Mr. Johnny W. Bargainnier, 91, of Brunswick entered into rest on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015, at Hospice of the Golden Isles.
Born in Louisville, Mr. Bargainnier had been a resident of Brunswick since 1990. He was a longtime resident of Savannah, where he retired with 42 years of service with Union Camp Corp. He also served in the U.S. Navy and was a WWII veteran.
Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 28, 2015, at Brunswick Memorial Park Cemetery, with Rev. Drew Thompson officiating.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita; brothers, Obe and Malcolm; sisters, Jetta Allen and Emily New; sister-in-law, Clarice Bargainnier; and nephews, Donald L. Hartley and Ronnie Bargainnier.
Survivors include his sons, Derrell Bargainnier (Jere) and Barry Bargainnier (Vicki), both of Brunswick; brother, Charles Bargainnier of Rome; grandchildren, Stacie Haire (Audie), Tara Duckworth (Mike), Jeremy Bargainnier (Sheera) and Kelli Bargainnier; great-grandchildren, Maggie Duckworth, Nathan Duckworth, Kate Haire, Matthew Haire, Skyler Bargainnier and Tristan Bargainnier; and a host of other family.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Hospice of the Golden Isles.
Brunswick Memorial Park was in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Jessie Bell Stone Farmer, of Wrens, departed this life Sunday, Jan. 17, at her residence.
Funeral Services will be conducted Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, at 11 a.m. at the Stone Springfield African Methodist Episcopal Church, 7476 Highway 296, Stapleton. Burial will follow in the Church Cemetery.
Farmer was a native of Jefferson County. She was born the daughter of the late Eddie Stone and Leomia Boatwright Stone. She was married the late Olin James Farmer. She was a member of the Stone Springfield African Methodist Episcopal Church where she served on the Missionary Board until her health declined. She retired from Directorate of Public Works in Fort Gordon.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and children; Luretha Farmer, George Farmer, Sr., and Jimmy Farmer, Sr.
Survivors include her children, James Shelton (Ora) Farmer, Clarence (Shirley) Farmer,of Thomson, Eddie (Christine) Farmer, of Davisboro , Henrietta (Donald) Pastor, of Grovetown and Loretta (Edward) Cousins,of Columbia; daughters-in-law, Betty Farmer and Sharon Farmer of Wrens; sisters-in-law Gertrude Butler,of Augusta and Elouise Stokes,of Chicago, IL; brothers-in-law George Farmer,of Lithonia, Willie (Pinky) Farmer,of Long Island, NY and Billy Drayton, of Maryland; 45 grandchildren, 70 great-grandchildren, eight great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives and friends
Family may be contacted at the residence, 808 Walker Street, Wrens, Georgia, or at Davis Funeral Home in Louisville which is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. David C. Jones, 63, of Bartow, died Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21, at the Sandersville United Methodist Church with Reverend Sidney Lambert and Reverend Mike Jones officiating.
Mr. Jones was born in Louisville the son of the late J. R. Jones and the late Sue Tannahill Grabiak. He was a graduate of Georgia College as an educator and coach formerly working for the Washington, Johnson, and Baldwin Counties Boards of Education. Mr. Jones was a current and longtime employee of Dorman Dodge as a salesman. He was a member of the Sandersville United Methodist Church and in recent years attended the Friendship Baptist Church.
Survivors are: his wife, Laurie Peppyria Coleman “Peppi” Jones of Bartow; sons, Joshua Jackson Jones of Statesboro, and Nicholas Tannahill Jones and his wife Mary Kate of Atlanta; stepsons, Baron Wesley Wasden and Jacob Aaron Wasden both of Dunwoody; brothers, John Ridgley Jones and his wife Sandy of Conyers, and Andrew Tannahill Jones and his wife Beth of Carlsbad NM; and his stepfather, Tony Grabiak of Sandersville.
The family will greet friends following the memorial service at the church.
Donation may be made to Pawleys Island House of Worship, “The Chapel”, c/o Betsy Altman at Pawleys Island Reality, P.O. Box 306, Pawleys Island, SC, 29585.
May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.
Kathleen Krystal Hewett Kilbourne died peacefully in her home in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 30, 2015. She is survived by her two sons, Arden Alan Kilbourne and Keith Ray Kilbourne of Orlando, Florida; her granddaughter Laura Cierra Kilbourne and step-grandson Brandon Stevie Kilbourne of Orlando, Florida; and her sister, Joy Hewett, of Silk Hope, North Carolina.
Born in Sandersville, Washington County, Georgia, April 7, 1940, Krystal was the daughter of Kathleen Perkins Hewett and John Ray Hewett. Her grandparents included Ruby Holladay Perkins and Henry Clyde Perkins of Louisville, Georgia, and John G. Hewett and Laura May Hewett of Grange, Georgia.
Krystal worked for CSX in Jacksonville, Florida, from 1986 to 2002 when she retired. She was a member of the DAR. She enjoyed painting, the beach, animals, and travel. She participated in Red Hat Society functions. As a long time Democrat, she also supported women’s rights. She was devoted to her sons and grandchildren.
Taylor Funeral Home of Louisville, Georgia will be assisting the family in a Memorial Service to be held in Louisville, Georgia, in June 2016.
Mr. Roy C. Kitchens, 83, husband of Mrs. Carolyn Kitchens, entered into rest Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016 at Herrington Place.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Jan. 20, in the Curtis Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Faye Burgamy and Rev. Melissa Reynolds officiating. Burial will be in Savannah Valley Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Kitchens was a native of Glascock County, but had lived in Thomson for many years. He worked for Augusta Sportswear and Thomson Company. He was a member of Young Memorial United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Kitchens; two daughters, Teresa (Lawrence) Otwell of Fayetteville, and Terri Hicks of Thomson; a son, Todd (Kathy) Kitchens of McLean Va.; and three grandchildren; two sisters, Janet Wells, of Baker. La. and Joan (Billy) Kitchens of Stapleton; a brother, John (Laura) Kitchens of Wrens.
Pallbearers were Lester Taylor, Johnny Kitchens, Danny Kitchens, Parker Hicks, Jeff Hicks and Keith Chalker.
Friends may call at the residence of Terri Hicks or the funeral home.
Curtis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Judge Walter C. McMillan, Jr., age 86, of Sandersville, died Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016. A memorial service was held on Wednesday, Jan. 20 at the Sandersville United Methodist Church with the Rev. Sidney Lambert and the Rev. Gary Mimbs officiating.
Judge McMillan was the son of the late Walter C. McMillan, Sr. and the late Gladys Dukes McMillan. He was a native and lifelong resident of Sandersville. He served for 40 years as Chief Judge of the Superior Courts for the Middle Judicial Circuit. Judge McMillan followed his father into the practice of law. After attending law school at Woodrow Wilson College of Law in Atlanta, he was admitted to the Bar in 1950. He served with the U.S. Army in Japan during the Korean Conflict. Judge McMillan obtained his undergraduate business degree from the University of Georgia, where he was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity. In 1960 he was elected Solicitor General (now District Attorney) for the Middle Circuit and held that position until he was elected to the Superior Court bench in 1966. Over the next 40 years, Judge McMillan tried thousands of cases, including numerous death penalty prosecutions that garnered national attention. At his retirement in 2006, Judge McMillan held the record as the longest-serving Superior Court Judge in Georgia history.
During his 50 years of public service, Judge McMillan served as President of numerous organizations including the District Attorneys’ Association of Georgia, the Council of Juvenile Court Judges, and the Council of Superior Court Judges. He was a charter member of Georgia’s Judicial Council and, as Chair of the Courts Automation Committee, played a key role in early efforts to bring technology to Georgia’s bench and bar association.
In 2005, the State Bar of Georgia presented him with its distinguished “Traditions of Excellence” award, and in 2007, he was awarded the Washington County’s Citizen of the Year.
After he retired from the bench in 2006, Judge McMillan remained active, practicing law and serving as a special master in the state and federal courts. In 2012, at the age of 83, he started a new law firm, McMillan & Rawlings, LLP, and was actively engaged in representing clients in court. He tried his last jury trial in November, 2014, at the age of 85, successfully defending clients in an action over a property dispute. Even as his physical health failed, he continued his fascination with the law until the end of his life. Besides being a lifelong Georgia Bulldog fan, Judge McMillan was a member of Sandersville United Methodist Church, the Sandersville Masonic Lodge, and the Gridiron Secret Society.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Sally McMillan Starr, and his first wife, Jan Rountree McMillan. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Paige Peterson McMillan of Sandersville; daughter, Leigh McMillan Newman and her husband Chunk of LaGrange; stepdaughters, Emma Holman of Athens and Sumner Holman Markwalter and her husband Jay of Augusta; two granddaughters, Ashley E. Hamilton and her husband Jamie and Beverly Evans; two step-grandchildren, Joe and Hart Markwalter, and many relatives and friends.
The family will receive friends following the memorial service in the Social Hall of the Church.
Donations may be made to the Sandersville United Methodist Church, Post Office Box 611, Sandersville, GA. 31082 or to the donor’s favorite charity in memory of Judge McMillan.
May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.
Mrs. Lillian Milburn Smisson, 94, of Gibson, died Friday afternoon in Jefferson Hospital.
A native of Glascock County, Mrs. Smisson was a daughter of the late Robert L. & Callie Reese Milburn. She had worked as a store clerk, was a homemaker and a member of Fort Valley First Baptist Church.
Mrs. Smisson was preceded in death by her parents; husband Samuel Smisson; brothers J. C. Milburn, Roy Milburn, Horace Milburn, Ralph Milburn and Bobby Milburn; sister Celia M. Parrish; and is survived by a sister and brother in law, Sara and Pete O’Neal of Augusta; several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services were Monday in the Chapel of Taylor Funeral Home in Gibson with Rev. Clay Weed and Mr. Carol Bethune officiating. Nephews served as pallbearers. Graveside services were held in the Oaklawn Cemetery in Fort Valley.
If so desired, memorials may be made to the Together We Grow (TWG) of Fort Valley First Baptist Church, 209 South Miller Street, Fort Valley, GA 31030.
Taylor Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
SSG (Ret) Ronnie “Sweet T” Thomas entered into rest on Jan. 10, 2016.
Mr. Thomas was born on Jan. 20, 1952, in Jefferson County to Bessie King Thomas and Will Thomas. He attended the public school system of Jefferson County, and graduated from Wrens High School, Wrens, in 1972. Mr. Thomas entered into the U.S. Army on July 7, 1973, shortly after graduating from high school. He retired from the U.S. Army as a Staff Sergeant. He married Brenda Brown Thomas in 1976.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, at 2 p.m. at Thompson Springhill AME Church, Matthews, with Rev. Kenneth Hannah presiding and Rev. Thomas Berry as eulogist. Interment was in the church cemetery.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 36 years, Brenda Brown Thomas; pet, Cody; mother, Bessie Thomas; father, Will Thomas; sister, Joann Thomas Little; and brother, John Robert Thomas.
Survivors include his sisters, Judy Thomas of Far Rockaway, N.Y., Faye Smith of Atlanta, Carolyn Brown, Eleanor (Larry) Jackson and Janice Thomas, all of Wrens; brothers, Beau Jack (Margaret) Thomas, Michael (Wanda) Thomas and Bernard Thomas, all of Atlanta, and Walter Thomas of Wrens; aunt, Elizabeth King of Inwood, N.Y.; sisters-in-law, Barbara Ann Thomas and Josephine (Theodis) Hudson, both of Wrens, and Annie Brown of Atlanta; cousins, Eldoria King and Willie Lee Hannah, both of Wrens; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Freeman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.