ATHENS – Harry L. Wilson, 81, died Thursday, January 14, 2010.
A native of Banks County, he was the son of the late George Thomas and Ettie Lord Wilson. He was retired from Mt. Vernon Mills and also as a school bus driver for Madison County. Mr. Wilson was preceded in death by brothers, Rufus, Howard, J.C., Olan and Buford Wilson; and sisters, Gholmer Prince, Louise Anderson and Dorothy Lord.
Survivors include his wife, Bessie Stoyle Wilson, Athens; daughters, Sherry Olczak, East Greenville, Pa., Debra Ondic, Gracie Waldrup, Joy Wilson and Sonya Serua, all of Athens; a son, Harry Thomas Wilson, Athens; sisters, Zelma Smith, Thelma Smith and Genelle Chandler, all of Commerce; grandchildren, Denise Rodriguez, Canonsburg, Pa., Matthew Olzcak, East Greenville, Pa., Sean Ondic, Seth Wilson, Justin Wilson, Shelby Wilson and Kenneth Jackson, all of Athens, Siobian Minish, Commerce; and a great-grandchild, Alejandro Rodriguez, Canonsburg, Pa.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 16, at 2 p.m., in the chapel of Bridges Funeral Home with the Revs. Larry Elliott and Dayton Logan officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Athens Regional Hospice, 1199 Prince Ave., Athens, GA 30606, or the American Cancer Society, 1684 Barnett Shoals Rd., Athens, GA 30605.
Bridges Funeral Home, Athens, is in charge of arrangements.
Banks County - Topics from January, 2010
Ruby Simmons
ALTO – Ruby Bonds Simmons, 78, died Tuesday, January 12, 2010, at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center following an extended illness.
Born on June 8, 1931, in Banks County, she was the daughter of the late Warren and Maggie Brock Bonds. She was a member of the Yonah Congregational Holiness Church and was retired from Global Tech. Mrs. Simmons was preceded in death by her husband, Archie Simmons; grandchildren, Mark Abernathy and Melissa Mobley; sister, Grace Davidson; and brothers, Charlie Bonds, Myles Bonds and J.B. Bonds.
Survivors include daughters and sons-in-law, Elaine Sullens, Martha and Jimmy Turner, all of Alto; Karen and Clifford Spry, Cornelia; sisters, Cara Dodd, Alto, Ruth Acery, Cornelia, Bonnie Bagwell, Buford; five grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, January 14, at 2 p.m., from the Yonah Congregational Holiness Church with the Revs. John Umberhant, Howard Payne and Delmar Simmons officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Wednesday, January 13, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.
Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, Baldwin, is in charge of arrangements.
Born on June 8, 1931, in Banks County, she was the daughter of the late Warren and Maggie Brock Bonds. She was a member of the Yonah Congregational Holiness Church and was retired from Global Tech. Mrs. Simmons was preceded in death by her husband, Archie Simmons; grandchildren, Mark Abernathy and Melissa Mobley; sister, Grace Davidson; and brothers, Charlie Bonds, Myles Bonds and J.B. Bonds.
Survivors include daughters and sons-in-law, Elaine Sullens, Martha and Jimmy Turner, all of Alto; Karen and Clifford Spry, Cornelia; sisters, Cara Dodd, Alto, Ruth Acery, Cornelia, Bonnie Bagwell, Buford; five grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, January 14, at 2 p.m., from the Yonah Congregational Holiness Church with the Revs. John Umberhant, Howard Payne and Delmar Simmons officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Wednesday, January 13, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.
Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, Baldwin, is in charge of arrangements.
Juno Samples
HOMER - Juno Wilford Samples, 80, died Friday, January 1, 2010, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center due to an extended illness.
He was born September 19, 1929, in Gainesville, to Hansel Namon and Lillie Grogan Samples. He worked in the poultry business with Jesse Jewell for 25 years and with Fieldale Farms for 27 years. He was a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. He taught Sunday School for 45 years at Community Baptist and Mt. Carmel and was ordained as a Deacon on June 3, 1950, and was active on the Deacon boards at both Community Baptist and Mt. Carmel Baptist.
Mr. Samples was inducted into the Poultry Hall of Fame for Fieldale Farms. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He never met a stranger and loved life. He always had a positive attitude and he always saw the best in himself, his family and others.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Robbie Lee "Bobbie" Samples, Homer; a daughter, Sandra Samples Fulghum, Royston; grandson, Robbie Fulghum, Royston; step-granddaughters and husbands, Michelle and Forest Sanders, Peachtree City, and Tabitha and Jason Freeman, Augusta; step-great-grandchildren, Madison and Sydney Sanders, Peachtree City, Bailey and Jackson Freeman, Augusta; and a host of relatives that he truly loved.
Funeral services were held Monday, January 4, in the chapel of Memorial Park Funeral Home with the Revs. James Duncan, Phillip Parks and Bethel Midget officiating. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Building Fund, 2405 Hwy. 51, Lula, GA 30554.
Memorial Park Funeral Home, Gainesville, was in charge of arrangements.
He was born September 19, 1929, in Gainesville, to Hansel Namon and Lillie Grogan Samples. He worked in the poultry business with Jesse Jewell for 25 years and with Fieldale Farms for 27 years. He was a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. He taught Sunday School for 45 years at Community Baptist and Mt. Carmel and was ordained as a Deacon on June 3, 1950, and was active on the Deacon boards at both Community Baptist and Mt. Carmel Baptist.
Mr. Samples was inducted into the Poultry Hall of Fame for Fieldale Farms. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He never met a stranger and loved life. He always had a positive attitude and he always saw the best in himself, his family and others.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Robbie Lee "Bobbie" Samples, Homer; a daughter, Sandra Samples Fulghum, Royston; grandson, Robbie Fulghum, Royston; step-granddaughters and husbands, Michelle and Forest Sanders, Peachtree City, and Tabitha and Jason Freeman, Augusta; step-great-grandchildren, Madison and Sydney Sanders, Peachtree City, Bailey and Jackson Freeman, Augusta; and a host of relatives that he truly loved.
Funeral services were held Monday, January 4, in the chapel of Memorial Park Funeral Home with the Revs. James Duncan, Phillip Parks and Bethel Midget officiating. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Building Fund, 2405 Hwy. 51, Lula, GA 30554.
Memorial Park Funeral Home, Gainesville, was in charge of arrangements.
Etta Wiley
CORNELIA – Etta Lynette Wright Wiley, 76, died Saturday, January 9, 2010, at her residence following a sudden illness.
Born in Banks County on May 9, 1933, she was the daughter of the late John Newton and Mary Etta Ivie Wright. She was employed as an operator at Freudenberg NOK for 17 years and was a member of Alto Baptist Church. Mrs. Wiley was preceded in death by an infant sister; and a sister-in-law, Evelyn Nix Wright.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Myra and Hank Williams, Alto; brother, Ralph Wright, Cornelia; grandchildren and spouses, Eston and Jessica Willis and Lloyd and Jessica Willis; great-grandchildren, William David Willis, Sawyer Allen Willis and Kaitlyn Gary.
Funeral services will be held Monday, January 11, at 1 p.m., from the chapel of McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home with the Rev. Terry Dale officiating. Burial will be in Enon Baptist Church Cemetery.
McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home, Cornelia, is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Banks County on May 9, 1933, she was the daughter of the late John Newton and Mary Etta Ivie Wright. She was employed as an operator at Freudenberg NOK for 17 years and was a member of Alto Baptist Church. Mrs. Wiley was preceded in death by an infant sister; and a sister-in-law, Evelyn Nix Wright.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Myra and Hank Williams, Alto; brother, Ralph Wright, Cornelia; grandchildren and spouses, Eston and Jessica Willis and Lloyd and Jessica Willis; great-grandchildren, William David Willis, Sawyer Allen Willis and Kaitlyn Gary.
Funeral services will be held Monday, January 11, at 1 p.m., from the chapel of McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home with the Rev. Terry Dale officiating. Burial will be in Enon Baptist Church Cemetery.
McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home, Cornelia, is in charge of arrangements.
Eugenia Estes
HOMER - Eugenia Smith Estes, 88, formerly of Avondale Estates, died Sunday, December 27, 2009, at her residence.
Born in Atlanta, she had lived most of her life in Avondale Estates. She was a homemaker and an active member of the Decatur First United Methodist Church and Avondale Garden Club.
Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Egbert W. Estes; daughters and son-in-law, Ellen Whitfield, Karen and Keith Campbell, all of Homer; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, December 30, 2009, from the chapel of A.S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home in Decatur.
A.S. Turner & Sons, Decatur, was in charge of arrangements.
Born in Atlanta, she had lived most of her life in Avondale Estates. She was a homemaker and an active member of the Decatur First United Methodist Church and Avondale Garden Club.
Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Egbert W. Estes; daughters and son-in-law, Ellen Whitfield, Karen and Keith Campbell, all of Homer; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, December 30, 2009, from the chapel of A.S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home in Decatur.
A.S. Turner & Sons, Decatur, was in charge of arrangements.
Expressions of sympathy