Obituaries for September 27, 2003
Published 11:53 am Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Robert Barton Oliver
TROY, Ala. — Robert Barton Oliver, 73, of Troy, formerly of Tifton, died Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003, at Edge Regional Medical Center.
Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. today at Green Hills Memorial Park in Troy. The Rev. John Clark will officiate.
Pallbearers will be Davis Doggett, Chris Oliver, Tim Oliver, Dennis Park, Al Shipman and Sammy Weaver.
Honorary pallbearers will be Nick Cevera, Jimmy Oliver, Bill Porter, Max Reeves, W.L. Stallings and Danny Williams.
Mr. Oliver was the manager of the Tifton Holiday Inn for 18 years. He was the owner and operator of Jewelers’ Showcase in Troy.
He is survived by his wife, Doris Oliver of Troy; four daughters, Mary Charles (Richmond) Watkins of Sylacauga, Ala., Dwana (Rob) Coleman of Tifton, Lisa Gladin of Tifton and Robbie (Larry) Bailey of Tampa, Fla.; two sons, Bart Oliver of Birmingham, Ala., and Rob (Billie) Oliver of Troy; five grandchildren, Desiree Amling, Ashley Watkins, Paige Oliver, Jay Coleman and Lee Coleman; two great-grandchildren, Hunter Coleman and Kaylee Amling; one sister, Cathrine Williams of Montgomery, Ala.; and one brother, Charles (Sonny) Oliver of Virginia Beach, Va.
Dillard Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Thomas William Hayes
OCILLA — Thomas William Hayes, 59, of Ocilla, died Friday, Sept. 26, 2003, at Tift Regional Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. The Rev. Glen Fussell will officiate. Burial will follow at Oakridge Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 tonight and Sunday night.
Born Dec. 13, 1943, in Tift County, Mr. Hayes was the son of John Thomas Hayes and Marcelle Janie Hale Hayes, both deceased.
A U.S. Navy veteran, he was a truck driver and a member of Midway Church of God.
Mr. Hayes is survived by his wife, Diane Hood Hayes of Ocilla; five sons, Tommy Steve Hayes and Mitch William Hayes, both of Brunswick, Dennis Benjamin Hayes of Kingsland, Joey Raiford Hancock of Florida and Billy Wayne Reeves of Tifton; two daughters, Tina Higginbotham of Macclenny, Fla., and Jennifer Tawzer of Tifton; one brother, William Fogarty of Omega; two sisters, Ruth Horner of Enigma and Garlan Webb of Tifton; 23 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.
Earl Willis Martin
OMEGA — Earl Willis Martin, 88, of Omega, died Thursday, Sept. 25, 2003, at Adel Memorial Hospital.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. today at Baker Funeral Chapel in Moultrie. The Rev. Jimmy Voyles will officiate, assisted by the Rev. Gene Sheffield. Burial will follow at Weeks Chapel Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Victor Martin, Ricky Perry, Randy Weeks, Craig Martin, Chuck Mercer, Marty Gay, Roger Gay and Lyn Weeks.
Born Aug. 10, 1915, in Berrien County, Mr. Martin was the son of William Elsie Martin and Phoebe Deliah Fiveash Martin, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by his first wife, Ruby K. Martin; a son-in-law, Jeff Weeks; a granddaughter, Cheryl Golden, and a grandson, Terrell Weeks.
He was a retired painter and had served as a police officer in Norman Park for several years. He was a member of the Baptist faith.
Mr. Martin is survived by his wife, Orma Hobby Willis Martin; two sons, Jackie Martin of Norman Park and Julian Martin and wife, Shirley, of Moultrie; two daughters, Nell Weeks Warren and husband, Edward, of Norman Park and Carolyn Martin of Norman Park; four stepsons, Randall Willis and wife, Wanda, of Brunswick, Larry Willis of Tifton, Gary Willis and wife, Connie, of Morgan and Tracy Willis and wife, Lynn, of Acworth; two stepdaughters, Sharon Fontaine and husband, Bruce, of Milwaukee, Ore., and Carol Willis of Omega; 23 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
Baker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Clifton W. Davis
TIFTON — Clifton Webster Davis, 83, of Tifton, died Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003, at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today at Eastside Baptist Church. The Rev. Calvin Bobo and the Rev. Jimmy Odum will officiate. Burial will follow at Oakridge Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Travis Arrington, Tommy Lamb, David Cone, Andy Pierce, Chad Perry and Randy Carr.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the First John Sunday School Class and the deacons of Eastside Baptist Church.
Born July 19, 1920, Berrien County, Mr. Davis was the son of Henry Webster Davis and Sally Ocie Rutherford Davis, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by one grandson, Justin Keith Davis, who died in 1986; one brother, Lory V. Davis, who died in 1994; and one sister, Othel Forte, who died in 1971.
Mr. Davis had lived in Tift County for 54 years and was a retired dry cleaner. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the United States Army as a staff sergeant, and was a deacon of Eastside Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Era Bell McLellan Davis of Tifton, to whom he was married for 61 years; two sons and daughters-in-law, Clifton Edsel and Rita Davis and Dannie Farrell and Cathy Davis, all of Tifton; a brother and sister-in-law, Henry Cecil and Jo Davis of Winter Haven, Fla.; one sister, Ethel McClellan of Tifton; one sister-in-law, Mildred Davis of Orange Park, Fla.; his grandchildren, Chad and Joy Davis, Lisa Cooper, Melissa Davis and Cliff Davis, all of Tifton; two great-grandchildren, Caelan and Brandon Cooper of Tifton; and many nieces and nephews.
Albritton-Beaumont Funeral Directors’ Tiftarea Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Jack Darris Benefield
ENIGMA — Jack Darris Benefield, 88, of Enigma, died Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003, at his residence.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Enigma Baptist Church. The Rev. Pete Jones and the Rev. Jim Fennell will officiate. Entombment will follow at Tift Memorial Gardens. Mr. Benefield’s body will placed in the church one hour before the service.
Pallbearers will be Leroy Little, Gary Dorminey, Larry Crumley, Maurice McMillan, Anthony Barnes and Dwayne Turner.
Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Cranford, James King, Jimmy Akins, Bud Tucker, Ray Stewart, Tommy King and Bruce Stewart.
Born Sept. 9, 1915, Mr. Benefield was the son of Jim Benefield and Mecy Alexander Benefield, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Annette Lott Benefield, and by one sister.
An Air Force veteran of World War II, he was a retired farmer. He was a member of Enigma Baptist Church and was a Mason and Shriner.
Mr. Benefield is survived by three sons, Charles Benefield, Dwight Benefield and Dewayne Benefield, all of Enigma; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.