Obituaries for
Published 3:03 am Tuesday, December 6, 2005
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Harold Thomas Edwards “Pop”
NASHVILLE — Harold Thomas Edwards “Pop,” 78, of Nashville died Saturday, Feb. 28, 2004, at the home of his son in Pensacola, Fla.
Mr. Edwards was a native of Durham County, N.C., son of the late Joseph and Myrtle Hargis Edwards. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and preceded in death by one son, Lynwood Dwayne Edwards.
Surviving is his wife, Mary Sue Stone Edwards of Grayson, Ga.; four sons, James Thomas Edwards, Stafford, Va., Roger Dale Edwards, Pensacola, Fla., Charles Glenn Edwards, Valdosta, Harold Douglas Edwards, Nashville; one daughter, Debra E. Harnois, Grayson; one sister, Foy Lee Jones, Newport, N.C.; 13 grandson; 8 granddaughters; 23 great-grandchildren also survive.
Memorial services will be conducted at 1 p.m., Friday, March 12, 2004, in Strickland Funeral Home Chapel, Roxboro, N.C., by the Rev. Herbert Brown. Burial will follow in Person Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the services Friday at Strickland Funeral Home, 1314 N. Main St., Roxboro, NC 27573. — Strickland Funeral Home, Roxboro, N.C.
Master David Levin Pafford Jr.
HOMERVILLE — Master David Levin Pafford Jr., 3, of Homerville passed away Sunday night, March 7, 2004, following an automobile accident.
A native of Lowndes County, he lived in Clinch County all his life.
Survivors are his father and mother, David Levin and Robyn Futch Pafford Sr.; one sister, Ashley Carolyn Pafford, all of Homerville; paternal grandfather, Ben Pafford of Lakeland; paternal grandmother, Brenda Pafford of Tifton; paternal great-grandparents, John A. and Ruth Vaughn of Lakeland and Benny and Jean Pafford of Lakeland; maternal grandparents, Jimmy and Wanda Futch of Homerville; maternal great-grandmother, Minnie Futch of Homerville; maternal great-grandparents, Mary and David Tatum of Homerville; stepgreat-grandmother, Louise Gilley of Homerville; and several other relatives.
Services for Master Levin will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday, March 11, 2004, at the Shiloh Southern Congregational Methodist Church, Homerville. Burial will be in the Shiloh Church Cemetery.
Master Levin will remain at the funeral home where the family will receive friends this evening from 7-9 p.m. with visitation after 1 p.m. Master Levin will be carried to the church one hour prior to the services. — Roundtree Funeral Home of Homerville
Florence Ashworth Simpson
VALDOSTA — Florence Ashworth Simpson, 78, of Valdosta, died on Monday, March 8, 2004, at her residence after a lengthy illness. Born on March 14, 1925, in Atlanta, she was the daughter of the late George O. and Mary Stone Ashworth and the widow of Robert Thomas Simpson. Mrs. Simpson was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors are three sons and daughters-in-law, Roy and Sandra Simpson of Colorado Springs, Colo., Joe and Charlotte Simpson, Robert and Connie Simpson, all of Valdosta; one daughter and son-in-law, June and Billy Yeomans of Lake Park; 21 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Charles and Johnnie Ruth Ashworth of Columbus, Ga., Bobby and Johanna Ashworth of Eufaulla, Ala.; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Elizabeth and Donald Grooms, Tampa, Fla., Betty and Al Creach, Waynesboro, Tenn., and Marie Blythe of Jacksonville, Fla. Mrs. Simpson was also preceded in death by two sons, Russell Simpson and Glenn Simpson; a sister, Geneva Adams; and a brother, Wayman Ashworth.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, March 11, 2004, in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home with the Rev. Bob Willis officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends on this evening from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. — Carson McLane Funeral Home
Jack Milton Thrift
HOMERVILLE — Jack Milton Thrift, 76, of Homerville died Monday night at his residence after an extended illness. Born in Ware County to the late George W. Thrift and Mary Vernon Thrift, he had lived in Homerville for the past 23 years. Mr. Thrift worked for ITT Rayonier Paper Company in the Forestry Division and was a veteran of the U.S. Army. One of Mr. Thrift’s greatest loves was the Okefenokee Swamp Park. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Brian G. Thrift; eight brothers; and five sisters.
Mr. Thrift is survived by his wife, Ella Faye Thrift of Homerville; his sons and daughters-in-law, Coley M. and Charlene Thrift, Waycross, George H. and Deborah Thrift, Kingsland, Michael and Tracy Delk, Stockton, Joseph C. Delk of Homerville; daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Billy Giddens of Woodstock; grandchildren and their spouses, Billy and Lisa Giddens, Woodstock, Brad and Nichole Giddens, Adairsville, Becky Temple of Woodstock, Colene Denton of Waycross, Andy and Kim Thrift, Waycross, Randel Thrift, Waycross, Michael Johnson, Jacksonville, Fla., Brian Thrift, Athens, Kelly Thrift, Tucson, Ariz., Justin Delk of Stockton, Clay Delk, Baxley, Melissa Harrison and Michael Harrison, both of Stockton; five great-grandchildren, a sister, Alma Crawford of Waycross; and a number of nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Thursday at Swamp Road Baptist Church with burial in Piney Grove Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. this evening at the Miles-Odum Funeral Home. The family requests that employees from Rayonier’s Waycross and Homerville Division serve as honorary pallbearers and are asked to gather at the church by 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. — Miles-Odum Funeral Home, Waycross
Sheryl R. Faircloth Thorpe
HAHIRA — Sheryl R. Faircloth Thorpe, 41, of Hahira died Sunday, March 7, 2004, at Smith Northview Hospital. She was born on July 18, 1962, in Lowndes County to David A. and Shirley Smith Faircloth and was a lifelong resident of Lowndes County. Mrs. Thorpe was a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Lakeland and enjoyed her art and painting.
Survivors include her husband, Richard E. Thorpe of Hahira; two daughters and son-in-law, Shelli Christina and Chet Linder of Savannah, Jennifer Lynn Webb and her fiance Adam Miles of Detroit, Mich., two grandchildren, Ashley Leigh Linder and Austin Linder; her parents, David A. and Shirley Faircloth of Hahira; one sister and brother-in-law, Sherry L. and Mark Pollett of Harker Heights, Texas; brother and sister-in-law, David and Brandy Faircloth of Hahira; niece, Krista Pollett of Harker Heights, Texas; nephew, Zachary Faircloth of Hahira; nieces, Deena Faircloth and Shannon Faircloth, both Milledgeville; a special friend, Kathy Cosey of Lakeland; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, March 11, 2004, at the Bethel Baptist Church in Lakeland with Pastor Jerry Knight officiating. Burial will follow in Riverview Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends this evening from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. — Carson McLane Funeral Home
Freddie Carol Yopp
ADEL — Freddie Carol Yopp, 76, of Adel passed away on March 8, 2004, at Memorial Hospital of Adel.
She was born on June 20, 1927, in Laurens County to the late John Coats and Margaret Virginia Stokes Yopp. She lived most of her life in Cook County. She was a retired secretary for Georgia Association of Educators and a member of Adel United Methodist Church.
She is survived by two sisters, Doris Yopp Smith of Quitman, Nell Yopp Westmoreland, Warner Robins; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by three sisters, Virginia Yopp Griner, Lucia Yopp Halsall and May Yopp Griffin.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. today at Adel United Methodist Church with the Rev. Larry Land officiating. Burial will be held in Nashville City Cemetery. — Boone-Lipsey Funeral Home, Adel
John Green Youmans
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — John Green Youmans, Ph.D., passed away March 1, 2004, in Daytona Beach, Fla. He was born on Aug. 18, 1919, in Valdosta. He was predeceased by his parents, Marie Holt Greene and Dr. Lester Grace Youmans, a Valdosta dentist; and his brother, Lester Youmans, all of Valdosta. He is survived by a number of cousins.
Dr. Youmans graduated from Valdosta High School, Valdosta’s Emory Junior College and Emory University, Atlanta, where he was a member of Chi Phi Fraternity. While in Atlanta, he held Junior Membership in the Piedmont Driving Club. He received his master’s degree from FSU and his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Asthma prevented military service.
He was an auditor in the Export Division of Coca Cola’s parent bottler with Caribbean headquarters in San Juan. Prior to moving back to Georgia with Atlanta’s W.R.C. Smith Publishing Company, he worked for McGraw-Hill in their New York office.
Dr. Youmans held a faculty position at Valdosta State College, afterwards teaching at U.C.L.A. and Philadelphia’s Temple University then returning to Valdosta in Educational Supervision for Lowndes County Schools. He was a teacher training consultant for a Winter Haven, Fla., research foundation.
He did choreography for the Hollywood Bowl in 1964, published two textbooks, 18 training manuals, wrote performing arts reviews and people columns for three newspapers.
Dr. Youmans was president of six civic clubs and served on the board of directors for numerous civic organizations. He belonged to Rotary, Elks, Ocean Pond Fishing Club, Valdosta Country Club and the Lowndes Historical Society. He was Master of Ceremonies for the Mystery Ball Club for 25 years and the Cotillion Club for 20 years. He was an Honorary Member of the YMCA and Civic Roundtable.
Return of asthma in 1997, prompted Dr. Youmans’ move to Daytona Beach. While in Daytona, he joined Rotary, University Club, Halifax Club and the Halifax River Yacht Club, and was on the Board of Directors of Seaside Music Theater and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Dr. Youmans was an Episcopalian and a licensed Lay Eucharistic Minister for the Episcopal Dioceses of both Georgia and central Florida. He was a founding member of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Valdosta.
He was a full member of The Order of Saint Luke, Magna Charta Barons (11 signers,) Knights of the Garter, Americans of Royal Descent, Descendants of Charlemagne, Plantagenet Society, The Order of Washington and Sons of the American Revolution. Honors included Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Delta Kappa- “Distinguished Service,” and Omicron Delta Kappa-Honoris Causa.
Dr. Youmans was known for his philanthropy and love for Valdosta. A memorial service will be held at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 3565 Bemiss Road, Valdosta, GA 31605, Saturday, March 27, 2004, at 2 p.m., Valdosta, (229) 242-5335. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the John G. Youmans Memorial Fund at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church.
Aileen West
VALDOSTA — Aileen West, 84, of Valdosta, died on Tuesday, March 9, 2004, in Valdosta. Born on April 14, 1919, she was the daughter of the late Walter and Nettie Woodard and the widow of James West. Mrs. West was a member of First Baptist Church of Valdosta.
Survivors are two sons and daughters-in-law, Ron and Nancy West of Greensboro, N.C., Phil and Cheryl West of Valdosta; grandchildren, Ron West, Mark West, Tim West, Stephanie O’Neal, Stephen West, Andrea Johnson; four great-grandchildren; one sister, Dayne Morris of Smyrna; and one brother, Clyde Woodard of Rome, Ga. She was also preceded in death by two sisters and three brothers.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, March 11, 2004, in the chapel of the Carson McLane Funeral Home with Dr. Phil West and the Rev. Mac Weaver officiating. Graveside services will follow at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in Westview Cemetery in Atlanta. The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. this evening at the funeral home. — Carson McLane Funeral Home
LOCAL DEATHS
Velma Thagard Ketcham
Velma Thagard Ketcham, 98, of Quitman died Monday, March 8, 2004, at the Presbyterian Home after a lengthy illness. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. (central time) Thursday, March 11, 2004, in Geneva City Cemetery, Geneva, Ala. — Maxwell-Miller Funeral Home, Quitman
Teresa Stewart
Teresa Stewart, 40, of Boston, passed away Saturday, March 6, 2004, at the Brooks County Hospital’s ER. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time but will be announced later by Stevens-McGhee Funeral Home of Quitman.