Obituaries
Albany Area

Willie C. Crafton, Sr.

ALBANY — Mr. Willie C. Crafton, Sr. 83, of 1502 Avalon Avenue died Friday, April 11, 2008 at his home.

The funeral services will be 11 a.m. today (Friday, April 18, 2008) at Mt. Airy Baptist Church, Pineland Plantation, Newton, GA. The interment will follow in the church cemetery . The Rev. Willie B. Sales will officiate.

Mr. Crafton was born December 12, 1924 in Baker County. He attended Baker County Public Schools. He was a retired farmer from Pineland Plantation in Baker Co. Mr. Crafton was a member of the Deacon Board for 28 years and the Usher Board for 49 years at Mt. Airy Baptist Church.

Survivors include a son, Mr. Willie C. Crafton, Jr. and his wife Ruth of Columbus, GA; three daughters, Mrs. Sally Crafton Williams and her husband Gerald of Albany, Mrs. Rubie Haugabrook and her husband Lonnie of Cordele, GA, and Mrs. Mary Williams of College Park, GA. One sister, Mrs. Annie Mae Plant of Geneso, New Jersey, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

The family of Mr. Crafton will receive friends and relatives at the home of his daughter Mrs. Sally Crafton Williams of 2101 Indica Trail here in Albany, GA.

Meadows Funeral Home
Albany 229/439-2262

Steven W. Dietzel, Jr.,

ALBANY — Steven W. Dietzel, Jr., 18, of 127 Pine Trail, Sylvester, GA. died Wednesday, March 26, 2008. The funeral will be conducted Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Mathews Funeral Home. The Rev. Eron J. White will officiate. A native of Albany, GA, Steven worked with Southern Mobile Home and attended Albany Baptist Church.

Survivors include his father and step-mother, Steven W. Dietzel, Sr. and Angel of Sylvester, GA., his mother and step-father, Glenda Mercer Hamm and Angelo Lewis Hamm of Honolulu, HI, three brothers, Brandon Terry, Christopher Terry and Jesse Dietzel all of Albany, GA., four sisters, Brittany Dietzel, Aliesh Jo Dietzel and Dixie Maria Dietzel all of Albany, GA. and Bailey Gilchrist of Lee Co., GA, Paternal grandmother, Betty Dietzel, maternal grandmother, Emily Drawdy both of Albany, GA and step-grandmother, Mary Jo (Nana) Osborn of Albany, GA.

The family will receive friends tonight (Friday, April 18, 2008) from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Mathews Funeral Home. To sign our online registry or to send condolences to the family, you may visit Mathews’ website at www.mathewsfuneralhome.com

Mathews Funeral Home
Albany 229-435-5657

Bennie James Hicks

ALBANY — Bennie James Hicks, 63, of 2000 North Riverview Circle died Saturday, April 12, 2008 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital.

The funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 19, 2008 at Mr. Zion Baptist Church with interment to follow at Floral Memory Garden Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. Daniel Simmons, Pastor and the Rev. Roland Jenkins, Jr. will officiate.

Mr. Hicks was born July 23, 1944 in Jacksonville, FL. He attended Duval County Public Schools and was a graduate of Monroe High School. Mr. Hicks was retired from the Public Works Department with the City of Albany and was of the Baptist faith. He is preceded in death by a son, Mr. Matoie Hicks.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Geraldine Floyd Hicks of Albany, GA; two daughters, Mrs. Ashley Hicks and Mrs. Airreka Johnson both of Albany, GA; five sons, Mr. Ashton Hicks, Mr. Manquell Hicks, Mr. Jeffery Ellis, Mr. Jarmaine Hicks and Mr. Timothy Ellis all of Albany, GA.; one sister, Mrs. Betty Hicks of Albany, GA. two aunts, Mrs. Naomi Givens of Rhode Island, New York and Mrs. Fannie Keys of Jacksonville, FL. and seven grandchildren.

Meadows Funeral Home
Albany 229/439-2262

Emmitt Hill, Jr.

ALBANY — Emmitt Hill, Jr., 62, of 2332 Gail Avenue died at the Veterans Hospital in Montgomery, AL. The funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 19, 2008 at The Greater Second Mt. Olive Baptist Sports Complex. Interment will follow at the Riverside Cemetery.

Mr. Hill was born December 23, 1945 in Terrell County, GA. He was educated in the Dougherty County Public School System and later served two consecutive tours as an Aircraft Mechanic in the United States Air Force. He retired from Miller Brewery where he worked as a machinist.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Louise Hill; his father, Rev. Dr. Emmitt D. Hill, Sr.; his children, Keith, Mark (Angie), Heather, Kimberly; step children, Clarissa, Anthony (Melinda) of Abbeyville, AL; Grandchildren, Kervin, Marnell, Terry Jr.; Step Grandchildren, Tecoria, Arlenzo, Ramiret, Ashley, Fredrick, Fredera, Rickera, Auntanzia, Lacosha; Sisters, Peggy (George), Gwendolyn (Luther), Cecilia; Brothers, Kenderson and Henry; Sisters-in-law, Ethel, Christine (Mack), Catherine, and Janice of Atlanta GA; Brothers-in-law, Willie (Lucille), Lindsey (Carolyn), George (Carma) of Atlanta, GA; a special friend Ora Miller, and a host of uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins and loved ones.

Elliott Funeral Home
Albany 229/436-3553

Johnny Edward Hill

ALBANY — Johnny Edward Hill, 72, of Albany died Thursday, April 17, 2008 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. His funeral arrangements are to be announced.

Kimbrell-Stern, Inc.
Albany 229/883-4152

Sonny Lee

ALBANY — Deacon Sonny Lee, 87, of 636 Jefferies St. died Monday, April 14, 2008 at his home. The funeral services will be 3:30 p.m., Saturday, April 19, 2008 at the Mt. Mary Baptist Church in Sasser, GA. THe Rev. Howard K. James will officiate.

Mr. Lee was born July 20, 1920 in Terrell County. He was educated in the Terrell County School System and later became a farmer.

Survivors include two sons, Mr. Willie Sonny Lee and Mr. Tommy Lee (Gwendolyn), both of Albany; three daughters, Mrs. Mattie Green (Esau), Mrs. Willie Mae Brown (Terry) both of Albany and Ms. Anne Lee of Atlanta, GA; one sister, Mrs. Gussie Smith; two special grandchildren, Cleopatra Lee and Xavier Lee; 35 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, 14 nephews and 10 nieces.

Elliott Funeral Home
Albany 229/436-3553

Hugh Mayerhoff, Jr.

ALBANY — Hugh Mayerhoff, Jr. of Albany died Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at Palmyra Medical Center.

His funeral service will be 11 a.m. Friday, (Today) April 18, 2008 at Covenant Presbyterian Church. Dr. William D. Coker and the Rev. Timothy J. Olds will officiate. The family will receive friends following the service and his interment will follow at a later date.

A native of Basic City MS, Mr. Mayerhoff has lived in Albany for 32 years. He was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church and was a devoted church member, husband to his wife and a devoted father to his children. He was a Civil Service Employee for 44 years and worked at MCLB in Albany. He was preceded in death by his wife Virginia Rose Johnson Mayerhoff.

He is survived by his son, Hugh Charles Mayerhoff, III, of Northridge, CA.; his daughter, Rosemarye Barfield and her husband Calvin of Albany, four grandchildren: Nichole Mayerhoff, Elizabeth Mayerhoff, Kimberly Mayerhoff, and Hugh Charles Mayerhoff IV, all of Orlando FL; his great grandchild, Aiden Jonathan Hunt of Orlando FL; 2 sisters: Ruth Ehgland of Mobile, AL, and Evelyn Purtz, of Santa Rosa, CA.

Those desiring may make memorials to Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2126 W. Edgewater Dr., Albany 31707 or to March Of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Greater Sowega Div., 2531 Lafayette Plaza Dr., Albany, GA 31707.

You may sign the online guestbook and share your own thoughts and memories with the family of Mr. Mayerhoff by visiting Kimbrell-Stern’s website at www.kimbrellstern.com

Kimbrell-Stern, Inc.
Albany 229.883-4152

Valerie C. Wingate

ALBANY — Valerie C. Wingate of Albany died Wednesday, at Savannah Heights Living Center in McCormick, SC. The family will receive friends today 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors and her funeral service will be 1 p.m. Saturday, April 19, 2008 at Kimbrell-Stern with interment to follow in Floral Memory Gardens.

Kimbrell-Stern, Inc
Albany 229/883-4152

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