Obituaries for Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007

Published 8:32 pm Monday, January 1, 2007

SPARKS

Oteen Bennett

Mrs. Oteen Bennett, 77, passed away Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006, at Tift Health Care Nursing Home in Tifton after a long illness.

Born July 11, 1929, in Sparks to the late William Wesley Moore and the late Gatsy Louise Pritchard Moore, she had lived most of her life in Cook County. She was of the Holiness faith and a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Melton Lee Bennett; a son, Lee Vernon Bennett; two grandsons; and one great-grandson.

Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Nolan and Brenda Bennett of Sparks and William and Sue Bennett of Lakeland; seven daughters and sons-in-law, Louise and Charles Baker of Tifton, Wanda Harper of Sparks, Bunny and Gene Baker of West Berrien Community, Gloria and Jimmy Kilpatrick of Chula, Guanice and Ronnie Bromlow of Chula, Lola and Dale Hancock of West Berrien Community and Lavonia and Dave Scott of Waycross; 25 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at West Central Avenue Church of God in Lenox with the Rev. Gordon Statum and the Rev. Dean McKinney officiating. Interment will be at Oaky Grove Church Cemetery. Visitation was held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at Boone-Lipsey Funeral Home, Hwy. 41 S. — Boone-Lipsey Funeral Home.



Jasper, Fla.

Pearl M. Blair

Pearl M. Blair, 93, of Jasper Fla., passed away Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006, at Suwannee Valley Nursing Center in Jasper Fla.

The Hamilton County native and lifelong resident was born Sept. 5, 1913, to the late Charlie O. McGhin and Ollie Lewis McGhin. She was a homemaker and member of Jasper First United Methodist Church.

Mrs. Blair was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Lee Blair, and two brothers, Byron and Lyle McGhin.

Survivors include three sons and daughters-in-law, Charles F. (Marjorie) Blair of Tallahassee Fla., Alton (Caren) Blair of Jasper Fla., and Jerry (Luanne) Blair of Live Oak Fla.; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, at Jasper United Methodist Church, Jasper Fla. Interment followed at New Hope Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Jasper First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1298, Jasper, Fla., 32052. — Harry T. Reid Funeral Home.



Quitman

Robert Lawrence Cunningham Jr.

Robert Lawrence Cunningham Jr., 84, of Quitman, passed away Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, at his residence after a lengthy illness.

A lifelong resident of Brooks County, he was the son of Robert Lawrence Sr. and Mary Gertrude Jones Cunningham. He was president of R.L. Cunningham Peanut Co. in Quitman and a member of the Quitman United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Blondine Cunningham of Quitman; daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Dr. Wesley Simms of Thomasville; son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Sharon Cunningham of Quitman; and three grandchildren, Robert, Chris and Allen.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Walter Cunningham, and his sister, Catherine Hagan.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007, in the Quitman United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jay Roberson officiating. Private burial service will be held for the family.

Floral tributes will be accepted or those desiring may make a contributions to the following charities: Methodist Children’s Home, P.O. Box 2525, Macon, Georgia, 31203-2525, or Shriner’s Children’s Hospital.

Condolences to the family may be conveyed online at www.maxwellmillerfuneralhome.com — Maxwell-Miller Funeral Home.



Valdosta

Willa Mae Belflower Davis

Mrs. Willa Mae Belflower Davis, 88, of Valdosta, passed away Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006.

She was born May 4, 1918, in Omega. She was preceded in death by her husband, George Henry Davis; her parents, George and Lenora Belflower; sister, Mrs. Sallie B. Wayne; and brothers, Homer, Earnest, Leon and Irmon Belflower.

Mrs. Davis was retired from South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta. Formerly a resident of Valdosta, Mrs. Davis has been residing in Bramlett Ridge Assisted Living in Jonesboro for the past six years.

She is survived by her son, Henry Wayne Davis of Douglasville; daughters, Mrs. Sharon Howell of Jackson, Mrs. Gayle Busbin of Stockbridge and Mrs. Billie Kay Duncan of Valdosta; grandchildren, Lynn Bannister and Jennifer Jones; great-grandchildren, David Jones, Amanda Bannister and Jack Bannister.

Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007, at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Tifton. Pastor John DeGuido will officiate. — Ford-Stewart Funeral Home Inc.



Valdosta

Roberta C. (Bobbie) Walker

Roberta C. (Bobbie) Walker, 85, of Valdosta, died on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006, at her residence following a lengthy illness.

She was born in Atlanta on March 1, 1921, to the late James Robert and Julia Walker. Ms. Walker spent most of her life in Georgia, except for a few years in South Carolina when she was a young girl. She worked for over 40 years and then retired from Ft. McPherson as a civil servant.

Ms. Walker moved to Valdosta in October of 2005 to live with her niece and receive medical care. She enjoyed life, she loved people and always sought to put others before herself and was young at heart. She adored her family and enjoyed other activities like reading the Atlanta papers, books, taking trips, playing cards, bingo and watching the Atlanta Braves. She was a former member of the Georgia Beta Club and the Spanish American War Ladies Auxiliary.

She is survived by her niece, Pat Scoby and her husband Warren of Valdosta; great-niece, Tisha Scoby of Atlanta; great-nephew, Richard (Kristen) Scoby of Midlothian, Va.; and a great-great-niece and nephew, Drew and Brooklyn Scoby. She was preceded in death by a brother, Julian R. Walker Sr., and a nephew, Julian R. Walker Jr.

Funeral services will be held in Valdosta at 3 p.m. today in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home. Father John O’Brien will officiate. The family will receive friends before the service from 2 p.m. until service time.

A visitation and a graveside funeral will be held in Atlanta on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cancer Home, 760 Pollard Boulevard SW, Atlanta, Georgia, 30315, or The Pearlman Cancer Center at South Georgia Medical Center, 2501 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, Georgia, 31602. Condolences may be conveyed to the family on the obituary page of www.mclanefuneralservices.com. — Carson McLane Funeral Home.



NOTICES

Rebecca Mitchell

Mrs. Rebecca Mitchell, 90, of Quitman, passed away Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006, at the Quitman Presbyterian Home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete but will be announced later by Stevens-McGhee Funeral Home of Quitman.



Mary Brantley Stone

Mary Brantley Stone, 86, of Nashville, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006, in the Memorial Convalescent Center of Adel. Graveside funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today in the Long Bridge Cemetery. — Lovein Funeral Home, Inc.



Jennie Bell Williams

Jennie Bell Williams of Valdosta passed this life on Dec. 28, 2006. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007, at the Sunset Hill Cemetery with the Rev. J.D. Martin officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007, at the Harrington Funeral Home Chapel. — Harrington Funeral Home Inc.