The
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January
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Mr.
Harold Wayne Higdon, age 62, of Town Mtn. Rd., Blairsville, GA,
formerly of
Gadsden, AL, passed away on Friday, Jan. 2, 2009 in the Union General
Hospital
following an extended illness. Mr. Higdon
was born on Sept. 20, 1946 in Gadsden, AL, the son of the late Joseph
Osco
Higdon and the late Leathie Euell Mitchell Higdon.
He was a veteran of the US army of the
Vietnam War. He was preceded in death by
a daughter, Tammy Lynette White in 1990, brothers, David, Paul and
Robert
Higdon, a sister, Amy Lou Puckette. Mr.
Higdon was of the Baptist faith.
Surviving Mr.
Higdon are two sons and one daughter-in-law, Kenneth and Violet Higdon
of
Gaston, AL, Michael Wayne Higdon of Gaston, three sisters, Leathie Mae
Champlan
of IN, Ruby Joe Higdon of WA, Brenda Irwin of IN, close friends, Ervin
and
Terri Key of Blairsville, Wayne’s best friend, Crickett, five
grandchildren,
Joseph Wayne, Michael Jerrod, Tammy Lynette, Katie Sue and Dylan Wayne
Higdon,
many other family and friends also survive.
Funeral
services were held on Monday, Jan. 5, 2009 at 11 a.m. from the Mountain
View
Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jeremy Henderson officiating. Interment and graveside services were held on
Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009 at 12 p.m. from the Pine Grove Cemetery in
Glencoe, AL,
where he was laid to rest next to his daughter, Tammy.
In lieu of flowers if you wish, the family
requests that memorials may be made to the American Heart Association
in memory
of Mr. Higdon. The family met with
friends at the funeral home on Sunday evening from 4-8 p.m.
Mountain
View Funeral Home of Blairsville in charge of the arrangements. You may sign the family guest book and send
condolences online at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com.
The
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Mrs.
Edna Josephine Shope, age 87, of Morganton, GA, passed away Wednesday,
December
31, 2008 at Union County Nursing Home in Blairsville, GA.
Edna was
born Thursday, January 13, 1921 in Honea Path, SC, to the late Cecil
Greenlee
Davis and the late Maggie Sentell Davis.
She was a member of St. Francis United Methodist church. Mrs. Shope started working at Woolworths in
Greenville, SC, when she was 16. In
Greenville, she ran The Dollhouse, and later on in life, retired from
Fairchild-Hiller in Hagerstown, MD. She
was preceded in death by her husband, Charles William Shope, and a
grandson,
Michael Dutrow, and a sister Ethel Gibbs.
Surviving
family members include: three daughters, Sarah Shope of Morganton, GA;
Margaret
Smith of Woodruff, SC; and Mary Katherine Dutrow of Hagerstown, MD;
granddaughters: Patricia Moody, Rene Dutrow, Beth Dutrow and Michelle
Dutrow;
grandson, Joseph Dutrow; nine great grandchildren and a brother, Cecil
Gilford
Davis of Greenville, SC.
A memorial
service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements
entrusted to Cochran Funeral Home – Blairsville Chapel.
You are invited to send condolences
to the family and sign the guest register at www.cochrannfuneralhomes.com
The
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Miss
Johnnie Pauline Nicholson, age 78, of Blairsville passed away on
Saturday, Jan.
3, 2009 in the Chatuge Regional Hospital following an extended illness. Miss Nicholson was born on Nov. 27, 1930 in
Union County, the daughter of the late John E. Nicholson and the late
Huldia
Davenport Nicholson. She was a native
and lifelong resident of Union County.
She was preceded in death by three sisters, Myrtle Deaver, Maude
Rich
and Flora Towery, two brothers, Carl and Paul Nicholson, three nieces,
Delores
Deaver, Bobbye Rogers and Doris Collins, three nephews, Jerry Towery,
Larry and
Dennis Rich. Miss Nicholson was a member
of Bethlehem Baptist Church. Surviving
Miss Nicholson are three nephews, Raymond Rich of Calhoun, Jess Deaver
of
Blairsville, Jimmy Towery of Atlanta, seven nieces, Frances Howell of
Dalton,
Margie Williams of Dalton, Wanda Sims of Dalton, Sara Hankins of Rocky
Face,
GA, Peggy Henson of Blairsville, Kathy Walton of Hiawassee, LaVaughn
Turner,
many other relatives and friends also survive.
Funeral
services were held on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2008 (sic) at 11 a.m. from the
Mountain
View Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Vernon Davenport officiating.
Interment
followed in the Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery.
Flowers are accepted or in lieu of flowers if
you wish, the family requests that memorials may be made to the
Bethlehem
Baptist Cemetery Fund in memory of Miss Nicholson.
You may sign the family guest book and send
condolences on line at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com.
The
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Mrs.
Christine Tate Thompson, age 78, of Blairsville, GA, passed away
Wednesday,
December 31, 2008 at Union General Hospital in Blairsville. Mrs. Thompson was born Thursday, August 7,
1930 in Union County, GA, to the late Ocean Tate and the late Irene
Little
Tate. She was a member of Ivy Log
Baptist Church, The Order of the Eastern Star and The Gideons
Auxiliary, and
was preceded in death by a brother, Earlen Tate and a niece, Pam
Anderson.
Surviving
family members include her loving husband, Elmer Thompson of
Blairsville; son
& daughter-in-law, Michael and Mildred Thompson of Blairsville;
granddaughter, Leah Thompson of Blairsville; brother, Jewell Tate of
Kirbyville, TX; niece Sheila Garland of Athens, GA; nephew, Jewell
Tate, Jr.,
also of Athens. Many other relatives and
friends also survive.
Funeral
services were held Friday, January 2, 2009 at 2 PM from the Cochran
Funeral
Home Chapel with Rev. Jerry Karnes and Rev. Tony Black officiating. Music was provided by Martha Davenport,
Kenneth and Elaine Young. Interment
followed in Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery.
Serving as pallbearers were the following gentlemen: Junior
Puett, Bruce
Gray, Harold Atkins, Darrin Bridges, Darrel Bridges and Gerald Owenby.
The family
received friends at the funeral home from 6-9 PM, Thursday, January 1.
If you
wish, the family suggests that memorial contributions be directed to
your
choice: The Gideons Internationl (sic), P.O. Box 521, Blairsville, GA
30514;
The Lions Lighthouse Foundation, 1775 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA
30033-4005’
or Bethany Baptist church Cemetery Fund.
Arrangements
entrusted to Cochran Funeral Home – Blairsville Chapel.
You are invited to view Mrs. Thompsons’ Life
Tribute, send condolences to the family
and sign the
guest register at www.cochrannfuneralhomes.com
The
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January
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William
Cline Dennis passed away January 4, 2009 at Union County Nursing Home. Bill was born in Hot Springs, AR, November
25, 1920. He resided most of his life in Michigan where he worked for
General
Motors, retiring in 1979.
Bill served
five and a half years in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII, spending
time in the
North Atlantic on submarine watch and then on light ship duty off the
New
England coast.
Bill was
loved by all who knew him for his wonderful sense of humor and exciting
stories
of life at sea. He loved visiting with
friends and with his “Ohio” family where he lived for some of his
childhood
years.
Bill leaves
his wife, Barbara, whom he married in 1945, and his daughter, Marcia
Johnson
and husband, Allen, of Blairsville, son, Howard and wife Tammy of
Owosso, MI,
son David of Blairsville, grandsons Aaron and Brian of Owosso, MI,
grandson
Matthew of Florence, SC, one nephew John Palsgrove and many beloved
cousins.
He was
preceded in death by his father, mother, stepmother and sister.
Mountain
View Funeral Home of Blairsville in charge of the arrangements. You may sign the family guest book and send
condolences online at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com.
The
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Mrs.
Irma M. Mason, age 71, of Blairsville, GA, passed away Wednesday,
December 31,
2008 at Union General Hospital in Blairsville.
Mrs. Mason was born Thursday, January 7, 1947 in Surry County,
NC, to
the late Robert Lee Matthews and the late Ollie Hall Matthews. She was a member of Providence United
Methodist Church and Georgia Teacher’s Association.
She taught school for the blind for 35 years
and was active in the Cub Scouts for the blind.
She was a loving mother to a lot of children.
She was preceded in death by her sisters,
Martha Ann Pennix, Janie Nunn and Mary Frances Baldwin, and a brother,
Bobby
Matthews.
Surviving
family members include: husband, Worth Mason of Blairsville; daughter,
Michelle
Mason of Acworth, GA; son, Michael mason and fiancée, Colleen Mosely of
Macon,
GA; sister, Christine Culler of Mt. Airy, NC; brother, Roger Matthews,
also of
Mt. Airy; sister-in-law and husband, Barbara Mason Poole and Paul Poole
of
Blairsville; niece, Stephanie Poole of Blairsville; several nieces and
nephews
also survive, along with many friends.
Funeral
services were held Saturday, January 3, 2009 at 2 PM from the
Providence United
Methodist Church with Dr. Chuck Gillespie officiating.
Music was provided by Donald Midkiff.
Interment followed in Providence Methodist
Church Cemetery. Serving as
pallbearers
were the following gentlemen: Wilson Cobb, Richard Hyer, Bill Moesker,
Bryan
Mascoe, Ray Tiburski and Paul Poole.
The family
received friends at the funeral home from 6-9 PM, Friday, January 2.
If you
wish, the family suggests that donations may be made to Providence
United
Methodist Church.
Arrangements
entrusted to Cochran Funeral Home – Blairsville Chapel.
You may view Mrs. Mason’s Life Tribute, send condolences to the family and sign the guest
register at www.cochrannfuneralhomes.com
The
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Mr.
Richard
Gerald Gray was born in Rockport, IL, on January 25, 1919, to William
D. and
Emma Byxbee Gray. In 1941, at the onset
of the U.S. involvement in World War II, he began working at the
Packard
factory in Detroit producing Parkard Merlin fighter aircraft engines. While in Detroit he met his future wife,
Eloise, who had also come to Detroit to help with the war effort. Shortly after their marriage in 1942, Richard
enlisted in the Army and was shipped off to Europe where he fought in
several
campaigns including the Battle of the Bulge.
After the war he returned to civilian life for a few years only
to
return to military service with the newly formed U.S. Air Force. He retired a Senior Master Sergeant from the
Air Force in 1973 and settled in Blairsville, GA, his wife’s childhood
home. He was a member of the Blairsville
VFW #7394 and acted as Chaplain for his post.
He loved life, his family and friends and will be truly missed.
Richard
is survived by Eloise, his wife of 66 years; two
daughters, Jerry Sue Bowersox and Anna Lee Huffman; two sons-in-law,
Terry L.
Bowersox and Wayne L. Huffman; four grandchildren: David S. Bowersox,
Dianna L.
Dell, Gary R. Huffman and Gregory T. Huffman; nine great grandchildren;
sister,
Virginia Leim, of Kinderhook, IL, and several nephews and nieces.
In lieu
of flowers, contributions may be made to the
American Cancer Society, of (sic) Alzheimer’s Association.
Visitation
will be held in the Rock Chapel of First Baptist
Church of Blairsville on Thursday, January 8, 2009, from 1 to 2 p.m.,
with the
service following immediately after. Funeral
services will be officiated by Rev. Danny Parris, with burial in Union
Memory
Gardens Cemetery, with North Georgia Honor Guard conferring Military
Honors.
Cochran
Funeral Home – Blairsville Chapel entrusted with the arrangements. You may send condolences
to the family and sign the guest register at www.cochrannfuneralhomes.com
The
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January
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Andrew
Michael Steele 23, formerly of Blairsville, died December 24, 2008. Andrew was born November 15, 1985 in Miami,
FL, to Robert and Victoria Steele.
Andrew was an athletic youth and excelled in sports and
academics. He worked for Tru-Green in
Jacksonville as a
lawn technician.
Surviving Andrew
are his bride, heather Steele, and two children, Logan and Trevor; his
parents,
Robert and Victoria Steele of Blairsville, GA; brothers Joseph and
Thomas;
sisters Christina and Sarah; grandparents Earl and Barbara Quinn of
Wayland,
OH, and Dr. James and Sallye Jude of Coral Gables, FL; and several
uncles,
aunts, and cousins.
The family
received friends Friday, January 2, 2008 from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. in
the Chapel
of Hardage-Giddens Town and Country Funeral Home. Funeral
services followed at 2 p.m. in the
Chapel. Interment will following Riverside
memorial Park.
Arrangements
by Hardage-Giddens Town and Country Funeral
Home 7242 Normandy Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32205.
In lieu of
flowers donations can be made to Turning point, 210 Commerce Drive,
Blairsville, GA. 30512 Attention: Kimberly Cole.
The
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Blairsville
resident Barbara C. Arnold, 96, passed peacefully, surrounded by her
children
on December 31, 2008. A memorial service
honoring Barbara’s life was held on Saturday January 3, 2009 at 1 PM at
The
House of Prayer in Blairsville with Pastor Jerry Helton officiating. A later memorial service is also planned for
June 2009 where Barbara will be laid with her husband in Massachusetts.
Born on
June 20, 1912, in Somerville, MA, Ms. Arnold was the daughter of Irving
and
Ethel Colman. She graduated from the
Massachusetts College of Art with a masters in fine arts education from
the
University of new Hampshire and became an accomplished artist and
writer
leaving behind her timeless works of literature and paintings. Barbara was a lady whose dedication to her
family and to all of humanity was expressed in the most practical of
ways
through her giving and her art. Adored
and admired by all who knew her for her courage and spunk and an
unparalleled
commitment to personal growth and learning.
Barbara danced through this portion of her life in a liturgy
that
affected all who knew her.
Barbara was
preceded in death by her loving husband George Leonard Arnold and her
beloved
son Ross Arnold. Survivors include her
sons and daughters-in-law Chip and Tish Arnold of Blairsville and Anne
Arnold
Pierce and Skip Pierce of Venice, FL, and special family members Gail
Arnold of
Blairsville and Steve Huntoon of Hiawassee.
Barbara was grandmother to Charles Arnold, Jr., of Alexandria,
VA, Kim
Tufts and ross (six) Arnold of Goffstown, NH, Kelly brown of
Fredericksburg VA,
Grace Arnold Arthur of Athens, GA, Sarah Arnold Olver and Faith Arnold
Allen of
Blairsville, Rebekah Arnold Conley and Joanna Arnold of Kennesaw, GA,
Andrew
Huntoon of Somerville, MA, Joshua Huntoon of South Yarmouth, MA, and
Amy
Huntoon of Sarasota, FL. She was great
grandmother to sixteen great grandchildren.
In lieu
of flowers donations may be made to the Blairsville
Chapter of The Habitat for Humanity or the Safe House.
Arrangements
entrusted to Cochran Funeral Home – Blairsville Chapel www.cochrannfuneralhomes.com
The
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Mr. Evans
“Buddy” Christensen, age 84, of Nottley Dam Rd., Blairsville, formerly
of W.
Palm Beach, FL, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008 in the Union
General
Hospital following an extended illness.
Mr. Christensen was born on Dec. 12, 1924 in Morehead City, NC,
the son
of the late Lawrence Christensen and the late Teresa Custis Christensen. He was a veteran of the US Marines of
WWII. Buddy was a sports buff, enjoyed
playing golf and had coached soccer just a few years ago.
He was a loving father, grandfather and great
grandfather. He was preceded in death by
his wife, Eileen Dufour Christensen in 1995 and by a sister, Dorothy
Bonniwell
in 1978. Mr. Christensen was of the
Protestant
faith.
Surviving Mr.
Christensen are two sons and one daughter-in-law, John Christensen of
Blairsville, David and Candace Christensen of Blairsville, two
daughters and
one son-in-law, Theresa Cantrell of Blairsville, Joan and Jeff hall of
Blairsville,
seven grandchildren, William Patrick martin, Chris Cantrell, Justin and
Jennifer Christensen, Michael Colwell, Ryan and Tyler Hall, three great
grandchildren, Wyatt Cantrell, Amber and Katlyn Martin, many other
relatives
and friends also survive.
Funeral
services were held on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008 at 2 p.m. from the
Mountain View
Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Waymon Lovell officiating. In lieu of flowers if you wish, the family
requests that memorials may be made to the American Heart Association
in memory
of Mr. Christensen.
Mountain
View Funeral Home of Blairsville in charge of the arrangements. You may sign the family guest book and send
condolences online at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com.