Jackson County

Rev. Dillard Wesley Austin, 86, of Athens, died Wednesday, July 30, 2008, at Grandview Nursing Home in Athens.
He was born in Jackson County and was preceded in death by a son, Roger Lee Austin.

Survivors include his wife, Annie Geneva Duncan Austin, Athens; sons and daughters-in-law, Darrell and Terresa Austin, Savannah, Jerry and Grace Austin, Lexington; daughters and sons-in-law, Peggy Shaw and Ann and David Hutchins, all of Athens, Patsy and Al Smith, Charleston, S.C., and Marie and Gary Lowe, San Diego, Calif.; 17 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Saturday, August 2, in the chapel of Ivie Funeral Home with the Revs. Dennis Kesler and Terry Hagwood officiating. Burial was in the Grey Hill Cemetery.

Ivie Funeral Home, Commerce, was in charge of arrangements.

Susan H. Guthrie, 61, of Jefferson, died Tuesday, July 20, 2008.

She was born on February 4, 1947, in Fond Du Lac, Wisc., the daughter of the late James R. and Elizabeth Lamb Hersey. She was originally an English teacher, and also an insurance underwriter, and retired from the Magbee Lumber Supply in Duluth.

Survivors include her husband, Hugh Guthrie Jr., Jefferson; sister and brother-in-law, Martha Hersey and Michael Clarke, Galveston, Texas; brothers and sisters-in-law, Michael and Patricia Hersey, Ghent, Ky., and Dana and Rita Hersey, Austin, Texas; brother-in-law and wife, Peter and Beverly Guthrie, Jefferson; sister-in-law and husband, Kay and David Autrey, Jefferson; mother-in-law, Emily Guthrie, Jefferson; and various nieces and nephews.

A memorial gathering was held Saturday, August 2, at the clubhouse of Northminister Estates in Jefferson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 6500 Sugarloaf Pkwy., Suite 260, Duluth, Ga. 30097, or the American Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 3715 Northside Pkwy., Building 400, Ste. 300, Atlanta, Ga. 30327.

Evans Funeral Home, Jefferson, was in charge of arrangements.

Hazel Nix Bond, 79, of Athens, died Thursday, July 31, 2008, at her residence.

Born in Jackson County, she was the daughter of the late Tom and Mell Payne Worley.

Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Gena Nix, Jefferson; daughters and sons-in-law, Angel and Johnny Pierce, Athens, and Linda and Nicky Peppers, Jefferson; brothers, Ralph Worley, Jefferson, and Thomas Worley, Oakwood; sisters, Lucille Lee, Winder, and Sue Stockton, Jefferson; 12 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and 14 great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Saturday, August 2, in the chapel of Ivie Funeral Home with the Rev. Wayne Wells officiating. Burial was in the White Plains Baptist Church cemetery.

Ivie Funeral Home, Commerce, was in charge of arrangements.

Jack L. Gray, 70, of Hammond, Ind., died Monday, July 21, 2008, following a heart attack.

He was born February 24, 1938, in Tennessee, moving to Indiana in his teenage years. He was a retired construction contractor and served as an honor guard in the United States Army under the Eisenhower administration.

Survivors include his wife, Percola “Sue” Gray; sons, Dewayne Gray, Kevin Gray, James Hubert “Jim” Gray, all of Hammond, Ind.; brothers and sister-in-law, Jim and Millie Gray, Maysville, Carl Gray, Dahlonega; sisters and brothers-in-law, Dee and Willard “Will” Jump, Madisonville, Tenn., Sue and Leonard Sampson, Valpariso, Ind.; brother and sister-in-law, Don and Patty Welch, Poryear, Tenn.

Funeral services were held Thursday, July 24, at Kuiper Funeral Home with the Rev. David Sampson officiating. Burial was in Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens, Schereville, Ind.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

Kuiper Funeral Home, Highland, Ind., was in charge of arrangements.

Dorothy M. Wills, 92, of Jefferson, died Tuesday, July 29, 2008.

She was born on September 23, 1915, in Renfron, Okla., the daughter of the late Roy and Emma Myrick. She was a retired nurse, working at the Winder-Barrow and BJC Hospitals and was a homemaker. She was a veteran of the United States Army, serving during World War II as a nurse, and attended Galilee Christian Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Wills; a brother, Leroy Myrick; sister, Ruth Myrick; and son-in-law, Bobby Aaron.

Survivors include children and spouses, Carol Aaron and James Allen and Dianne Wills, Jackie and Randy Johnson, all of Jefferson, Jean and Arden Hothem, Gainesville; sisters, Mary Ann Pitts and Betty Sims, Mississippi, Darlene Uber, Michigan, and Jean Richardson, Kansas; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be announced later.

Evans Funeral Home, Jefferson, is in charge of arrangements.

Floy Poole Seay, 89, of Gainesville, died Monday, July 28, 2008, at the Oaks at Limestone Heritage, following an extended illness.

She was a lifelong resident of Hall County and was the daughter of the late Andrew “Ben” and Ethel Cagle Poole. She was a member of Timber Ridge Baptist Church, and was preceded in death by her husband, Lewis H. Seay; infant daughter, Shirley Ann Seay; brothers, Guy Poole, killed in action during WWII, Norman Poole and Carl Poole; sister, Betty Adams. She was retired from New Holland Cotton Mill.

Survivors include a son, James R. Seay; brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Edna Poole; sister-in-law, Wilma Poole; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Fred and Estelle Seay, Gainesville, Mary Sue King, Bonaire, and Lucille Jacks, Maysville; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 31, at 3 p.m., at Timber Ridge Baptist Church with the Revs. Dean Bryant and Alvin Burns officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday, July 30, from 3 to 9 p.m., at the funeral home.

Memorial Park Funeral Home, Gainesville, is in charge of arrangements.