Archives: Obituaries

ALBANY AREA

Essie Mae Gaines Hall

ALBANY — Essie Mae Gaines Hall, 71, of 1511 Avalon Ave., died Friday, August 11, 2006 at Pinehill Nursing Home in Byromville.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday at Greater Cutliff Grove Baptist Church, with burial to follow in Floral Memory Garden Cemetery. The Rev. McKinley Drake officiating.

Born on July 18, 1935 in Webster County, GA, Mrs. Hall was a caregiver with VMR Retirement Home. She attended Webster County Public Schools. She was a member of New Birth Fellowship Church, where she was a member of the Senior Choir.

Survivors include four daughters, Joyce Biggs of Forrest Park, GA, Alice Hall of Albany, Ivey Childs (William) of Oklahoma City, OK, and Jerry Walker (Archie) of Huntsville, AL; two sisters, Mary Ann Peterson (Willie) of Albany and Annie Lue Statham of Atlanta; and 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held at the church on Thursday morning from 10 a.m. until the funeral hour.

Meadows Funeral Home
Albany 229/439-2262

Allene Hardy Ragan

ALBANY — The funeral service of Allene Hardy Ragan, 90, of 1904 Palmyra Rd., died Friday, August 11, 2006 at Palmyra Nursing Home, will be conducted Monday at 10:30 a.m. at Mathews Funeral Home. The Revs. Elbert Osteen and Bobby Harrell will officiate. Interment will follow at 3 p.m. at Old Daniels Cemetery, Dodge Co. GA.

Mrs. Ragan was born March 27, 1916 to Alfred and Alberta Hardy of Dodge Co., GA. She had resided there until 1989, then moving to Albany, GA. She was a member of Friendship Methodist Church, Dodge Co., GA, where she was a pianist for over 40 years and a Sunday School teacher for many years. She attended First Southern Methodist Church in Albany. She and her husband ran a country grocery for many years until retirement and had always been active in church and community activities. She was one of the founding members of the Antioch Home Demonstration Club. Mrs. Ragan was a loving wife, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and will be remembered by family and friends for her apple tarts.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Wesley A. Ragan and five brothers, A.D. Hardy, Hoke Hardy, Leo Hardy, Norman Hardy and Watson Hardy; five sisters, Mae Weaver, Gladys Bohannon, Azalee Gatlin, Loyce Shadix and Dorene Webb.

Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Akridge of Albany; grandson and his wife, Dan Avery and Sharee' and great-granddaughter, Hannah Avery, all of Acworth, GA; a brother, Paul Hardy and his wife Jewel of Rome, GA; a sister, Alenia Holt of Woodstock, GA; and many nephews and nieces.

The family will be at the residence of Barbara Akridge, 2613 Pine Valley Rd., Albany, GA, and will receive friends today (Sunday) from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at Mathews Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Albany Community Hospice, 2332 Lake Park Dr., Albany, GA 31707, First Southern Methodist Church, 2510 Hilltop Dr., Albany, GA 31707 or Friendship Methodist Church, c/o Larry Haley, 440 Old River Rd., Eastman, GA 31023.

To sign our on-line registry or to send condolences to the family, you may visit Mathews' website at www.mathewsfuneralhome.com.

Mathews Funeral Home
Albany 229/435-5657

William Harold Ragan

ALBANY — Mr. William Harold (Pete) Ragan, 89, of Albany, died Friday, August 11, 2006 at Palmyra Medical Centers.

His funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Monday at Floral Memory Gardens. The Rev. Michael A. McAfee officiating.

A native of Morgan, GA, and a 1934 graduate of Albany High School, Mr. Ragan was a retired photographer and photo engraver with the Albany Herald retiring after 54 years. Mr. Ragan was a veteran of the United States Air Force serving in the South Pacific during World War II and Korean War. He was a former member of the American Legion and VFW. Mr. Ragan was a member of the Albany First United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Ragan, and a sister, Eloise White.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Janelle Kenney Ragan of Albany; a daughter, Kathy Ragan Hopper and her husband Will of Coral Springs, FL; two sons, Bill Ragan and his wife Carol of Peachtree City, GA, and Bob Ragan and Alice Carlson of Albany; grandchildren, Amy Becker and Beth Hopper of Coral Springs, FL, and Brent Hopper of Bay Village, OH, Doug Ragan and Brian Ragan, both of Peachtree City, GA, Jennifer Ragan and Karen Ragan, both of Albany; six great-grandchildren; brother, Robert W. Ragan and his wife Inez of Albany; sister, Betty Jean Chatham and husband Cary of Albany; an aunt, Ruth Hogshead of Morgantown, NC; a cousin, Ronald Strickland of Albany; brothers-in-law, James N. Kenny of Lafayette, AL, and Bob White of Albany.

The family will receive friends today (Sunday) from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. at Kimbrell-Stern.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to a favorite charity.

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

Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors
Albany 229/883-4152

SW GEORGIA

John Henry Brinkley

DAWSON — John Henry Brinkley, 70, of 133 W. Oakland St., Camilla, died Sunday, August 6, 2006. Funeral services were held Saturday at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Camilla, with burial followed in Oakview Cemetery, Camilla.

Ward Funeral Home
Dawson 229/995-5853

Margarette Evelyn Chandler

FITZGERALD — Margarette Evelyn Chandler, 81, of Fitzgerald, died Friday, August 11, 2006. Funeral services will be held today (Sunday) at 4 p.m. at the Paulk Funeral Home Chapel, Fitzgerald. The family will receive friends following the service until 6 p.m. A funeral service and burial will follow in Astatula, Florida.

Paulk Funeral Home
Fitzgerald 229/423-2033

Ruby Lee Walls

ASHBURN — Ruby Lee Walls, 71, of 1657 Joe Lawrence Rd., Ashburn, died Wednesday, August 9, 2006 at her residence.

Funeral services will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Mt. Zion Church of God Apostolic, with burial to follow in Westview Memorial Cemetery, both in Ashburn. Bishop E.L. West officiating.

Born on May 5, 1935, a native of Smithville (Sumter County) GA, Ms. Walls was educated in the Sumter County Public School System. She was a maintenance technician with the Turner County Public School System. She was a member of Mt. Zion Church of God Apostolic, in Ashburn, where she served as a member of the Usher Board.

Survivors include a daughter, Virginia Hicks; two sons, Leroy Jackson, and Albert Jackson; four sisters, Alice Mae Moore of Loughman, FL, Katie Mae Green, and Eva Mae Lewis, both of Haines City, FL, Everline Walls of Atlanta; three brothers, Earl Walls of Tampa, FL, John Arthur Walls of Americus, and Roosevelt Walls of Atlanta; and 10 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Shipp's Funeral Home
Ashburn 229/567-3101

Lee Goodin Whitney

DAWSON — Lee Goodin Whitney, 67, of Dawson, died at her residence on Thursday, August 10, 2006. The memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, August 16, 2006, at the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour in Lee County, with Pastor Bill Diamond officiating.

Mrs. Whitney was a native of LaGrange, born on April 6, 1939, daughter of the late Clark Howell Goodin and Gladys Moore Goodin. She had lived in Dawson since 1974, moving from Atlanta. Her husband was the late John Charles "Jack" Whitney of Dawson.

She was retired Center Director of T & L Industries in Dawson, and officer in the Center Directors Association of Georgia. She was an early and active advocate for supported employment for persons with developmental disabilities.

Lee was an active member of the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, serving on the Church Council and previously had served as president. She was also serving as the church's liaison with the Boys and Girls Club. She was a former member of the Dawson Garden Club and had served as president. She was also an active member of the Terrell Co. Historic Preservation Society and served as secretary for several years.

She enjoyed writing short stories and was published in the Flint River Review. She was an avid bridge player and met regularly to enjoy games with friends in Albany.

Survivors include a son, Steve Whitney and wife, Dawn of West Chicago, IL; a daughter, Anna Whitney of Seattle, WA; a sister, Janie Goodin Brantley and husband, Mike of Cataula; three grandchildren, Sabine Whitney, Jonathan Martini and Nicholas Whitney, all of West Chicago.

Memorials may be made to the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, 101 Hickory Grove Rd., Leesburg, GA 31763.

Visitation will be held from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, at Harvey Funeral Home in Dawson.

Harvey Funeral Home
Dawson 229/995-2104

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