Obituaries for Jan. 4, 2006

Published 10:04 pm Tuesday, January 3, 2006

John ‘Jack’

Wright Sr.

TIFTON — John L. “Jack” Wright Sr., 90, of Tifton, died Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, at Tift Regional Medical Center after a short illness.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today in the Memorial Chapel of the First Baptist Church in Tifton. Dr. Wayne Roe and Dr. W. Ches Smith III will officiate. Burial will follow in Oakridge Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be John Brownlee, Steve Brownlee, John L. Wright III, Hank Pittman, Josh Bean and Clay Chester. Buddy Kulbersh, Dr. Bill Bridges, Guy Blasingame, James Bowen, Richard Garrett, Dr. Joe Turner, Dan Griffin, Joe Riddle, Dr. Richard McCullough, Hugh Chandler, Glenn Whitley, Joe Tinsley, Butch Coarsey, George Lindstedt, Bob Reinhardt, Jerry Kunes, Ross Pittman, Harvey Hatcher, Jake Herring, Charles Powell, Billy Lankford, Butch Davis, Roger Nalls, Tommy Cottle and Bill Trawick will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Mr. Wright was born on Aug. 15, 1915, in Des Moines, Iowa. He was the son of Ester Larkin and Earl Grant Wright, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Kathryn “Kitty” Webb Wright and three brothers, Bill, Dick and Bob Wright.

As a young man, Mr. Wright attended Milliken University and Drake University before deciding to join the military. The military career brought him to the South where he served as Flight Instructor at Spence Field in Moultrie until he volunteered to go overseas as a fighter pilot during World War II.

During the war, he served as Squadron Commander for the 36th Fighter Group in Northern France, Central Europe, The Ardennes and Rhineland. During these campaigns, he was decorated with The Distinguished Flying Cross with One Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with Eleven Oak Leaf Clusters and numerous citations for bravery and heroism. He later served as Base Commander at Turner Field in Albany during the Korean War and received an honorable discharge in July 1958.

Upon returning to civilian life, he started Wright Plant Company, which later became Wright-Bowen Plant Company with James Bowen as his partner. He was one of the original members of the Tifton Development Authority, Past President of the Tift County Chamber of Commerce, a partner in Tifton Insurance Agency, a licensed real estate broker, a member of the First Baptist Church where he was an active choir member for many years, and a member of Springhill Country Club.

He is survived by one son, John L. Wright Jr. and wife Lanita of Cocoa, Fla.; two daughters, Kay Wright Brownlee and husband Ronald of Tifton, and Mary Anne Wright Simmons and husband Gary of Tifton; seven grandchildren, John Brownlee and wife Kim of Tifton, Steve Brownlee of Savannah, Beth Brownlee Chester and husband Clay of Albany, Mary Kathryn Simmons of Atlanta, Mikel Simmons Bean and husband Josh of Statesboro, John L. Wright III and wife Gena of Cairo, Hannah Elaine Wright of Thomasville; and three great grandchildren, Davis Wright Brownlee, Garrett Lanier Brownlee and John Dawson Brownlee.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the First Baptist Church Memorial Fund at 404 Love Ave., Tifton, GA 31794, or to the Tift Regional Hospital Foundation.

Sign the online guest registry at www.bowen-donaldson.com.

Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.



Raymond Elgin Griffin

McRAE — Raymond Elgin Griffin, 90, of McRae, died Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, at the Taylor Telfair Regional Hospital in Telfair County.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at New Corinth Calvary Holiness Church. Burial will follow in the Deberry Church Cemetery near Ambrose.

Mr. Griffin was a native of Mississippi County, Arkansas. He was born on Oct. 28, 1915, and was the son of the late Sam Yell and Effie Guthrie Griffin. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Harley Griffin, J.L. Griffin, Ollen Griffin and Virgil Griffin.

Survivors include his wife, Sue Smith Griffin of McRae; two daughters, Romola (Joe) Davis of West Memphis, Ark. and June (Vernon) Lewis of McRae; a son, Don (Jessie) Griffin of Liberty, S.C.; two brothers, O’Neal Griffin of Kerrville, Texas and Mike Griffin of Houston, Texas; three sisters, Sylvia Kinnett of Aiken, S.C., Doris Taylor of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Pat Bodie of Laluz, N.M.; 13 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Sims Funeral Home in Douglas is in charge of arrangements.