Michaeline Rozier Reddish
Jesup—Michaeline Rozier Reddish, 56, died Dec. 30, 2021, at her home under the care of her family and GHC Hospice.
Born in Hinesville, she grew up in Long County and graduated from Long County High School. She lived in Jesup most of her life and was a homemaker and loving wife, mother, sister and friend.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Alice Young Rozier, and brother, Buddy Rozier.
Survivors include her husband, Rusty Reddish of Jesup; daughters, Daisy Madison Reddish and Jessica Morgann Reddish of Jesup; sisters, Louise Padgett and Shirley Williamson of Ludowici; a brother, Archie Poppell; close friends, Ruth Palmer and Joy Strickland; and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services were held Jan. 3 from Baggs Cemetery with the Rev. Robert Long officiating.
Active pallbearers were Timmy Rozier, Chris Carter, Colton Peacock, Bruce Palmer, Brett Clark and Greg Dawson.
Family and friends may sign the online register at www.howardfuneralga.com.
Howard Funeral Home of Ludowici was in charge of arrangements.
Felton Eugene Batten Sr.
Odum—Felton Eugene Batten Sr., 89, died Dec. 31, 2021, at Memorial Health in Savannah.
He was a native of Pierce County and lived in Wayne County most of his life. He was a retired lead operator with ITT Rayonier with 40-plus years of service and owned and operated Batten’s Mower Shop for many years.
He enjoyed fishing and was a member of New Hope Free Will Baptist Church, where he sang in the choir. He was proud to have been baptized in the Jordan River on Nov. 9, 1984.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Genia Batten; a son, Kenneth Batten; and a grandson, Robert Batten.
Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Kay and Ralph O’Quinn of Odum; a son, Gene Batten of Odum; great-grandchildren, Zoey and Lincoln; grandchildren, Craig (Johnna) O’Quinn, Matthew (Christy) Batten and Jordan Batten of Odum, Richard (Melany) Batten and Johnathan Batten of Ellijay, Dedria (Mark) Westberry and Carlton Batten of Jesup; great-grandchildren, Daphne (Jorden), Garrison, Gage (Gracie), Jodi (Jordan), Brianna (Cole) and Alex; and great-great-grandchildren, Mylee, Ava, Nash and Jaxon.
Funeral services were held Jan. 4 from New Hope Free Will Baptist Church with the Rev. Tim Horne officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Allen Boyd Sr., Allen Boyd Jr., Brad Reddish, Tony Byrd, Roger Anderson and Al Copeland.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Senior Adult Sunday School Class of New Hope FBC.
Remembrances are suggested to New Hope Free Will Baptist Church, 1240 New Hope Road, Jesup, GA 31545.
Howard Funeral Home of Ludowici was in charge of arrangements.
Lawanda Allen Lesher
Jesup—Lawanda Allen Lesher, 60, of Jesup died Dec. 28, 2021.
The Wayne County native was a homemaker who loved to take care of her family. Some favorite pastimes were cooking, watercolor painting, sightseeing and traveling.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Ward Lesher; her parents, Henry and Ruby Mae Dyal Allen; a brother, Ronnie Lee Teston; and an aunt, Charlotte Ring.
Survivors include her companion, Ronald Myers of Jesup; a daughter, LaWanda (Stephen) Ryals of Jesup; a son, Virgil Lee (Charlotte) Dover; grandchildren, Janalei and Jayden Ryals; an uncle, Aubrey Ring; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Graveside funeral services were held Dec. 31 in the Jesup City Cemetery with the Rev. Keith Lairsey officiating. Active pallbearers were family and friends.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Joyce Faye Swartzlander
Jesup—Joyce Faye Swartzlander, 78, of Jesup died Jan. 1, 2022.
She had spent most of her adult life in Wayne County and enjoyed fishing and spending time with her family.
Survivors include a brother, Bobby (Virginia) Swartzlander, and his family, Kevin (Kim) Swartzlander, Cindy Swartzlander, Heather (Derek) Edenfield, all of Jesup, and several great-nieces and great-nephews.
Funeral services were held Jan. 3 at Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home with the Rev. Calvin Anderson officiating. Interment followed in George Cemetery. Active pallbearers were her family.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Arthur “Jarrell” Coffee
Jesup—Arthur “Jarrell” Coffee, 78, of Jesup died Jan. 1, 2022.
The Crisp County native had lived in Jesup most of his adult life and attended Calvary Baptist Church. He was honored to serve his country in the U.S. Army for 11 years with two terms of deployment in Vietnam earning several honors, including the Bronze Star.
His career began with 1st Franklin Financial and lasted 35 years before he retired as chief operations officer. His love of golf allowed him much enjoyment and shared friendships. He was a member of the Pine Forest Country Club for the last 44 years, serving on the Board of Directors and as past president of the Men’s Golf Association. He thoroughly enjoyed his 12:30 p.m. weekday men’s golf group. Being a lifetime member of the VFW post No. 411 and the Jesup Elks Lodge afforded him many good friendships.
He was predeceased by his siblings, Spencer and John Coffee and Janice Johnson and Robbie Picha.
He says “goodbye” to his companion, friend and wife of 45 years, Ruby Fennel Coffee of Jesup; her children, Rhonda (John) Martin of Brunswick and Bo (Jeanne) Lewis of Lenoir, North Carolina; grandchildren, Keith (Valerie) Martin, Misti (Brad) Lang, Kristen and Kaity Lewis; great-grandchildren, Kaitlin, Halle, Rylee and Kamryn Martin, Lexi and Blake Lang; numerous other nieces and nephews; sisters, Sally Ann Bagwell of Cordele and Lacree (Larry) Ellison of St. Simons, Island; and a special nephew, Jerry (Neice) Coffee of Leesburg.
Celebration-of-life services were held Jan. 4 at Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Vann Dempsey officiating. Honorees were members of the Pine Forest Country Club Men’s Golf Association and PFCC Women’s Golf Association and retired and present employees of 1st Franklin Corporation. Private interment services were held at Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery.
The family requests memorials be made to Pine Forest Men’s Golf Club Association Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 70, Jesup, GA 31598.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mary Lou Hake
Jesup—Mary Lou Hake, 94, died peacefully on Dec. 29, 2021, at Harborview Healthcare Center in Jesup under the care of Hospice of South Georgia.
She was born on April 30, 1927, in Greenville, Pennsylvania, to the late Harry and Anna Jones White. She spent her early years in Warren, Ohio, and was a graduate of Warren G. Harding High School.
She was joined in holy matrimony with the love of her life, her late husband, Robert L. Hake, on March 10, 1948, and the two lived in Niles, Ohio and Euclid, Ohio before relocating to Willoughby, Ohio, in 1955.
She worked for Lords-town Art Depot, Warren Credit Bureau and Meister Publishing in Willoughby and was a very active member of the Willoughby United Methodist Church, where she volunteered weekly in the church office for more than 25 years. She was also involved in the Evangelism Committee and the Quilting Guild.
In her spare time, she enjoyed reading, gardening and quilting. Golfing was always one of her favorite pastimes, and she was a longtime member of the St. Denis Tuesday Golf League.
In her later years, she enjoyed traveling, especially when she was touring lighthouses. She had made an effort to visit every lighthouse on the Eastern Coast of the United States.
In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her infant son, Ronald L. Hake; her son, Terence E. Hake; sisters, Katherine L. White and Elizabeth M. Cleaton; and a brother, Harry E. White Jr.
Survivors include her daughter, Kristine Mattingly of Hinesville; four grandsons, Matt Mattingly III of Rincon and Cameron (Shauna) Mattingly of Jesup, Adam Mattingly of Jesup, and Erik (Chelsea) Mattingly of Jesup; and great-grandchildren, Emree Mattingly, Cameron Robert “L.C.” Mattingly, Karter Mattingly and Hattie Mattingly.
Interment and a celebration of life will take place in the Willoughby Cemetery at a later date.
The family wishes to express its deepest gratitude to the staff of Harborview Healthcare Center and Hospice of South Georgia for going above and beyond to care for her during her final days. The loving and compassionate care shown has been and will always be greatly appreciated, the family said.
Family and friends may sign the guestbook online at www.jesupfuneralhome.com.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Christopher Anthony Harrell
Jesup—Christopher Anthony Harrell, 55, of Jesup died Dec. 27, 2021, at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, after a brief illness.
He was born in Jesup on Feb. 23, 1966, to the late Pee Wee and Paulette Harrell. He spent his early years in Jesup and was educated in the Wayne County school system, where he played sports. He was especially talented in football and was a linebacker for the Wayne County High Yellow Jackets. He truly loved football and enjoyed playing with his friends and teammates.
Later, he attended Brewton-Parker College and returned home to settle into a career as a pipefitter and welder for Coastal Industrial Contractors, even working as a welding teacher at Coastal Pines Technical College for a while.
He was blessed with the gift of woodworking and carpentry skills. He built a home for his parents and had completed countless projects for family and friends. He attended Turning Point Worship Center and always enjoyed going to flea markets and auctions and taking trips to Walmart, where he could catch up with friends.
Survivors include his two sons, Hagan Harrell of Tampa, Florida, and Seth Harrell of Jesup; one sister and brother-in-law, Tammie and Mitchell Mobley of Jesup; and two nephews, Kelly (Amber) Mobley of Covington and Casey Mobley of Jesup.
Memorial services will be held at 6 p.m. on Jan. 10 at Howard and Jones Funeral Home with Pastor Scott Hatten officiating.
Family and friends may sign the guestbook online at www.jesupfuneralhome.com.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Thelma Shirlene Banks
Jesup—Thelma Shirlene Banks, 66, of Jesup died suddenly Dec. 27, 2021, at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital.
The Wayne County native was a member of Parkway Church of God. She was known for kindness, love of God and her community service.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 36 years, Jerry Banks.
Survivors include her son, Christopher “Eric” Banks; a daughter-in-law, Cheryl Banks; and a grandson, Keegan Banks.
A private memorial service will be held by family.
Patty Ann Head
Jesup—Patty Ann Head, 62, of Jesup, died Nov. 3, 2021, at Piedmont Memorial Hospital in Macon after an extended illness.
The Wayne County native was a former deli manager for the Kmart store. She loved the Atlanta Braves and spent one of her last moments watching them in the World Series. She most enjoyed spending time with her grandson, Keegan. Her kind spirit and friendly smile wereknown best by those close to her.
Survivors include a daughter, Cheryl Banks; a son, Joshua Lanier; a son-in-law, Eric Banks; and a grandson, Keegan Banks.
A private memorial service will be held by family.
Jason Chayne Fulford
Atlanta—Jason Chayne Fulford, 40, of Atlanta died suddenly on Jan. 1, 2022.
He was a native of Wheeler County and the son of John S. Fulford and Lisa Callow Fulford. He was employed with Suzanna’s Kitchen and was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 199 of Lumber City.
Survivors include his parents, Lisa C. Fulford of Lineville, Alabama and John (Joann) Fulford of Alamo; sister, Amber Fulford of Hermosa Beach, California; stepbrothers, Tyler Rapp, Tracy Rapp and Travis Rapp; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
A memorial service was held Jan. 5 at Alamo First Baptist Church.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.vaughnfh.com.
Vaughn Funeral Home of McRae was in charge of arrangements.
Shirley Goss Tillman
Marietta—Shirley Goss Tillman, 71, of Marietta died Dec. 14, 2021.
She was the young-est of six children born to Herbert Goss and Verdie (Moody) Goss in Jesup. She graduated from Wayne County High School. She retired as a budget analyst with the State of Georgia after nearly 25 years of service. She loved to travel and spend time with friends and family, especially her husband and grandchildren. She visited 33 states and dozens of countries in Europe, North America and the Caribbean.
Her infectious laugh and kind spirit will be missed by everyone who had the honor of meeting her, her family said.
She is survived by her husband of nearly 55 years, Joe Floyd Tillman Sr.; sons, Joe “Rocky” Floyd Tillman Jr. of Douglasville and John “Stoney” Preaster (Grace) Tillman of Lawrenceville; and grandchildren, Christopher Brett Tillman, Sarah Verdie Tillman, Hannah Margaret Tillman and John Armand Tillman.
A memorial service was held at Piedmont Church of Christ on Dec. 20. Burial followed at Kennesaw Memorial Park in Marietta.