Curtis Haynes, age 64, 5491 Martin Court, Ellenwood, Georgia passed June 4, 2017.

The funeral service will be conducted 1:00 P.M., Saturday, June 10, 2017 at the New Corinth Baptist Church, 340 Spivey Street, Ellaville, Georgia. Burial will follow in the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, 1697 Mt. Zion Road, Ellaville, Georgia.

Curtis was born in Ellaville, Schley County, Georgia on June 3, 1953 to the parents of the late Mr. Bob Haynes and Mrs. Marie Griffin Haynes. He was preceded in death by three siblings, Marvin Haynes, General Lee Haynes and Edna Haynes.
 
He was educated in the public school system of Schley County and a 1973 graduate of John Lewis High School. He joined the band of Christians believers at New Corinth Baptist Church.
 
He was united in Holy Matrimony to Judith Byse Haynes.  To this union, they were blessed with three children. He was employed and retired from Costco, Atlanta, Georgia as a Fort Lift Driver/Maintenance. Being a concerned citizen of his community he served as a city councilman for several years.  He was also a Prince Hall Mason.

He leaves to cherish his precious memories: his loving and devoted wife, Judith Byse Haynes, Ellenwood, Georgia; three children, Tiffanie Nicole Haynes Gee (Jonathan), Ellenwood, Georgia, Derrick Williamson (Vanessa), Ellaville, Georgia and Christalin Murrell, Boston, Massachusetts; five grandchildren, Kirsten Gee, Kaitlin Gee, both of Ellenwood, Georgia, Turhan Scudder, Ellaville, Georgia, Denaria Maldonado, Dyandi Maldonado, both of Boston, Massachusetts; one great grand, Amari Foster, Boston, Massachusetts; siblings, Alice Haynes Tymes, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Rosa Haynes Cauley, Oglethorpe, Georgia, Margaree Haynes Maynard, Americus, Georgia, Georgia Ann Haynes Middlebrooks, Ellaville, Georgia, Darnell Haynes Booker (Ellwood), Cambridge, Massachusetts, Thelma Haynes (Pansy), Fortson, Georgia and Patricia Terry Haynes Hollis (Randy), Americus, Georgia; sisters-in-law Dorothy Haynes, Ellaville, Georgia, Debra Martin (Bennie), and Vanessa Chatman (Theron) all of Ellenwood, Georgia and Pamela Chestnut (Morris), Calabasas, California; brothers-in-law, Ricky Byse (Kathy), Savannah, Georgia, and Casey Byse (Patricia), Ellenwood, Georgia; and a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, other relatives and beloved friends.​

Josephine Williams, age 52, 45 Jack Road, Oglethorpe, Georgia passed Tuesday, May 30, 2017.

The funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 A.M., Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at Mt. Pleasant/Travel Rest C.M.E. Church, 315 Norris Street, Montezuma, Georgia where the Reverend Sidney Kendrick is pastor. The Reverend Willie Taylor will officiate. Burial will follow at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery on Whiteline Street, Montezuma, Georgia.

Josephine Williams was born May 12, 1965 in Sumter County to the parents of the late Furlow Williams and the late Bertha Mae Harpe Williams. Josephine was educated in the Sumter County public school system. She was employed at Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company in Americus, Georgia for many years. She was preceded in death by two siblings, Furlow Lee Williams, Jr. and Shirlene Williams.

Survivors are three children, Brandon Allen Williams (Alanda), Columbus, Georgia, Cabrina Williams, Oglethorpe, Georgia, and Karenski Williams, Oglethorpe, Georgia; two grandchildren, Ja’Quaylen Daniel, and Ja’Quayvious Daniel; four step grandchildren, Charlton Porter, Dante Tobias, Danteza Tobias, and Justice Tobias, all of Columbus, Georgia; two sisters, Brenda Stanton, Montezuma, Georgia and Gloria Williams, Miami, Florida; one brother, Alfonzo Williams, Americus, Georgia; aunts and uncles, Ardean Clark, Oglethorpe, Georgia, Ernest Harpe, Jr. (Hazel), Andersonville, Georgia, Willie J. Harpe (Mary), Oglethorpe, Georgia, Virginia Harpe Whitehead (Phil), Oglethorpe, Georgia, Willie B. Harpe, Americus, Georgia, Eddie Harpe, Oglethorpe, Georgia; one niece, LaShaun Williams, Americus, Georgia; and a host of nephews, other relatives and friends.

ShaRhonda Renee Burton Darling, age 37, 907 Adderton Street, Americus, Georgia passed Wednesday May 31, 2017 at the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Albany, Georgia.

The funeral services will be held at 3:00 P.M., Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at the Greater Cedar Spring Baptist Church, Georgia Highway 308, Plains, Georgia. Burial will follow in the Church cemetery.

ShaRhonda Renee Burton Darling was born July 3, 1979 to Mildred Bateman Burton and the late Perry Burton Sr. in Americus, Sumter County, Georgia.  She was a 1997 graduate of the Sumter County Comprehensive High School.  She received her Cosmetology Degree from South Georgia Technical College in 2001 and in 2003 she earned her Medical Assistance Degree.  She touched many lives working with various companies which includes nursing assistant at Montezuma Health Care, Magnolia Manor Nursing Home, Americus, Georgia, and Sumter County Regional Hospital.  Accepting Christ as her personal Savior, she joined the Greater Cedar Spring Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Bobby L. Robinson and later joined the Kingdom Of Heaven Church under the leadership of Courtney Moore.

In 2003, ShaRhonda was united in holy matrimony to Anthony Darling and to this union they were blessed with two sons, Anthony Ja’Markez Darling and LaMorris Anthony Darling.

ShaRhonda Renee Darling is survived by her husband, Anthony Darling, Sr., Americus, Georgia; two sons Anthony Ja’Markez Darling Jr., Americus, Georgia and LaMorris Anthony Darling, Montezuma, Georgia; her mother, Mildred B. Burton, Americus, Georgia; one sister, Andrea Nicole Burton (Bradley Bennett); two brothers, Perry F. Burton II (Minister LaShonda) and Dr. David J. Ndaayezwi (Miriam); mother-in-law Eula Kendrick, Oglethorpe, Georgia; two grandmothers, Mattie Pearl Burton, Sumter City and Mamie Lee Prater, Americus, Georgia; four brothers-in-law, Shannon Darling (Martha), Adrian Kendrick (Teneeshia), Cordell Willis, and Kenneth C. Williams, Sr., sister-in-law Tessia T. Phelps; six uncles, Douglas Bateman (Effie), Artis Bateman, Matthew Burton (Betty Jean), James Jones (Gloria) Jesse Bateman (Willie Pearl) and Eric Miller; nine aunts, Gwendolyn Williams (Travis), Carolyn Reddick (Joel), Mattie Pearl Lillard, Lizzie Carter (Edward) Khaleelah Shareef, Patricia Wise, Denise Danner, JoAne (Eddie) Smith and Mary H. Stroud; five great uncles, Robert Bateman, Robert Baker William Greene, James Wise and Paul Wise; six great aunts, Daisy Bateman, Marlene Green, Carolyn Bateman, Mary Green, and Louise Williams and Emma Kate Epps; also survived by many other relatives, friends and the Class of 1997, her church families the Kingdom of Heaven and the Greater Cedar Spring Baptist Church.

The family will meet at the home of her mother, Mildred Burton, 413 New Street, Americus, Georgia.

Mrs. Josephine Jolly McCrary, age 97, passed on May 23, 2017 at her residence surrounded by family. 

The funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at the Oglethorpe Funeral Chapel, Inc., 607 Kaigler Street, Oglethorpe, Georgia. Reverend Coley Clark Jr., Pastor of Zion Grove Baptist Church in Montezuma, Georgia will officiate.

Josephine Jolly McCrary was born on April 17, 1920 in Montezuma, Georgia to the late Elijah Jolly and Amanda Jolly. She was preceded in death by 11 siblings. At an early age she accepted Christ as her personal Savior and joined the band of Christian believers St. Paul Primitive Baptist Church in Montezuma, Georgia.  She was joined in holy matrimony to the late Charles McCrary.  Josephine was a homemaker who enjoyed cooking and caring for her family.

She leaves behind five children, Jerome Jolly, Atlanta, Georgia, Earl McCrary, Americus, Georgia, Walter McCrary (Shirley), Atlanta, Georgia, Charlie Mae Hill (Percy), Macon, Georgia and Deloris Higgs (James), Americus, Georgia; 10 grandchildren; a host of great grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives.  

Mrs. Jamie Respress Graham, age 74, passed on May 25, 2017 at Summerville Senior Living Community, Perry, Georgia.

The funeral service will be held at 12:00 P.M., Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at Oglethorpe Funeral Chapel, 607 Kaigler Street, Oglethorpe, Georgia. Burial will follow at Willow Lake Cemetery, Fort Valley, Georgia.

Mrs. Jamie Graham was born March 29, 1943 in Crawford County, Georgia to the late Willie Fred Respress and Claudia Colbert-Respress.

“Curtis,” as she was commonly called, attended the public school system of Macon County, Georgia, where she graduated from the historic D.F. Douglass High School in 1964.

Thursday evening, May 25, 2017 while a patient at the Summer Hill Nursing Center, Perry, Georgia, she departed this earthly life. Her weary hours and days of pain, her troubled nights are past.  In our hearts, we know you have found sweet rest at last.

She leaves to cherish her memories: her siblings, Annie Ruth Rumph, Rose Bud Jackson (Harvey), Claudia Felton, Jerry Fields, and Willie James Respress (Willie Mae) all of Marshallville, Georgia, Mary Lindsey, Miami, Florida, Hannah Lowe, Fort Valley, Georgia, and Bobby Hightower (Ilene), Warner Robins, Georgia; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends; a very devoted niece and nephew Keisha Simpson and Darrius Lowe

​Susanna Alridge Gardner, age 69, 1110 Alridge Road, Buena Vista, Georgia passed May 24, 2017 at her home.

The funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, May 27, 2017 at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 1908 Dozier Road, Ellaville, Georgia.  The Reverend William Laster, pastor, will officiate.  Interment will follow in the Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Mt. Zion Road, Buena Vista, Georgia.

Mrs. Susanna Alridge Gardner was lovingly known to many relatives and friends as “Doot.”  She was born to the beloved parents of the late Michael Alridge, Sr. and the late Vernice Murray Alridge.  Born into a Christian family, Susanna learned early in life her path of duty.  She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and joined the band of Christian believers at the Ebenezer Baptist Church.  After joining the church she became a Sunday school scholar and worked diligently on the Usher Board Ministry.  After many years of dedicated services, she was given the title of Honorable Usher Minister.  She was educated in the public school system of Marion County.  She was a 1965 graduate of the historic Buena Vista High School.  She was employed as a social worker with the Tri-County Headstart Program and retired after thirty years of dedicated services in 2006.

She was united in holy matrimony to the late Joseph Samuel Gardner, III.  To this union they were blessed with three children and nine grandchildren.  She loved her children dearly and that love was reciprocated.

She leaves a life full of love and admiration for her children and grandchildren: Joseph Samuel Gardner, IV of Cusseta, Georgia and Dwanna Gardner Carter (Shawnon) Buena Vista, Georgia; nine grandchildren, Breeshawna Watts, Atlanta, Georgia, Quanelius Holt, Zada Gardner, Kambi Gardner, Febe Carter and Meah Carter all of Buena Vista, Georgia, Rodderick Gardner, Mobile, Alabama, Cammeron Gardner and Biankka Chukwuma both of Birmingham, Alabama;  three siblings, Judson Alridge, Buena Vista, Georgia, Michael Alridge, Ellaville, Georgia, and Linda Dawson, Warner Robins, Georgia; a beloved sister-in-law, Gail Alridge, Buena Vista, Georgia; aunts and uncle, Lois Aldridge, Buena Vista, Georgia, Mary Fudge Hartford, Connecticut and Michael Minter, Atlanta, Georgia; a host of beloved nieces and nephews; a host of beloved cousins and friends including Marjorie Minter (Clarence), Buena Vista, Georgia.