he purchased Blackwater Plantation near Quitman and since ran an extensive farming, cattle and timber operation and was also an active member of the Brooks County community. Mr. Schmoe was a freemason, member of Sugar Creek Lodge No. 279, Fairland, Ind.; served as Chairman of the Welfare Board of Brooks County; active member of the Brooks County Livestock Association, The Florida and Georgia Cattleman’s Associations and the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, and took an active role in state and local political activities. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Nancy Young Schmoe; his three daughters and their husbands, Suwannee and Louis Shuntich, Holland, Pa., Susannah and Stefan Borg, Ponte Vedra, Fla., and Jeannie and Gary Wisenbaker, Savannah; his five grandchildren, Savanna Shuntich, Sophia Borg, Christian, Anna, and Fred

erick Wisenbaker; his nephew, Steve Irick of Edinburg, Ind.; and his sister-in-law, Snead Y. Davis of Jacksonville, Fla. The funeral and interment will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Blackwater Plantation. Visitation will also be held at Blackwater Plantation from 4-7 p.m. today. The family is receiving flowers or you may make donations to the charity of your choice. — Maxwell-Miller Funeral Home.



Edward Allen Smith

JASPER, Fla. — Edward Allen Smith, 91, of Jasper, passed away Sunday, Nov. 25, 2001, at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta following a brief illness. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native was a former resident of Sarasota, Fla., and Sun City, Fla. Mr. Smith was a retired warehouse manager and World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years., Mary Eleanor Smith in 1998. Survivors include one son, Retired Capt. Edward A. Smith Jr., Falls Church, Va.; two daughters, Joanne Bembry, Jasper, Fla. and Patricia Wyckoff, Washington, D.C.; four grandchildren, Stephanie Smith, Edward Allen Smith III, Andrew and Ross Bembry. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. Therese Catholic Church, Jasper, Fla. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Jasper. — Harry T. Reid Funeral Home



Rev. Dr. Rosa Belle Dotson

The Rev. Dr. Rosa Belle Dotson, 53, of Dawson, died on Oct. 31, 2001, after a 14-month fight with leukemia. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Nov. 4, 2001, at The House of God Church in Willacoochee where Elder V. Jackson, pastor, and General Elder Martha Thomas officiated. Burial was held in Willacoochee City Cemetery. — Albritten’s Funeral Service of Dawson