The
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May 6,
2009
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Thomas
Franklin Deitz, born in Murphy, NC, and long time resident of Young
Harris and
Athens, GA, passed from this life at his home in Gainesville, GA, on
Monday,
April 27, following a valiant struggle with problems related to his
failing,
yet lion-sized heart. Tom, born on
January 17, 1952, the son of Charlie Frank and Beulah N. Deitz, and
brother to
sisters, Sarah Virginia and Wilda Lea, lived and grew up in Young
Harris, where
he attended both Towns County public schools and Young Harris College,
where in
later years he would return as a part of the extended college
theatrical
troupe. Upon his graduation from Young
Harris with an A.A. degree and recognition in Who’s Who in Junior
Colleges in
1971, Tom attended the University of Georgia, where he earned his B.A.
in
English in 1973, and his M.A. in English with a focus on Medieval and
Mythic
Literature in 1975. The author of 20
works of Fantasy and Modern Myth, Tom explored not only the spaces
between the
worlds, but the rituals attendant upon growth into adulthood. His books, beginning in 1985 with
Windmaster’s Bane, examined the lives of young protagonists grappling
not only
with the fantastic, but with the at times seemingly overwhelming
obstacles in
the mundane road of adolescence. These
tales resonated with Tom’s enthusiastic fans, who saw themselves in
David
Sullivan, and Calvin McIntosh, and Liz Hughes, and through whom they
could
dream the Hero’s Dream. Tom even
revisited his first work, with a 20th anniversary revision of
Windmaster’s Bane
in 2006. This last work would receive
acclaim, as Tom received the Georgia Author of the Year for Young Adult
Fantasy
and Young Adult Literature Award for 2006.
He was also the 2007 recipient of the Phoenix Award for lifetime
achievement, given by the Southern Fandom Confederation.
Though Tom was always a teacher, his formal
time in the classroom found expression first at Tri-County Community
College in
his birthplace, Murphy, NC, and would deepen into the exceptional bond
he
created with both professional colleagues and students at Gainesville
State
College, beginning in 2004. In the
classroom, Tom’s passion for literature fused with his strong drive as
a
mentor. Proof of this prowess was his
recognition by Gainesville State as the Ann Matthews Purdy Outstanding
Adjunct
Faculty member of the Year in 2008. As
brother and friend, Tom was a mainstay of the University of Georgia
Wesley
Foundation in the 1970s, and in 1976 was one of the founders of Bryn
Madoc, the
local Society for Creative Anachronism Chapter in Athens.
In the SCA, Tom explored the full range of
his interest in the Middle Ages, as artist,
musician,
costumer, actor, and even on occasion, as warrior.
He was a Master of the Laurel in SCA, and was
a Baron of the Royal Court, as well as principal of the Order of the
Dreamstone
of Bryn Madoc, and
the Master of the Dance for the Order of the Displayed Moon. While at the University of Georgia, Tom also
worked in the Georgia Room in the University Libraries and was a
longtime
member of the Flying Rat Toli Team.
Tom is
survived by his mother, Beulah N. Deitz, of
Hiawassee, GA, his sister Wilda Quarantino and her husband Bob, of
Goodyear,
AZ, three nieces, Leann Underwood of Lynchburg, VA, Tonya
M. Keiser of Lakewood, CO, and Sheri L.
Q-McLaughlin of Silverdale, WA, and a nephew, Frank Willcox of
McKinney, TX, as
well as a number of cousins. He is also
survived by his lasting words, and a legion of “family of the heart,”
all
fortunate enough to have been touched by Tom’s exceptional zest for
life, and
by his fierce resolve to live that life to the fullest.
Tom and his family ask that those who wish to
honor his memory consider a contribution to the Gainesville State
College
Foundation, P.O. Box 1358, Oakwood, GA 30566, where a fund to benefit
the
English department will be established in Tom’s name.
Arrangements by the
Cremation Society of Georgia 404-355-7627.
The
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corrections have been made; this is exactly as it appeared in paper)
May 6,
2009
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Rev.
Bobby E. Sims of Young Harris, GA went to be with the Lord on April 27,
2009
surrounded by his wife, Jackie and his family.
Bobby, who
served as a Minister of Music,
grew up singing and playing the piano
with his parents and siblings in small churches and revival meetings
across
Georgia. He accepted Christ as his Lord
and Savior at a young age and was called by God into a lifelong
Christian
ministry while serving as the Minister of Music for Garden Lakes
Baptist Church
in Rome, GA.
It was
while attending Model High School in Rome, Georgia he met and later
married
Katie Marlene Hawkins. Bobby and Marlene
both graduated from Berry College in Rome, GA They were married 31 years before
Marlene passed away in 1991.
Bobby
followed his degree from Berry Collage (sic) with a degree from The southern Baptist Theological Seminary in
Louisville,
KY. HE was ordained into the ministry by
Midlane Park Baptist Church in Louisville, KY.
Bobby
continued his music ministry at several Atlanta-area churches,
including:
Columbia Drive Baptist, Peachtree Baptist, Rehoboth Baptist, First
Baptist of
Alpharetta, Georgia and Sentell Baptist church in Louisville, Kentucky.
As a member
of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, directed by Robert Shaw, and the Robert
Shaw
Chorale, he performed in Carnegie Hall in New York and for the
inauguration of
President Jimmy Carter in Washington, DC.
He was also a member of Sons of Jubai, a male chorus comprised
of
ministers of music serving in churches of the Georgia Baptist
Convention. Bobby also served as a
moderator for the
Roswell Association of the Georgia Baptist Convention.
After
leaving Sentell Baptist Church, he began working for the Georgia
Baptist
Children’s Home and Family Ministries as the Director of Fundraising. He wrote a song, “Putting the Pieces
Together” as part of his effort to draw attention to the needs of this
organization and they children they serve.
While
serving as Interim Minister of Music at Lakeland Baptist Church in
Cumming he
met Jackie Hawkins green. They were
married in 2001, and then moved to Young Harris. He
was most recently the Music Director for
grace Presbyterian Church in Blairsville, GA where he served as an Elder.
He was the
son of the late J.B. and Eunice Sims of Shannon, GA.
He is survived by his wife, Jackie Hawkins
Sims; daughters, Melanie Holland of Marietta, GA and Alison Pendrey,
wife of
J.C. Pendrey, Jr. of Alpharetta, GA; and two granddaughters, Nancy,
wife of
Gary Perrin, Jr. and Laura Holland of Marietta, GA.
He is also
survived by three sisters; Peggy, wife of GA Lipscomb of Rome, GA;
Gloria, wife
of Rev. Loy Frix of Adaisville, Georgia;
and Dora, wife of Sammy Breeden of Rome, GA and their children,
grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. His brother, J.W.
Sims, preceded him in death.
His
marriage to Jackie also provided him with the love and affection of her
two
daughters and their families, Kim and David McDaniel of Cumming, GS and
their
children, Leslie and Laura; and Susan and Wally Reinert of Fort Payne,
AL and
their children, Will, Mary Grace and Lynley.
Funeral
services were held Friday, May 1, at Grace Presbyterian Church at 11
a.m.
(placed Instate at 10 a.m.), a graveside
service was
held at 3:30 p.m. in Greenlawn Cemetery in Roswell, GA.
Memorial contributions may be made to grace
Presbyterian Church, Peachtree Christian Hospice or Cancer Fund of
America. Sandy Springs
Chapel Funeral Directors, 136 Mt. Vernon Hwy. NE, Sandy Springs, GA.
The
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corrections have been made; this is exactly as it appeared in paper)
May 6,
2009
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Eunice
Mae Bianco, age 81, of Young Harris, GA and Bradenton, Florida, went to
be with
the Lord on Saturday, April 25, 2009.
She was
born in new Orleans, LA and during her
lifetime was a
nurse educator. She received her R.N. at
LSU/Charity Hospital in New Orleans in 1948 and a B.S. in Nursing
Education from
LSU in 1957. In addition, she received a
M.S. in Nursing from the University of Maryland in 1965, and a Masters
of
Public Health from Tulane University in 1967.
She was a Sunday School teacher for
the New
Beginnings Sunday School Class and founder of the Cancer Connection
Ministry at
Bethel Baptist Church.
She was
preceded in death by her husband, Dr. John J. Bianco and survived by a
son, Dr.
John E. Bianco (Valerie), a granddaughter, Kathryn A. Bianco, of
Kennesaw, GA,
a stepdaughter, Susan E. McCune of Oreland, PA, and a stepson,
Frederick A.
Bianco of hunt Valley, MD. She is also
survived by two brothers, Charles J. Pellissier of Denton, TX and Dr.
Sidney L.
Pellissier of W. Lafayette, IN.
The funeral
was at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 30 at Bethel Baptist Church,
Bradenton, FL,
with Rev. Don Windmiller and Rev. Joey Mimbs officiating.
The family received visitors at the church at
10 a.m. prior to the service. Interment
followed at Mansion memorial Park Cemetery,
Ellenton,
FL.