The
North Georgia News
Blairsville,
GA 30512
www.nganews.com
(no
corrections have been made; this is exactly as
it appeared in paper)
August 29,
2012 Page
16A
Mrs.
Berniece Alexander Gibson, age 90, of
Blairsville,
GA, passed away Sunday morning, August 19, 2012 in Union County Nursing
Home in
Blairsville. Mrs. Gibson was born in Blairsville, on Tuesday, March 7,
1922, a
daughter of the late Ed Alexander and the late Hattie Alice Hunter
Alexander.
She was a homemaker and had been preceded in death by her husband of 62
years,
Ralph William Gibson, Sr. She was a member
of New
Liberty Baptist Church in Blairsville. Besides her parents and her
husband,
Mrs. Berniece was preceded in death by
other family
members: brothers: Hoyt, Tommie, and Jimmy Alexander; great
granddaughter,
Lauren Grace Elliott Miller and infant great grandson, Matthew Jake
Gibson; and
aunt, Dora Hunter Spiva.
Mrs.
Gibson will be fondly remembered by many, and especially missed by her
loving
family: children and their spouses: Clarence Edward Gibson, Sr,
and Wanda Gibson, of Blairsville; Hattie Ruth Harkins Thompson and
William
Thompson, of Alto, GA; Patricia Ann Gibson Elliott and J.D. Elliott, of
Gainesville; and Ralph William Gibson, Jr., of Blairsville;
sister-in-law,
Thelma Gibson McClure, of Hayesville, NC; brother-in-law, Leonard
Gibson, of
Hiawassee, GA; and sister-in-law, Martha Alexander, of Blairsville;
twenty-one
grandchildren, forty-four great grandchildren, and fourteen great great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews,
and many
friends also survive.
Funeral
services for Mrs. Gibson were held on Wednesday, August 22, 2012, at 2
p.m., in
the Chapel of Cochran Funeral Home, with Dr. Don Pruitt, and Rev. Danny
White
officiating. Special music was presented by Calvin Collins. The
following
gentlemen served as pallbearers: Scott Gibson, Mike Elliott, Jonathan
Elliott,
Shawn Gibson, Michael Harkins, and Edward Gibson. Serving as Honorary
Escort to
the family was Tracy Elliott, Terry Elliott, Jeff Elliott, Sam Gibson,
and
Carson Elliott Miller. Burial was in New Liberty Baptist Church
Cemetery.
Visitation at the funeral home was held on Tuesday evening, August 21,
2012, from
5 until 9 p.m.
Arrangements
entrusted to Cochran Funeral Home of Blairsville. You may share your
condolences with the family and view Mrs. Gibson's life tribute video
on our
website, www.cochranfuneralhomes.com.
Courtesy of Cochran Funeral Home
The
North Georgia News
Blairsville,
GA 30512
www.nganews.com
(no
corrections have been made; this is exactly as
it appeared in paper)
August 29,
2012 Page
16A
Mr.
Larry (better known as Joe) Southerland age 55 of Crescent Rd.,
Blairsville
passed away on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012 at his home following an
extended
illness. Mr. Southerland was born on June 28, 1957 in Hiawassee, GA,
the son of
the late Grapelle Brown and J.P.
Southerland. Joe was
a lifelong resident of Union County. He always enjoyed being outdoors.
He was a
loving son, father, brother and grandfather. Joe was of the Baptist
faith.
Surviving
Mr. Southerland are three children, Joanna and Bryan Martin of
Dahlonega, Stacye Bishop of Marietta,
Michael Gardner of Canton,
father, J.P. Southerland and step mother, Beulah Davis of Blairsville,
four
brothers and three sisters-in-law, Jim and Jackie Southerland of
Marietta, GA,
Larry and Glenda Davis of Blairsville, Michael and Tina Davis of
Dahlonega, Ben
Hope of Blairsville, one sister, Glenda Jones of Blairsville, seven
grandchildren, Braxton, Hunter, Payton and Summer Martin, Brook Allen,
Brianna
Noel and Aaron Cox, several nieces and nephews, many other relatives
and
friends also survive.
A
memorial service will be held at a later date and will be announced.
Interment
will follow in the Owltown Church of God
Cemetery. In
lieu of flowers if you wish, the family requests that memorials may be
made
help defray expenses.
Mountain
View Funeral Home of Blairsville is in charge of the arrangements. You
may sign
the family guest book and send condolences on line at
www.mountainviewfuenralhome.com
Courtesy of Mountain View Funeral Home
The
North Georgia News
Blairsville,
GA 30512
www.nganews.com
(no
corrections have been made; this is exactly as
it appeared in paper)
August 29,
2012 Page
16A
Mrs.
Ruby Pearl Brown Sexton, age 82, of Blairsville, GA, passed away
Saturday
evening, August 18, 2012 in Union County Nursing Home in Blairsville.
Mrs.
Sexton was born in Blairsville, on Monday, March 3, 1930, a daughter of
the
late Henry Brown and Collesta Thomason
Brown. She was
a lifelong resident of Blairsville, and a member of Mountain Grace
Baptist
Church in Young Harris, GA. Ruby was a homemaker, and also worked at a
dress
factory; she was an excellent seamstress. Mrs. Sexton was a dedicated
church
worker and enjoyed convention singings. Besides her parents, she had
been
preceded in death by two sisters: Cleo Hooper and Ellen Collins; and
eight
brothers: Elbert Brown, Lewis Brown, Paul Brown, Harmon Brown, Emory
Brown,
Clayton Brown, Barney Brown, and Homer Brown.
A
wonderful mother and grandmother, Mrs. Sexton will be lovingly
remembered by
many, but especially her family: her loving husband of 64 years,
Everett, of
Blairsville; daughters and sons-in-law, Dianne and Richard Morgan;
Brenda and
Herman Garrett; and Kathy and Kyle Moss, all of Blairsville; sisters:
Connie
Galloway of Gastonia, NC; Frankie Dunaway, of Rockmart, GA; and Ethel
Self, of
Columbia, SC; eight grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren also
survive.
Funeral
services for Mrs. Sexton were held on Tuesday, August 21st, at 3 p.m.,
in the
Chapel of Cochran Funeral Home of Blairsville, with Rev. Denny Moss and
Rev.
Dewey Cox officiating. Special music was presented by the Denny Moss
Family.
The following gentlemen served as pallbearers: Jody Moss, Wesley
Garrett,
Justin Moss, Travis Morgan, Zachary Coker, and Evan Jaco.
Burial was in Mountain Grace Baptist Church Cemetery in Hayesville, NC.
Visitation
at the funeral home was held on Monday evening, August 20, 2012,
between the
hours of 6 until 9 p.m.
Arrangements
entrusted by the family to Cochran Funeral Home of Blairsville. Please
share
your condolences with the family and view Mrs. Sexton's life tribute on
our
website,
www.cochranfuneralhomes.com.
Courtesy of Cochran Funeral Home
The
North Georgia News
Blairsville,
GA 30512
www.nganews.com
(no
corrections have been made; this is exactly as
it appeared in paper)
August 29,
2012 Page
16A
Mr.
William Rocco Smith age 76 of Hoover Rd., Blairsville passed away on
Thursday
Aug. 23, 2012 in the Union County Nursing Home following an extended
illness.
Mr. Smith was born on July 22, 1936 in Unionville, NY, the son of the
late
Howard Eber Smith and the late Theresa Petito Smith. Mr. Smith was a veteran of the US
Army of the
Korean War. He was a loving father, brother and grandfather and enjoyed
spending time with his family, which was his life. He loved watching
TV, eating
and living life to its fullest. He was preceded in death by his wife,
Prudence
Martin Smith in 1985, a son, Rocco William Smith in 2001, two brothers,
Howard
and Tommy Smith and one sister, Lorraine Olah.
Mr.
Smith was of the Catholic faith.
Surviving
Mr. Smith are two daughters, Toni Wasko of
Blairsville, Melanie Rich of Blairsville, one son, Billy Smith of CA,
seven
brothers, Robert, George, John, Jim, Donald, Danny and David Smith,
three
sisters, Teresa Labado, Ann Brussells,
Joan Witkowski, grandchildren, Kaley,
Mikayla, Matthew, Lauren and Jordan, many
other
relatives and friends also survive.
A
celebration of life service will be held on Friday August 31, 2012 at 7
p.m.
from Brasstown Valley Resort. In lieu of
flowers if
you wish, the family requests that memorials may be made to Regency
Hospice of
Hiawassee in Mr. Smith’s memory.
Mountain
View Funeral Home of Blairsville is in charge of the arrangements. You
may sign
the family guest book and send condolences on line at
www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com
Courtesy of Mountain View Funeral Home
The
North Georgia News
Blairsville,
GA 30512
www.nganews.com
(no
corrections have been made; this is exactly as
it appeared in paper)
August 29,
2012 Page
16A
Mrs.
Mari A. Bloom, age 72, of Blairsville, GA, formerly of Denver, CO and
Washington, D.C., passed away on Monday, August 20, 012 after a
courageous and
lengthy battle with ovarian cancer.
Mari
was born in Soux City, IA on September 12,
1940. Mari
was retired from a successful career as a comptroller in several large
companies in Denver and in Washington, D.C.
Surviving
Mrs. Bloom are her daughter, Janet Bloom, of Blairsville, GA; her
mother, Mrs. LaNeel Pierce of Las Vegas,
NM, her grandchildren, Ava
Nicole Gormley and Peirce Robert Gormley
of Charlotte, NC, and her brother, Michael Pierce and his wife Jackie
of
Ridgecrest, CA.
Mari
was pre-deceased by her husband and best friend for 48 years, Edward
William
Bloom of Blairsville; she was also pre-deceased
by her
brother, Leon Joseph Pierce, during the Vietnam War.
Mari
is also survived by other relatives and friends, her PEO sisters, and
her
wonderful friends from the First Baptist Church. Also missing her love
and
kindness is her “best buddy”, her Maltese “Bo”.
Mari
was an active member and Sunday School
teacher at the
First Baptist Church of Blairsville.
Services
were held on
Saturday, August 25, 2012 from the First Baptist Church Rock Chapel at
2 PM.
In lieu of
flowers,
contributions in Mari’s name may be made to: Shriners
Children Hospital, c/o Appalachian Shrine Club, P.O. Box 2116,
Blairsville, GA
30514 or First Baptist Church, PO Box 2058, Blairsville, GA 30514,
Attn. Dr.
Fred Lodge, Pastor.
Mountain
View Funeral
Home will be in charge of the services, you may leave condolences and
sign our
guest book online at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com
Courtesy of Mountain View Funeral Home
The
North Georgia News
Blairsville,
GA 30512
www.nganews.com
(no
corrections have been made; this is exactly as
it appeared in paper)
August 29,
2012 Page
16A
Patricia
Louise Howard, 66, passed away in her home on August 21, 2012 following
an
extended illness. She was born on June 21, 1946 in Beacon, NY and has
lived in
Blairsville, GA since 1996. She was the only daughter of Lewis and
Marion Wood,
both preceding her in death. Also preceding her,
her
granddaughter Patricia Maria Howard.
Patricia
was dedicated to those she loved and always gave support and care to
all those
around her. She loved to cook, was avid reader and shopper, and was
completely
devoted to the animals she cared for. She had a unique prospective on
life and
was always willing to share it with anyone who took the time to listen.
She was
a fighter, instilling in those around her, especially her children,
with a
strong sense of self. Her guidance and example gave her children and
those
close to her the ability to deal with adversity with great strength and
courage.
Survivors
include her
husband of 42 years, Richard Lee Howard, son & daughter-in-Law John
&
Toni Jo Howard, daughter Kathleen Howard, daughter Deborah Howard, son
and
daughter-in-law Robert & Misty Howard, grandchildren David,
Caitlin, &
Caleb, brother and sister-in-law Donald & Susan Wood, sister-in-law
and
husband Betty & Edward Zelinsky,
nieces
Cassandra, Victoria, Joni, Jill, Victoria; nephew Christopher, and
step-grandchildren Danielle, Timothy, & Ariel. Special friends and
family
include Sandra Mills, Irene Hince, Sue Cuccia, Brenda Lycan,
Helene Moerlins & Jessica Pierce along
with many, many others.
Funeral
services were
held at Mountain View Funeral Home on Saturday, August 25, 2012 at 3
p.m. The
family received friends from 12 until the time of the funeral. Deacon
John Paul
McGuire officiated. The family requests in lieu of flowers that
individuals
donate to their local area Hospice services.
Mountain
View Funeral
Home of Blairsville is in charge of the arrangements. You may sign the
family
guest book and send condolences to the family on line at
www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com
The
North Georgia News
Blairsville,
GA 30512
www.nganews.com
(no
corrections have been made; this is exactly as
it appeared in paper)
August 29,
2012 Page
16A
Mr.
Jeffery Lynn Lauver age 44 passed away on
Wednesday,
August 22, 2012 at his home. Mr. Lauver
was born on
April 28, 1968 in Altoona, PA, the son of Phyllis Ann Dougherty Lauver and the late Kenneth Lauver.
Jeffery loved to fish and hunt and spending time with his
grandchildren. He was
a loving son, father, brother and grandfather. Mr. Lauver
was of the Baptist faith.
Surviving
Mr. Lauver are his mother, Phyllis Lauver of Blairsville, two daughters, Darlene
Meyers of
Indiana, Lindsey Franklin of Millvale,
PA., one
sister and brother-in-law, April and Gabino
Jimenez
of Blairsville, two brothers, Kenneth Lauver
Jr. of
Blairsville, Donnie Lauver of Woodstock,
VA, three
grandchildren, Konner Franklin, Angel and
Brittany Gochenour, many other relatives
and friends also survive.
A
memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers if
you wish,
the family requests that memorials may be made to the American Cancer
Society
or to the Diabetes Foundation in memory of Jeffery.
Mountain
View Funeral Home of Blairsville is in charge of the arrangements. You
may sign
the family guest book and send condolences on line at
www.mountainviewfuenralhome.com
The
North Georgia News
Blairsville,
GA 30512
www.nganews.com
(no
corrections have been made; this is exactly as
it appeared in paper)
August 29,
2012 Page
16A
Mr.
David Lee Wood, age 31, of Blairsville, GA, passed away Thursday
morning,
August 23, 2012 in Kindred Hospital in Chattanooga, TN.
David
was born in Gainesville, GA, on July 24, 1981, a son of Betty Brown
Cruse and
the late Bill Wood. He was a lifelong resident of this area and a
member of Owltown Church of God.
Surviving
family members include his mother, Betty Cruse, of Blairsville;
step-father,
Robert Cruse, of Ellijay, GA; brother, Jesse Cruse of Blue Ridge, GA;
sister,
Eloise Shumake, of Blue Ridge;
step-brother, Anthony
Cruse; step-sister, Lori Patterson; step-sister, Lisa Odom; all of
Blairsville;
grandmother, Lula Payne and great grandmother, Mary Seabolt,
all of Blairsville.
Graveside
services were held on Friday morning at 10:30 a.m., August 24th, at Owltown Baptist Church Cemetery, with Rev. Tommy
Jones
officiating. The following gentlemen served as pallbearers: John
Jackson, Jesse
Cruse, Cody Hughes, Timmy Harkins, and Jeff Holder.
Arrangements
have been entrusted to Cochran Funeral Home of Blairsville. Please sign
the
guest registry on our website,
www.cochranfuneralhomes.com.
Courtesy of Cochran Funeral Home