Obituaries for Sept. 29, 2005
Published 1:01 pm Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Millard Hurst Sr.
SYLVESTER — Millard Hurst Sr., 80, of Sylvester, died Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005, at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at First Baptist Church. Burial will follow in New Hope Cemetery. Dr. Tom Jacobs, Fred Gay, David Johnston and Tom Dye will officiate.
Mr. Hurst was born on Sept. 8, 1925, in Tempy (Worth County). He was the son of the Rev. Jesse Joyce Hurst and Martha Ada Jones Hurst, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Osgood Hurst, Glenn Hurst and Charles J. Hurst and one sister, Faye H. Young.
Millard lived in Worth County all of his live and built custom homes and commercial buildings in South Georgia and North Florida. His family and faith were the pillars of his life. He was proud to be a Sunday School teacher, deacon, and long time member of First Baptist Church, Sylvester, and New Hope Baptist Church in Scooterville. “Dad loved to teach Sunday School. His father was a Methodist circuit preacher with a booming voice. Dad used his voice teaching and singing God’s word,” said his son, Millard Hurst Jr.
Millard was a builder of churches, including New Hope Baptist, First Baptist Educational Building and Bryant Drive Baptist Church. He and his wife Christine spent many summers with Constructors for Christ, building churches in places like Kentucky, Illinois and Michigan. They even traveled to Nakuru, Kenya, in 1981, to fund and build a church in support of the missionary work of Alice and Allen Stickney.
“We are all comforted by Dad’s gift of strength and dignity which he shared with all and which sprang from his deep belief in Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior,” said David Johnston, his son-in-law.
Mr. Hurst is survived by his wife Christine Sutton Hurst of Sylvester; two sons and daughters-in-law, Millard Hurst Jr. and Beth Hurst of Barney and Jess Hurst and Melanie of Sylvester; a daughter and son-in-law, Beth Hurst Johnston and David Johnston of Atlanta; a sister, Alyce H. Whiddon of Sylvester; and six grandchildren, Amy H. Cowart of Valdosta, Rebecca Hurst of Barney, Adam Hurst of Barney, Lauren Johnston of Tempe, Ariz., Taylor Johnston of Atlanta and Zachary Hurst of New York, N.Y.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimers Association of S.W. Georgia, Chapter 1512, Gillionville Road, Albany, GA 31707.
Banks Funeral Home in Sylvester is in charge of arrangements.
Katie Nix
KENNESAW — Katie Nix, 81, of Kennesaw, died Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005, at her residence. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Chapel of Lovein Funeral Home. The Rev. Billy Southerland will officiate. Burial will follow in Westview Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 tonight at Lovein Funeral Home in Nashville.
Mrs. Nix was born on March 28, 1924, in Hillsborough County, Fla. She was the daughter of Jesse B. Boyett and Rossie Paulk, both deceased. She was a homemaker and member of Nashville First Baptist Church. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Willard Nix, who died in 1996.
Mrs. Nix is survived by a daughter, Judy Collins of Cumming; a son, Billy Bob Nix of Carrollton; a sister, Virginia Wilkerson of Nashville; eight grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; and one great-great grandson.
Lovein Funeral Home in Nashville is in charge of arrangements.
Helen Rose Levins
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. — Helen Rose Levins, 92, of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., died Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005, in a local nursing home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the graveside at Oak Lawn Cemetery, 7th Street and Avenue O S.W., Winter Haven, Fla. A viewing will be held at the graveside beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Mrs. Levins was born July 20, 1913, in Tifton. She was the daughter of John A. and Zula Flowers. She spent her childhood in Winter Haven, Fla. and later moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., where as a beautician she owned and operated Helen’s Beauty Salon. During the World War II years, she moved to various naval bases with her husband, Robert W. Levins of Crystal River, Fla., a retired U.S. Naval Warrant Officer. She returned to Winter Haven in 1985 where she was a very active member of Inwood Baptist Church. She moved to Mount Pleasant, S.C. in July 2001 to be near her son and his family.
Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law, Ray and Pat of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; two sisters, Luce Fewox of Hialeah, Fla., and Fay Sanchez of Lakeland, Fla.; three grandchildren, John Levins and his wife, Diana, Todd Levins, and Joanna Fleming and her husband, Jim; one great grandchild, Vanessa Levins; and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Inwood Baptist Church, 1302 33rd St., N.W., Winter Haven, Fla. 33881.
J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
Lois Towson Branch
BROOKFIELD — Lois Towson Branch, 94, of Brookfield, died Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005, at Tift Health Care. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Brookfield Baptist Church. The Rev. Edward Mimbs, Dr. W. Ches Smith III and Dr. Wayne Roe will officiate with burial to follow in Oakridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 tonight at Bowen-Donaldson Chapel.
Her grandsons will service as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be her granddaughters, members of her Sunday School class, deacons of Brookfield Baptist Church, her caretakers as well as John Davis, Ronald Hand, James Lastinger and Frank McGill.
Mrs. Branch was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, James Curtis Branch Sr.; her parents, William Henry Towson Sr. and Florence DeFore Towson; three brothers; and one sister. She was born on Feb. 12, 1911, in Dodge County.
She and Mr. Branch were founders and owners of Curtis Packing Company of Tifton, but her most rewarding role was that of homemaker and mother to her four daughters and four sons. She enjoyed cooking and growing flowers, which she generously shared with her family and friends. Her love for her family as well as her pride in her spouse, children and 25 grandchildren will be long remembered.
Mrs. Branch was an active member of Brookfield Baptist Church, Home Demonstrations Clubs and Eastern Star.
Survivors include her sons and their wives, Dr. James Curtis and Mary Frances Branch Jr., William Dan and Carolyn Branch, David Earl and June Branch and Jerry Mack and Kathe Branch, all of Tifton; her daughters and their husbands, Ann and Marvin Moore of Tifton, Carolyn Mann and John, now deceased, of Garden City, Dellene and Albert H. Ellis Jr. of Lafayette and Jane and Emory Atwater Jr. of Mooresville, N.C.; a brother, Max Towson of Ocilla; 25 grandchildren; and 33 great grandchildren.
Gifts may be made to the Building Fund of Brookfield Baptist Church.
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.
Boyce Bafford Wallace
TIFTON — Boyce Bafford Wallace, 94, of Tifton, died Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2005, at Tift Health Care. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Burial will follow in Lawrence Cemetery. The Rev. A.D. Connell and the Rev. Clayton Dow will officiate.
Michael Purvis, Tonoha Wallace, Justine Stone, Ricky Prince, Jerry Ivey and Joe Simpson will serve as pallbearers.
Mr. Wallace was born on Jan. 10, 1911, in Alabama. He was the son of Henry Wallace and Alice Howard Bellamy Wallace, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Sarah Josephine Goddard Wallace; a son, Authur Wallace; a daughter and son-in-law, Louise and Reese Beasley; a grandson, Robert Wallace; a brother; and three sisters. He was a retired textile worker and Massey Furniture salesman. He had lived in Tifton since 1946 and was a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Masonic Lodge.
Mr. Wallace is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Ray and Diane Wallace of Ocilla; a daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Arlie Purvis Jr. of Tifton; a daughter-in-law, Mary Ann Wallace of Tifton; a sister, Mildred Vaughn of Forsyth; seven grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; and eight great-great grandchildren.
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.
James Underwood
ATHENS — James Marion Underwood, 85, of Iris Place, died Monday, Sept. 27, 2005. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Lord and Stephens Chapel, WEST. The Rev. Bill Hayes and the Rev. Brent Reynolds will officiate. Interment will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Tift Memorial Gardens with the Rev. David Blalock officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at Lord and Stephens Chapel, WEST.
Born in Woodbury, Meriweather County, Mr. Underwood was the son of the late Edward Hill and Mary Elizabeth Cartwright Underwood. He was also preceded in death by a son, Tommy Underwood. Mr. Underwood was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II having served with the Third Army under the command of General George Patton.
He made his home in Athens for the past three years, having lived in Tifton since 1946. While in Tifton, he was a charter member of Trinity United Methodist Church and former member of First United Methodist Church. He was a member of American Legion Post 21 for 59 years. Mr. Underwood was retired as owner operator of a floor covering business. He was currently a member of First Christian Church, Watkinsville.
Survivors include his wife, Edna Sandiford Roberts Underwood; children, Larry W. Roberts of Cartersville, Karen Finnerty of Watkinsville and Cindy Fuller of Ellijay; three sisters, Jessie Newton of Hendersonville, N.C., Jewell Cauthen of Thomaston and Christine Bronsing of San Diego, Calif.; five grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1684 Barnett Shoals Road, Athens, GA 30605 or St. Mary’s Hospice, PO Box 6588, Athens, GA 30604.
Lord and Stephens, WEST is in charge of arrangements.