Mr. John Willie Avery, 71, of Wrens entered into rest on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015, at 11:42 p.m. at Georgia Regents Hospital, Augusta.
Mr. Avery was born on March 18, 1944, to the late George Edgar Avery and Adell Ingram Avery in Jefferson County. He attended the Jefferson County School System. Mr. Avery joined Lofton AME Church, Wrens, at an early age. He married Louise Thomas on April 6, 1964. He was employed at Hamburg Industries for 14 years and Air Balance (Mestek) for 20 years.
Funeral services were held on Monday, Nov. 9, 2015, at 1 p.m. at Stone Springfield AME Church, Stapleton, with Rev. Stephen Smith officiating. Interment was held in Lofton AME Church Cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Eddie Avery Sr.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Louise Thomas Avery; children, Willie Marion (RayLynn) Avery, Gilbert Douglas (Janice) Avery, Sharon Denise Avery, Vanessa Cassandra (Larry) Moss and Helen Marie (Billy) Thomas; siblings, Sammie Lee Avery, Angela (Terry) Lane and Walter George Nelson; grandchildren, Tiffany, Danielle, Willie, Shakayla, Jasmine, Kennedy, Tylar, Nyla, Averi, Courtney and Jenise; nine great-grandchildren; aunt, Lucy Madison; uncles, James (Mary) Avera and Harry (Eva Jean) Avery; brother-in-law, Phillip (Melrose) Palmer; sisters-in-law, Eva Jean (Joe) Boyd and Annie Lee Walker; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Freeman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Geneva Johnson Bussell, 88, of Tennille entered into rest on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, at Tennille Retirement Home.
Mrs. Bussell was a lifelong resident of Washington County, the daughter of the late Brooks and Elizabeth Johnson. She was a member of Mt. Nebo Primitive Baptist Church, Mitchell, where she attended all her life. She retired as a supervisor from Delta Apparel after 48 years.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015, at May Smith Funeral Home Chapel, Sandersville, with Elder Kenneth Brantley and Rev. Devita Bussell Parnell officiating. Burial was at Zeta Cemetery, Tennille.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, George Bussell.
Survivors include her children, Gary Bussell (Kathy), Sandersville, and Dale Bussell Gibson (Walter), Statesboro; grandchildren, Devita Parnell (Mark), Lilburn, Charles Gibson, Atlanta, and Gina Gibson Richardson (Jeff), Statesboro; great-grandchildren, Tyler and Julia Parnell, Lilburn, and Monroe Richardson, Statesboro; sister, Nadine Johnson Faulkner, Stockbridge.
Pallbearers were Charles Gibson, Jeff Richardson, Mark Parnell, Jerry Case, Lewis Berry and Andy Rogers.
Honorary pallbearers were friends of the Afternoon McDonalds Group.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Tennille Zeta Cemetery Trust, P.O. Box 1, Tennille, GA 31089.
May and Smith Funeral Directors was in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Betty A. Huff, 68, of Stapleton entered into rest on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015, at Doctors Hospital.
There will be no funeral services.
Mrs. Huff was a native of Wilkes County, but had lived in Stapleton for many years. She retired from Thomson Company, and was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Anthony “Shimdig” Huff, Stapleton; sons, David Michael Cowart, Harlem, and Lynn Rabun, Thomson; daughter, Christina Dawn Hicks, Harlem; grandchildren, Courtney Ann Oglesby, Michael Tray Cowart, Christopher Brice Hicks, Kayla Danielle Hicks, Shayna Nicole Hicks, Timothy Lynn Rabun and Tiffany Lynn Rabun; and five great-grandchildren.
Curtis Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Miss Michelle Lockhart of Hephzibah entered into rest on Monday, Nov. 2, 2015, at Georgia Regents Medical Center, Augusta.
Miss Lockhart was a native of Burke County. She was born to Isaiah Lockhart Sr. and the late Margaree “Bunch” Brady Lockhart in Richmond County. At an early age, she joined Eden Missionary Baptist Church, where she served on the Kitchen Committee. She was a 1987 graduate of Waynesboro High School. She was employed as an EMT and home healthcare worker for several years, and later worked and retired in May 1999 as a LPN with Gracewood Hospital.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, at 1 p.m. at Eden Missionary Baptist Church, Louisville. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
She was preceded in death by her mother; and brother, Isaiah Lockhart Jr.
Survivors include her father, Isaiah Lockhart Sr., Hephzibah; daughter, Sharicia Lockhart, Hephzibah; brother, Terry Tracy (Tanja) Lockhart, Hinesville; aunts and uncles, Mary Alice (Elder Mark) Walden, Luretha Brady and George Brady, all of Augusta, Lillie Mae Frazier, Philadelphia, Pa., Katie Mae Kiddle, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Rev. Dr. Augustus (Dr. Bertha) Lockhart, Louisville, and James Brady, Swainsboro; nieces and nephews, including one she reared as her own, Cushena (Jerry) Jordan, Stapleton, Isaiah Lockhart, Waynesboro, Demetria Lockhart, Decatur, Dontez Blackshire, Jonesboro, Aisha Lockhart, Kansas City, Mo., Destinee Lockhart, Hinesville, Bianca Newkirt, Augusta, and Chardan Newkirt, Augusta; cousin, Elaine Boyd; and a host of cousins, other relatives and friends.
Davis Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Dr. James Luther Mays, 94, entered into rest on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015.
A memorial service will be held at Watts Chapel at Union Presbyterian Seminary on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, at 2 p.m.
Dr. Mays was born in Louisville, son of James Allen Mays and Ruth Irene Mosteller. He was educated at Louisville Academy and Erskine College. In 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, where he served in both the European and Pacific theaters. After the war, he attended Columbia University and then entered Union Theological Seminary, Virginia. He was a Fellow at the University of Basel, Switzerland, and received his doctorate at the University of Manchester, England. During his tenure, he taught as a Fulbright Professor at the University of Goettingen, Germany. He served two pastorates before joining the faculty of Union Theological Seminary, where he was a member of the faculty. He published commentaries on the prophetic books of the Bible and the book of Psalms. During his career, he served as editor of the journal, Interpretation, and was the founder and general editor of the commentary series, Interpretation. After his retirement, Dr. Mays participated in research and educational programs of the Center for Theological Inquiry at Princeton. He was a member of Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Va., The Providence Forge Fishing Club and a senior member of the Old Testament Fishing Society. Dr. Mays was a resident of Covenant Woods retirement community, Hanover County, Va.
Survivors include his wife of 72 years, Mary Will Boyd; daughters, Sarah (James) Mays Rogerson Passard of Alameda, Calif., and Mary Frances Mays of Richmond, Va.; grandchildren, Samuel and Arran Rogerson, and Abigail, Mimi and Naomi Simon; sons-in-law, Charles Rogerson of Alameda, Calif., and Alex Simon of Richmond, Va.; sister, Sarah Cannon; nieces and nephews, Mary Downey and Olin Cannon, both of Augusta, and Robert C. Boyd, Fayetteville.
Memorial gifts may be sent to Union Presbyterian Seminary, 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23227 or to Covenant Woods, 7090 Covenant Woods Drive, Mechanicsville, VA 23111.
Bennett Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Lanier M. Padgett, 73, of Avera entered into rest on Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, at University Hospital, Augusta.
Mr. Padgett was a lifelong resident of Avera, a son of the late Zeke and Estelle Padgett and Dave and Lena Padgett. He was a lifelong member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Avera, and retired as supervisor from Thermo King after 35 years of service. Mr. Padgett served on Avera City Council for eight years.
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015, at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Avera, with Rev. Frank Thigpen and Rev. John Beck officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Dera Brooks, Doris Milburn and Ogle Atkins; and brother, Johnny Padgett.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Glender Padgett of Avera; son, Jeffrey Padgett of Avera; daughter, Kim (Kevin) Poss of Gibson; grandson, Jackson Poss of Gibson; brother, Albert (Rachel) Padgett of Avera; sisters-in-law, Johnnie Walden of Louisville, Malene Padgett of Avera, Frankie (Forest) Johnson of Martinez, Vivian Braddock of Gibson and Joyce Smith of Waynesboro; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Pallbearers were John Padgett, Timmy Padgett, Charles Padgett, Johnny Padgett Jr., Billy Faglier, Charles Roberts, Ralph Kelley, Chuck Terry and M.L. Hadden.
Taylor Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.