Obituaries for Thursday, June 22, 2006

Published 12:37 am Thursday, June 22, 2006

BLACKSHEAR, GA

Leona Baxter Watkins Dixon

Mrs. Leona Baxter Watkins Dixon, 84, passed away late Tuesday evening, June 20, 2006, at Baptist Village Nursing Home following a short but courageous battle with cancer.

A native of Nicholas County, Ky., she had lived in Pierce County since 1948. She had worked in public relations for McDonald’s for several years and had also been the first recipient of the Bright Spot Award (2002) given by the Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Dixon was a member of the Blackshear First Baptist Church and the Alert Sunday School Class. She was a daughter of the late John Stone and Stella Mae Johnson Watkins and was also preceded in death by her husband, Marion L. “M. L.” Dixon.

Survivors are three daughters, Patti (Emil) Girardin of Valdosta, Sheila (Harry) Revell of Augusta and Jane Lee of Blackshear; three sons, Steve (Judy) Dixon of St. Simons Island, Jerry Dixon of Blackshear and Terry (Robin) Dixon of St. Marys; a sister, Lois Rose of Jacksonville, Fla.; a brother, Claude Watkins of Fernandina Beach, Fla.; 15 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Funeral services for Mrs. Dixon will be held Friday morning, June 23, 2006, at 11 a.m. from the First Baptist Church.

Interment will be held in the Blackshear Cemetery.

Visitation for Mrs. Dixon will be held this evening from 6-8 at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Hospice Satilla, 1921 Alice Street, Suite A-1, Waycross, GA 31501 or the First Baptist Church, 670 Main Street, Blackshear, GA 31516.

Mrs. Dixon will lay in state at the church one hour prior to the service.— Pearson-Treadwell Funeral Home, Blackshear, Ga.



HAHIRA

Shirley (Dukes) Hellemn

Shirley (Dukes) Hellemn‚ 52, of Hahira passed away Monday, June 19, 2006 at her daughter’s residence after a lengthy illness. She was born on Oct. 10, 1953 in Lowndes County to the late Raymond and Mary (Rowland) Dukes. She is Southern Baptist by faith.

Survivors Include her daughter, Stacy Pierce, Hahira; son and daughter-in-law, Brad and Hannah Hellemn, Larose, La.; four grandchildren, Josh Tabor, Savannah Pierce, Seth Pierce, Alex Gisclair; brother and sister-in-law, Raymond and Jo Beth Dukes Jr., McDonough, Ga.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, June 23, 2006 in the Samart Funeral Home Chapel in Cut Off, La.

Sympathy can be expressed online at www.musicfuneralservices.com— Music Funeral Services of Valdosta is serving the Hellemn family.



RAY CITY

Lorine Nessmith

Lorine Nessmith, 90, of Ray City passed away June 20, 2006 in South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta following a brief illness. She was born and had lived in Berrien County most of her life. She was a homemaker, her greatest joy was cooking. She was preceded in death by her parents Thomas A. and Annie Rebecca Whittle Fountain, her first husband Willie J. Fender, Sr. and a granddaughter Beverly Nan Moore. She was Baptist by faith.

Survivors include her husband, Hansel E. Nessmith, Ray City; two daughters, Betty Jean Moore, Micanopy, Fla.; Deborah F. Gray, Riverside, Calif.; one son, Willie J. Fender Jr., Plant City, Fla.; step-son, Klim Nessmith, Nashville; grandchildren, Brenda Moore Webb, Yvette Fender McEver, Nicole Fender Weaver, Kenneth M. Fender, Stacey Gray Hawkins, Timmy Nessmith; uncle, Lynn Whittle Moultrie; 14 great-grandchildren; and numerous great-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be held Friday, June 23, 2006 at 10 a.m. at Lakeland Chapel/Music Funeral Services. Burial will follow in the New Ramah Cemetery in Ray City. The family will receive friends tonight, June 22, 2006 from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Sympathy to the family may be expressed online at www.musicfuneralservices.com. Music Funeral Services, Lakeland is serving the Nessmith family.



VALDOSTA

Charles Levin

Charles Levin, 88, of Valdosta died Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at his home. He was born on Nov. 27, 1917 in Wilmington, N.C. to the late Abe and Nettie Simon Levin and was raised in Ray City and Nashville. Mr. Levin was a former resident and merchant for 50 years in Jasper, Fla. before moving to Valdosta 17 years ago. He attended the University of Georgia, a charter member of the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch, an avid golfer and member of the Francis Lake Golf Association. Mr. Levin was a member of the Temple Israel where he had served on the Board.

Survivors include his wife, Sylvia Levin of Valdosta; two daughters and sons-in-law, Susan and Stephen Turner of Tallahassee, Fla., Brenda and Hal Kaplan of Winston-Salem, N.C.; six grandchildren, Shawn Turner of Los Angeles, Calif., Serrin Turner of New York City, N.Y., Marisa Turner of New York City, N.Y., Brad Kaplan of Seattle, Wash., Amy Kaplan of Atlanta and Mark Kaplan of Winston-Salem, N.C.; two great-grandchildren, Riley Kaplan and Drew Kaplan both of Seattle, Wash.; one sister, Frieda Levin Estroff of Augusta; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Leon Levin and Morris Levin and one sister, Janet Schwartz.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, June 23, 2006 in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home with Rabbi Stanley Garfein officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday from Noon until service time. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be to the Temple Israel, 511 Baytree Rd., Valdosta, GA, 31602. Condolences to the family may be conveyed online at www.mclanefuneralservices.com. — Carson McLane Funeral Home.



Deaths:



Pauline Janet Roberts

Pauline Janet Roberts, 94, of Norman Park passed away Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at her residence after a lengthy illness. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced at a later date by Purvis Funeral Home.— Purvis Funeral Home of Adel is in charge of arrangements.