Obituaries
Published 3:06 am Tuesday, December 6, 2005
for Saturday, March 27, 2004
Lorne Byers
VALDOSTA — Lorne Byers, 96, passed away at his home in Valdosta following a brief illness on March 24, 2004. He was born on Dec. 15, 1907, in Chippewa County, Mich., to the late Joseph A. Isabelle E. Haugh Byers. He was raised on a farm with a one-room school house on his property, which he was responsible for having ready each day before school. He worked for 35 years for General Motors and retired in 1969. He moved to Florida in 1970, with his wife, Ruth.
He will be remembered as a loving father and grandfather who loved to tell stories to his family in great detail. He taught a strong work ethic to all those around him in both word and deed. He was a lot of fun to be around and would never hesitate to help family members in need. He will surely be missed.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Chester Byers, and his wife Ruth Byers. Survivors include his daughter, Sylvia Ann Willis; two sons, James and John Moore; nine grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 1 p.m., Sunday, March 28, 2004, at Fountainhead Funeral Home in Palm Bay. — Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Palm Bay, Fla.
Clarence Gene Folsom
VALDOSTA — Clarence Gene Folsom, 50, of Valdosta, died on Thursday, March 25, 2004, at South Georgia Medical Center. He was born on Aug. 14, 1953, in Valdosta and was employed with the Valdosta Board of Education.
Mr. Folsom is survived by his wife, Sissy Smith Folsom of Valdosta; son and daughter-in-law, Chad Eugene and Kristi Folsom; daughter, Hope Lee Folsom; stepdaughter and her friend, Angel Bridges and Larry Tanner; stepson, Dustin Bridges; parents, Clarence and Tina Folsom, all of Valdosta; sisters and brother-in-law, Donna Gangler of Valdosta, T. J. and Carl Doane of Pavo; brother and sister-in-law, Jamie and Kellie Terrell of Valdosta; grandchildren, Parker Eugene Folsom, Ethan Lamar Ramirez, both of Valdosta; uncle and aunt, Joe and Nanette Griner; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Archie and Mary Folsom and maternal grandparents, Ethel and Sim Belote.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 28, 2004, in the chapel of the Carson McLane Funeral Home with the Rev. David Paulk II and the Rev. Skip Van Nus officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends this evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Carson McLane Funeral Home. — Carson McLane Funeral Home
Edna Louise Fulford
GEORGETOWN — Edna Louise Fulford, 85, of Georgetown, formerly of Sparks, passed away on March 26, 2004, at Ft. Gaines Nursing Home in Ft Gaines after a short illness.
She was born on July 29, 1918, in Tomnolen, Miss., to the late John Wister and Mary Florence Middleton McCain. She lived in High Springs and in Sparks for 28 years before moving to Georgetown one year ago. She was a retired activities director at Memorial Convalescent Center of Adel. She was preceded in death by her husband, Audrey Ellis Fulford.
She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Don and May Fulford, Ft. Worth, Texas, Jerry and Shirley Fulford, Alachua, Fla.; three daughters and sons-in-law, Jean and Bobby Phillips, Georgetown, Ga., Jane and Hilton Williamson, De Funiak Springs, Fla., Ann Breeden, Adel; 12 grandchildren, Diane Bracewell, Tifton, Keith Phillips, Adel, Glen Williamson, De Funiak Springs, Fla., Karen Williams, De Funiak Springs, Fla., Wayne Williamson, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., Kevin Breeden, Sparks, Kelly Ramirez, Valdosta, Kim Griner, Adel, Troy Fulford, Ft. Worth, Texas, Tracey Brown, Pittsburg, Pa., Scott Fulford, Alachua, Fla., Andy Fulford, Alachua, Fla.; and 27 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Boone-Lipsey Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dell Young with eulogy by Tom Thomas Sr. Burial will be held in Sparks City Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. this evening at Boone-Lipsey Funeral Home, Hwy. 41 South. — Boone-Lipsey Funeral Home, Adel
Carrie Louise McCann
VALDOSTA — Carrie Louise McCann, 85, of Valdosta died Thursday, March 25, 2004, at South Georgia Medical Center. She was born in Remerton on June 2, 1918, to the late Charlie and Missie Golden Sutton and was a lifelong resident of Lowndes County. Mrs. McCann retired from Strickland Cotton Mills after 50 years of service and was a member of Woodmen of the World. She was a member of Victory Baptist Church.
Survivors include four sons and daughters-in-law, Charles and Elaine McCann of Hahira, Cecil and Jan McCann of Nashville, Tenn., Joel and Maureen McCann of Boston, Mass., Jerry and Joy McCann of Valdosta; four daughters and sons-in-law, Sandra and Willie T. Sims, Joyce and Al Coody, all of Valdosta, Sue Ellen and Roger Snow of Lawton, Okla., Pam and Ricky Dawson of Valdosta; one sister and brother-in-law, Letha and Roy Cowart of Valdosta; three brothers and sisters-in-law, R.V. and Shirley Sutton, Rabon and Jean Sutton, all of Valdosta, Bobby and Patsy Sutton of Palatka, Fla.; 10 grandchildren, three stepgrandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; six stepgreat-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clifford “Mac” McCann; a daughter, Maxine McCann; and a brother, Alvin Sutton.
Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m., Sunday, March 28, 2004, in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home with the Rev. Steve Ward and the Rev. Carlton Allen officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. this evening at the funeral home. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Victory Baptist Church. — Carson McLane Funeral Home
Minnie Jarvis Swilley
QUITMAN — Minnie Jarvis Swilley, 86, of Quitman, died Friday, March 26, 2004, at Holly Hill Nursing Home after a lengthy illness.
Born in Thomas County, she was the daughter of Joe and Virginia Mallard Jarvis. She was a retired nurses aide for the Presbyterian Home, and a member of the Baptist faith.
She is survived by two daughters, Eloise Dean of Valdosta, Nancy and Johnny Herrin of Valdosta; three sons, Charles and Rachael Swilley of Dixie, Wallace Swilley of Quitman, James and Shirley of Baton Rouge, La.; 19 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Ruth Jarvis of Quitman.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 28, 2004, on the Old Side of Oak Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Virgil Brooks officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral from 7-9 p.m. this evening. — Maxwell-Miller Funeral Home, Quitman