Obituaries for

Wednesday, May 19, 2004



Gladys Futch

NASHVILLE — Gladys Futch, 93, of Nashville passed away Sunday, May 16, 2004, at Berrien County Hospital.

She was born on Aug. 9, 1910, in Jackson County to Weymon Pierce and Flora Wheeler Nicholson. She was a homemaker and attended the Nashville Mission. She was the widow of T.J. Futch who died in 1989.

She is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Rachel (Bill) Stripling, Hahira, Geneva (Scotty) Bailey, Richwood, W.Va., Anelda (Alan) Guest, Douglasville; four sons and daughters-in-law, Weymon Thomas (Mary) Futch, Pineville, La., T.J. (Sarah) Futch, Jr., Nashville, Kenneth (Linda) Futch, Fitzgerald, Robert Edward (Linda) Futch, Ruby, La.; 22 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Blanche Rice, Nashville, Lois Barker, Trinity, N.C. She was also preceded in death by her stepmother, Eunice Nicholson, four brothers, Pierce, Lenton, Clinton and Jack Nicholson; three sisters, Grace Nicholson, Exie Miller and Frances Futch.

Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., today, May 19, 2004, in the chapel of Lovein Funeral Home with the Rev. Clarence Luke, the Rev. Wayne Taylor and the Rev. Danny Garrett officiating. Burial will be held in New Ramah Cemetery. The family requests memorials to the New Ramah Cemetery Fund, c/o George Skinner Rte. 1 Box 2875 Ray City, GA 31645. — Lovein Funeral Home, Nashville



Betty Jane Howell May Howard

KINGSLAND — Betty Jane Howell May Howard, 71, a resident of Kingsland, died Monday, May 17, 2004, at her residence in Kingsland.

Mrs. Howard was a native of Echols County and had been a resident of Camden County since 1957, and was a former resident of Glynn County. She was employed with Kraft Bag Division of Gilman Paper Co. for 17 years and then a school bus driver for Camden County School System for 14 years and then managed Mobil Home Park in Kingsland from 1973, to the present date. She was a member of the Crossroads Pentecostal Church in Kingsland. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was preceded in death of several months of her husband, Henry Lewis Howard.

Survivors are two daughters, Lucy Donna May Debenedetto (Joe) of Browntown, and Judy Louise May Altman (Randy) of Sumter, S.C.; two sons, Gilford “Steve” May Jr. (Cindy) of Kingsland, and Davey May of Woodbine; sister, Lucy Udora Morgan of Jacksonville, Fla.; three brothers, Earl Arthur Howell Jr. (Betty) of Jacksonville, Fla., Pal West Howell (Georgia) of Fruit Cove, Fla., and Andrews Washington Morton of Jacksonville, Fla.; eight grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. today from the Wayfare Cemetery in Echols County with the Rev. Nell Bennett officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Scott Kellogg and Staff and staff of Hospice of the Golden Isles, Brunswick. — Edo Miller and Sons, Camden Chapel, Kingsland



Samuel Jones Jackson

VALDOSTA — Samuel Jones Jackson was born on Nov. 8, 1932, in Quitman, the oldest child of the late Clarence James and Clanda Mae Jackson. He passed this life on May 15, 2004, at 1 a.m. at the South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta.

Dr. Jackson was a faithful member of the Forrest Park Church of Christ in Valdosta. He was educated in the public school system of Brooks County. He served four years in the U.S. Army Signal Corp during the Korean War Conflict from 1953 to 1955. After the military, he completed his education at Fort Valley State College, Fort Valley, Ga., and graduated with a B.S. degree in animal husbandry in 1958. He graduated from Tuskegee University in 1963, with a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Dr. Jackson was a post doctoral fellow at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. where he earned a master of science degree in laboratory animal medicine with special emphasis on pathology of laboratory animals in 1972.

During his professional career, he worked as a veterinary student trainee with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the summer of 1962; research veterinarian with the Carver Research Foundation of Tuskegee University 1963-1969; assistant professor-Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences, Memphis, Tenn. 1972-1975; director of Laboratory Animal Medicine for Stanford Research Institute International of Menlo Park, Calif., 1975-1994. He was also a consultant for Centaur Pharmaceuticals in Sunnyvale, Calif., from 1990, until his retirement from professional life in 1995.

Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Eishnonia Morrison Jackson of Valdosta; one son and daughter-in-law, Keneth James and Wendy Lynn Jackson; one granddaughter, Sydney Nicole Jackson, San Jose, Calif.; one brother, Dr. King S. Jackson, Albany, Ga.; three sisters-in-law, Janie Jackson and Loretta McCrosky (Walter), Atlanta; Darthula Henderson, Valdosta; two brothers-in-law, Raymond Morrison (Ophelia), Miami, Fla., James Morrison (Fannie), Portland, Ore. He had seven nephews, Clarence Jackson (Tawana) of Kokomo, Ind.; Bryant Jerome Jackson, Atlanta, Jamie LaCharles Jackson (Dana), Savannah, Fentress Henderson (Glenda), Atlanta, Daryn Morrison (Karen), Tacoma, Wash., Eldridge Morrison, Miami, Fla. and Montinez Cortez Henderson (Reynae) of Valdosta; four nieces; Sheila Edwards, Quitman; Atrinka Dixon, Atlanta; Yvette Miller, Valdosta and LaRonda Young (Stanley), Portland, Ore. Survivors include a host of cousins and many other relatives and friends. Two brothers and one sister preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, May 20, 2004, at the Forrest Park Church of Christ in Valdosta with Evang. Jason Roberts as speaker. The family will receive friends from 6-7 p.m. this evening at Stevens-McGhee Chapel in Quitman. — Stevens-McGhee Chapel, Quitman



Edward M. Mierzejewski

HAHIRA — Msgt. Edward M. Mierzejewski, USAF Ret., 60 of Hahira, died on Tuesday, May 18, 2004, at his residence. Born on June 21, 1943, in Blakely, Pa., he was the son of Wanda Mierzejewski and the late Edward R. Mierzejewski. An aircraft tech/supervisor, he retired from the USAF and then later from Valdosta State Prison as a correctional officer. He was also an avid fisherman, golfer and wonderful grandfather.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Susan Lee Mierzejewski of Hahira; four sons, Phillip, Eric, Todd, Kyle; a daughter, Colleen; eight grandchildren, Amanda, Daniel, Katelen, Jaden, Allyson, Taylor, Madeline, Jack; a brother, Richard Mierzejewski (JoAnn) of Dixon City, Pa.; and a sister, Patsy Valtos (John) of Peckville, Pa.

Mr. Mierzejewski will be cremated and there will be no services according to his wishes. — Carson McLane Funeral Home



LOCAL DEATHS



Gabriel “Steve” Capistran

Gabriel “Steve” Capistran, 37, of Boston, died on Sunday, May 16, 2004, in Lowndes County. Funeral services will be held on Friday at 2 p.m. in the chapel of the Carson McLane Funeral Home. Father John O’Brien will officiate. Burial will be in Providence Cemetery in Brooks County. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. — Carson McLane Funeral Home



Joseph Dunn

Joseph Dunn, 71, of Adel passed away Tuesday, May 18, 2004, at Memorial Hospital of Adel. Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced later by Purvis Funeral Home. — Purvis Funeral Home of Adel



Mary S. Gibbons

Mary S. Gibbons, 80, of Valdosta died on Tuesday, May 18, 2004, at South Georgia Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Carson McLane Funeral Home.



Lena Laurella Johnson Lee

Lena Laurella Johnson Lee, 75, Homerville, passed away Tuesday, May 18, 2004, from an apparent heart attack. Services for Mrs. Lee will be held Friday, May 21, 2004, at 11 a.m. from the Homerville First Baptist Church. Interment will be in the North Cemetery, Dupont. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Homerville First Baptist Church. — Roundtree Funeral Home