Obituaries for Nov. 24, 2005
Published 1:07 pm Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Dr. Glenn Burton
TIFTON — Dr. Glenn Burton, 95, of Tifton, died Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005, at his residence.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the First United Methodist Church in Tifton. The Rev. Sam Rogers will officiate with burial to follow at Oakridge Cemetery in Tifton. The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until the service at First United Methodist Church. Talmadge Webb, Frank McGill, A.W. Johnson, Jeff Wilson, Gale Buchanan and Wayne Hanna will serve as active pallbearers. Members of the Loyalty Sunday School Class at First United Methodist Church will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Dr. Burton was an internationally renowned agronomist and his accomplishments in both forage and turf development are truly astonishing. Beginning with “Coastal Bermuda” grass, a forage hybrid released in 1943 that now covers more than 10 million acres, seven additional Bermuda forage hybrids were released. In addition to this, he released two sudangrass varieties, one napier grass hybrid and three Bermuda grass turf hybrids.
The research behind these accomplishments is described in more than 750 publications and resulted in his receiving more than 60 honors of which the most prestigious were his election to the National Academy of Sciences in 1975, the U.S. President’s Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service in 1980 and the National Medal of Science in 1982.
The research of which Glenn Burton was most proud was his work with pearl millet, which made major contributions to the green revolution in arid parts of India and Africa. Within a few years after his hybrids were first used in India, the annual millet output more than doubled. This huge increase is thought to have saved millions from starving. During his long career, he consulted with fellow agronomists in 55 countries, including China and the former Soviet Union.
Burton was born on May 5, 1910, in Clatonia, Neb. He was the only child of Joseph Fearn Burton and Nellie Rittenberg Burton. In 1915, they moved to a farm near Bartley, Neb., where he grew up helping his father farm with horse-drawn implements. From the beginning, he had an insatiable curiosity and he loved to solve problems. He would often say, “We haven’t learned the best way to do anything yet.” He always credited his father with teaching him both the importance and the rewards of hard work.
He graduated from Bartley High School in 1927 and went to the University of Nebraska. He originally intended to study agricultural education, but after encouragement from Professor F.D. Keim, he turned to agronomy. He went to Rutgers University where he earned both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. In 1934, he and Helen Maureen Jeffryes were married. She had majored in home economics and became a dietitian. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary before her death in 1995.
In April 1936, they moved to Tifton where he took a position as Principal Geneticist with the Division of Forage Crops and Diseases of the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture at the Coastal Plains Experiment Station. He continued in that position as head of the Grass Breeding Department for more than 61 years. After his formal retirement in 1997, he continued his research program with funding from his salary savings. In 1950, when the Coastal Plains Experiment Station became part of the University of Georgia, he became a member of the faculty of the College of Agriculture serving as Chairman of the Agronomy Division until 1964 when he was named Distinguished Alumni Foundation Professor.
He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Tifton. For many years, he taught the college Sunday School class and sang in the choir. He also served on the Board of Stewards and as a lay speaker.
In 1996, he established the Glenn and Helen Burton Feeding the Hungry Scholarship Fund at the University of Georgia. This fund supports a doctoral student in he College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and a doctoral student in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. He also established scholarships at the University of Nebraska and Morningside College where Helen began her undergraduate Education.
Dr. Burton once said, “Helping feed the hungry of the world is my greatest accomplishment. It was important to be because I saw those hungry people and I was able to help them.”
Dr. Burton is survived by five children and their spouses, Betsy Fowler of Clayton, Bob and Mary Burton of Athens, Tom and Dorris Burton of St. Simons Island, Joe and Linda Burton of Raleigh, N.C. and Richard Burton of Tifton. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to The University of Georgia Foundation and designated as “The Glenn and Helen Burton Feeding the Hungry Scholarship.” Please mail donations to: Burton Memorial, 224 Dawson Hall, UGA, Athens, GA 30602.
Memorial donations may also be sent to his church, designated to the Memorial Fund, at Tifton First United Methodist Church, 107 W. 12th St., Tifton GA 31794.
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.
Barney S. Purvis
OCILLA — Barney S. Purvis, 72, of Ocilla, died Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005, at Tift Regional Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Ocilla Baptist Church. The Rev. Gerald Thomas will officiate. Burial will follow in Brushy Creek Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 7 to 9 tonight at Paulk Funeral Home.
Mr. Purvis was born on July 6, 1933, in Berrien County, to the late James M. and Mary Elizabeth Brantley Purvis. He was also preceded in death by two sisters and two brothers.
He was a 1951 graduate of Ocilla High School, attended South Georgia College and was a graduate of Valdosta State College. He taught biology and chemistry at Irwin County High School from 1955 until 1970 and at Valdosta State College from 1970 until 1986.
Mr. Purvis was named Star Teacher in 1960, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1967 and 1970. He was an accomplished cook and floral arranger. He was a loving brother who helped and cared for the shut-ins, elderly and sick. He was a member of Ocilla Baptist Church.
Mr. Purvis is survived by three sisters and a brother-in-law, Mrs. Homer (Myrtle) Purvis of Alapaha, Mary Jim and W.B. Roberts and Sarah Nell Purvis, all of Ocilla, and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ocilla Baptist Church, P.O. box 101, Ocilla, GA 31774, the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 9, Fitzgerald, GA 31750, or to the donor’s favorite charity.
To sign the online registry for Mr. Purvis, go to www.paulkfuneralhome.com.
Paulk Funeral Home, Ocilla, is in charge of arrangements.
Dianne Terry Cooper
TIFTON — Dianne Terry Cooper, 55, of Tifton, died Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005, at her residence following a lengthy illness.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Burial will follow in Oakridge Cemetery. The Rev. Stephen Vaughn and the Rev. A.D. Connell will officiate. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 tonight at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Barry Young, Kenny Young, Rodney Myers, Ronnie Vaughn, Larry Tucker and Brent Terry will serve as pallbearers.
Mrs. Cooper was born on Dec. 4, 1949, in Tifton. She was the daughter of Alton Terry Jr. and Betty Young Terry, both deceased. She was a member of New River Holiness Church and lived in Tifton all of her life. She was employed by Tift Regional Medical Center.
Mrs. Cooper is survived by her husband Earl Ray Cooper of Tifton; two sons and daughters-in-law, Staff Sgt. Christopher S. and Rita Bauman-Veal of Fort Gordon (Christopher is stationed in Fort Gordon and Rita in Germany) and Brian and Teena Cooper of Nashville; three daughters and sons-in-law, Jerry Lynn and Jeff Schmandt of Tifton, Donna and Mike Popp of Tifton and Tracy and Chris Stephens of Irwinville; a brother and sister-in-law, Daniel “Buddy” and Bridgett Terry of Griffin; a sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Randy Hancock of Tifton; 12 grandchildren, Kylee Veal, Justin Schmandt, David Cooper and wife Natasha, Josh Cooper, Brianne Cooper, Ryan Popp, Taylor Popp, Heather Stephens, Lane Stephens, Clint Jackson and Matt Jackson.
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.
Tony L. Howell Jr.
TIFTON — Tony L. Howell Jr., 37, of Tifton, died Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005, at Tift Regional Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church Main Sanctuary. Dr. W. Ches Smith III will officiate. Burial will follow in Oakridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until the hour of the service Friday at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Ed Kelley, George Cirillo, Jeremy Hill, Ian Stephens, Robby Lang, David Walker, Kyle Kendrick and James Hester will serve as active pallbearers. Employees of the Tift County Sheriff’s Office will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Mr. Howell was born on Oct. 30, 1968, in Sumter County. He was the son of Tony Howell (wife Linda) of Fayetteville and Marolyn Mixon (and husband Aubrey) of Tifton. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Tifton. He graduated from Tift County High School and South Georgia Police Academy and was employed with the Tift County Sheriff’s Department for 7 years.
Mr. Howell had lived in Tifton for 31 years.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Howell is survived by his wife, Shannon Howell of Tifton; a brother, Ray Hale of Birmingham, Ala.; and three sisters, Nancy Howell of Valdosta, Deborah Duford of Fayetteville and Dana Womack of Locust Grove.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the American Cancer Society, Tift County Unit, P.O. Box 7514, Tifton GA 31793.
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.