Jeanne N Pleasants: Obituary
Obituaries April 2, 2019
Jeanne N Pleasants
Jeanne N Pleasants, age 88, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 3, 2019. She was born on December 19, 1930 in Escanaba, Michigan, to Paul and Jeanne (Gauthier) Novack. Jeanne was blessed with the gift of easily relating to people, and many enjoyed her graciousness and quick wit in conversation. She attended high school and college in Michigan, then travelled the world as a stewardess for Pan American World Airways in the 1950’s. Jeanne married James V Pleasants on December 12, 1959 in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The couple was stationed at several Marine bases before settling in St. Simons Island, Georgia, in 1976, where she worked as a commercial crabber, high school English teacher, and salt marsh boat tour guide and captain.
Jeanne was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, in 2011. She is survived by their children Paul (Tonita) Pleasants of Bayville, NY, and Anna (Tom) Sobolewski of Cincinnati, OH, and grandchildren Lydia and Myles Pleasants, Luke and Scott Sobolewski, and Johanna, Jason, Jennifer, and Joelle Velasquez, and siblings Michael Novack and Darla Culbertson. Sister-in-law Peggy (Albert) Pleasants Thrasher of Tiger; Nieces and Nephews: Wesley (Karen) Taylor of Clarkesville, Judy (Mike) Smith of Clarkesville, Becky (Mike) Ray of Cornelia, Dawne (Randy) Bryan of Cochran, Al (Laura) Thrasher of Weaverville, NC, Julie (Steve) Stuckey of Byers, CO.
The family will greet friends at Beck Funeral Home in Clayton, Georgia at 10:00 am on Saturday, March 16, followed by funeral services at 11:15 in the chapel of Beck Funeral Home and committal of ashes service at 12:30 in Tiger Cemetery.
Gary Randall Morris: Obituary
Obituaries April 2, 2019
Gary Randall Morris
Gary Randall Morris 66, of Gainesville, GA passed away on Friday, March 15, 2019 at Northside Hospital Forsyth.
Gary is predeceased in death by his parents George and Janet Morris, and his brother Michael Morris.
Survivors include his loving wife Pam Morris of Gainesville, GA.
Son and daughter in law; Brent Morris (Julienne) of Athens; GA.
Brother Jeff Morris also survives.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at McDonald and Son Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at 11am in the chapel of McDonald and Son Funeral Home. Interment will follow in the Hebron Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Gary’s name to the American Heart Association.
Geneva Ree Crunkleton Hunnicutt: Obituary
Obituaries April 2, 2019
Geneva Ree Crunkleton Hunnicutt
MARCH 26, 1930 ~ MARCH 13, 2019
Geneva Ree Crunkleton Hunnicutt, age 88, of Mountain City, Georgia, passed away on March 13, 2019.
Geneva was born the daughter of the late William Franklin Crunkleton and Cora Mae York on March 26, 1930. Geneva was a Christian, and was a member of the Blue Heights Baptist Church where she served as Bible School Director and Church Clerk, and a member of the Womens Missionary Union. She was a loving mother and grandmother. She loved her family, gospel music, crossword puzzles and reading, and was always quick to take care of anyone.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse Dixon Hunnicutt; one son, Dickie Hunnicutt; four brothers, J.V. Crunkleton, Will Crunkleton, Joe Crunkleton, Ray Crunkleton; nine sisters, Stella Sosebee, Ruby Oliver, Margie Oliver, Harley Smith, Minerva Oliver, Coramae Sheriff, Doris Holt, Christine Rumsey, Lee Devine.
Her survivors include her two sons, Tim (Angela) Hunnicutt and Larry (Judy) Hunnicutt; one daughter, Jenny English; ten grandchildren, Robbin McClure, Ricky Hunnicutt, Shelly Hunnicutt, Brian Hunnicutt, Alicia Hunnicutt, Mandy Howard, Justin English, Dixon Hunnicutt, Bobby Hunnicutt, Joey Hunnicutt; twenty great-grandchildren; sixteen great great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends on Saturday March 16, 2019 at the Beck Funeral Home from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
A funeral service will be held on Sunday March 17, 2019 at the Blue Heights Baptist Church in Mountain City, Georgia at 2:00 pm with Rev. Tim Hunnicutt officiating.
The family will be at the home of Jenny English 124 Hunnicutt Dr. Mountain City, Georgia
Joyce Arlene Rice Speed: Obituary
Obituaries April 2, 2019
Joyce Arlene Rice Speed
JUNE 1, 1968 ~ MARCH 11, 2019
Joyce Arlene Rice Speed, age 50, of Clarkesville, Ga., went home to be with her Lord and Savior with her loving family by her side on March 11, 2019 and now has sweet wonderful peace. She was born June 1, 1968 the daughter of Rev. Oliver Rice and the late Mary Green Rice.
Along with her father and step mother, Barbara Reed Rice she is survived by her loving husband Jerry Speed of Clarkesville, Ga., one son Phillip Speed of Clarkesville, Ga., one daughter Arizona Speed of Clarkesville, Ga., two sisters Lynn Lovell (Doug) of Clarkesville, Ga., Peggy Brewer (Kenneth) of Franklin, NC., one step sister Vickie Owens (Clay) of Clayton, Ga. one step brother James Reed of Clayton, Ga. also a number of nieces and nephews also survive.
She was a devoted member of New Birth Baptist Church where she loved singing and serving her Lord. She was a loving wife, mother daughter and sister; she enjoyed taking pictures, making crafts, jewelry, going hunting and fishing.
The family will receive friends on March 16, 2019 from 11:00am until 1:00pm at New Birth Baptist Church 200 Hollywood Hills Rd Clarkesville Ga.30523. Funeral services will follow at 1:00pm at the Church with Rev. Johnny Truelove and Rev. Mike Wilson officiating. Graveside services will follow at Blue Valley Baptist Church Cemetery with Rev. Johnny Loudermilk officiating.
In lieu of flower’s donations may be made to Beck Funeral Home 898 Hwy 441 South Clayton Ga., 30525 to help with funeral expenses.
Charles B. “Chuck” Hooper: Obituary
Obituaries April 2, 2019
Charles B. “Chuck” Hooper
Charles B. “Chuck” Hooper, 64, of Mt. City, GA died Saturday night, March 30, 2019 at his home.
Born May 14, 1954, he was the son of the late Boyd C. Hooper and Martha Ledbetter Hooper. He was a graduate of Rabun County High School and a plant operator with The Georgia Power Company.
Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, Boyd and Martha Hooper, a son, Joshua Cabe Hooper and a brother, John Dean Hooper. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Taylor Hooper, of the home, four brothers, James R. Hooper (Brenda) of Tiger, GA, Ronald Clark Hooper of Clayton, GA, Tim Hooper (Dovie) of Tiger, GA, Greg Hooper (Brenda) of Clayton, GA, two sisters, Angela Hunnicutt (Tim) of Mt. City, GA and Marla Hooper of Clayton, GA. One grandson, Jesse Cabe Hooper also survives.
Funeral services will be at 2:00pm Thursday, April 4, 2019 at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Wiley, GA with Rev. John Hutcheson, Jr., Rev. John Hutcheson, Sr. and Rev. Tim Hunnicutt officiating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Grove Cemetery in the Germany Community.
The body is at Hunter Funeral Home a visitation will be from 6:00pm to 8:00pm Wednesday April 3, 2019 at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in the Wiley Community. The family is at the home in Mt. City. The family asks in lieu of flowers memorial donations,be made, in his memory to Tabernacle Baptist Church 6467 Highway 441 South Lakemont, GA. 30552 or Rabun County Gideons P.O. Box 241 Clayton, GA. 30525
Hunter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
An on-line obituary and registry is available at www.hunterfuneralhomega.com
Teresa Ann Watts Wall: Obituary
Obituaries April 2, 2019
Teresa Ann Watts Wall
Teresa Ann Watts Wall 53, of Ponderosa Road, Rabun Gap, GA died Wednesday March 13, 2019 at her home.
Born November 18, 1965 in Rabun County, she was the daughter of Katie Stanfield Watts of Mountain City, GA and the late Roy Watts. She was a graduate of Rabun County High School and was manager of Don’s Mobile Convenience Store before her illness.
Teresa was preceded in death by her father, Roy Watts and by a brother, Frank B. Watts and is survived by her husband, David E. Wall of the home, her mother, Katie Watts of Mtn. City, GA, two daughters, Allison Lee Wall of Rabun Gap, GA and Ashley Jane Brodeur of Tiger, GA, one step-son William David Wall of Clayton, GA. Three grandchildren, Aubry Arreguin, Seth Brodeur and C.J. Brodeur also survive.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 16, 2019 in the Chapel of Hunter Funeral Home with Rev. Thomas Burrell officiating. Burial will be in the Head of Tennessee Baptist Cemetery, Dillard, GA.
The body is at Hunter Funeral Home where visitation will be Friday, March 15, 2019 from 6:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. The family is at the home in Rabun Gap, GA.
Hunter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
And on-line obituary and register is available at www.hunterfuneralhomega.com
Lita Darlene Burke Ward: Obituary
Obituaries April 2, 2019
Lita Darlene Burke Ward
Lita Darlene Burke Ward, 87, of Ward Lane, Rabun Gap, GA died Thursday morning, March 7, 2019 at her home. She was the widow of Paul Henry Ward.
Born in Van Buren, Michigan, November 1, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Lloyd E. Burke and Nora McNeal Burke. She had lived the greater part of her life in the Orlando, Florida area. She lived in Rabun County approximately 37 years. She was a registered nurse in Orlando until she retired. Darlene loves her family and her friends and she loved the mountains and Rabun County, Georgia.
Darlene was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Ward and her parents Lloyd and Nora Burke, a sister Velma Jean Bloodworth, two brothers, Kenneth Ober Burke and John Taylor Burke. She is survived by a daughter, Betty Bliss of Rabun Gap, Georgia, who is also an RN and the caregiver for “Miss” Darlene for six years, one step daughter, Judy Sipowicz of Summerville, Tennessee, one son Michael Palmer of Clayton, Georgia, one step son, Paul Ward, Jr. of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and one sister, Beverly Huff (Roy) of Michigan. Seventeen grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren also survive.
Her body has been cremated and no service is planned at this time. The family is at their respective residences.
James Leroy Dynes: Obituary
Obituaries April 2, 2019
James Leroy Dynes
James Leroy Dynes, 76, of Shady Side Drive, Clayton, Georgia., died Tuesday March 5, 2019 in Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Georgia.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio., October 3, 1942 he was the son of the late Wilbur Dynes and Mary Brunk Dynes. He lived in Rabun County the greater part of his life. He was a Manager of Bilo Grocery store and a member of Clayton Church of God.
Mr Dynes was preceded in death by his parents, Wilber and Mary Dynes, a son, Jimmy Dynes and a brother, John Dynes and is survived by two daughters, Sherry Turner (James) of Landrum, SC., Debbie Tallent (Chris) of Otto, NC., and by three, Pat, Jean and Janice. Five grandchildren and three great grandchildren also survive.
The body has been cremated a memorial service will be set for a later date. The family is at their respective residences.
Hunter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
An on-line obituary and guest register is available at www.hunterfuneralhomega.com
Erosion Control
Outdoors February 26, 2019
Georgia, along with much of the southeastern US, don’t have a positive past with erosion. Repetitive
cropping of cotton in the piedmont resulted in seven inches of topsoil being washed away into the
ocean. Soil takes hundreds of years to create, meaning that the loss of soil is something that will be
felt for generations. By the 1950s, new policies and programs began to change Georgia from endless
cotton fields to forestland and other uses that are less susceptible to erosion. In the mountains, there is
always a threat of erosion if we aren’t proactive with protecting our landscape. Let’s talk about why we
should care about erosion and some things that you can do to make sure that your land isn’t eroded
away.
With the high amount of rainfall that we receive in the mountains, erosion caused by water is the
biggest concern that we have, so I’ll focus on that. Erosion is also caused by wind and gravity. According
to the US Department of Agriculture, 2 billion tons of topsoil are lost each year in the US because of
erosion. The topsoil is the most nutrient-rich part of the soil, and so plants rely heavily on it for growth.
Therefore, losing topsoil is going to reduce your plant growth. Erosion can also lead to water quality
issues. Not only does the topsoil muddy up our lakes and rivers, but also the nutrients that the topsoil is
carrying can create algal blooms leading to decreased aquatic life. That is bad news for our lakes and the
fish that inhabit them. Erosion can also create a hardpan that will repel water and increases surface
runoff.
So let’s talk about what you can do to reduce erosion. Firstly, construction makes soil very susceptible to
erosion. Removing all the vegetation from the top of the soil leaves it open to the rainfall. Whenever
possible in construction, surround the project site with hay bales and silt fences, preserve the already
existing vegetation, and keep any piles of loose vegetation or gravel covered.
Keep stream banks covered with vegetation and trees. Those plant roots will solidify that stream bank so
that the natural erosion process will be slowed down. It will keep the stream from widening. In gardens
and around the home use mulch or compost when possible to protect bare soil. This will improve water
infiltration into the soil and reduce runoff.
Minimizing impermeable surfaces such as the driveway or walkway on your property will also reduce
erosion. Obviously, you will need some impermeable surfaces at your property, such as a roof for your
house. For cases like that, it’s important to design pathways for the water from those impermeable
surfaces to travel so that they can be deposited in a rain garden or pond. Rain gardens collect water
to allow the water to infiltrate back into the soil instead of having it run downhill. Usually, they have plants
that are adapted to living in damp soils.
If you have any questions about erosion or what you can do to prevent erosion at your property, please
contact your local Extension Office or send me an email at [email protected].
Joan Henrietta Facey: Obituary
Obituaries February 27, 2019
Joan Henrietta Facey
MAY 23, 1934 ~ FEBRUARY 21, 2019
oan Henrietta Facey, 84, was born in Summit, New Jersey on May 23, 1934 and passed away February 21, 2019. Joan was the daughter of Christina C. Marshall Facey and Daniel T. Facey, sister to Red Facey and Aubyn Cardenas. She grew up on Hillcrest Road in Plainfield, New Jersey before attending Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Joan was one of the first female engineering graduates of that excellent institution and remained proud of that achievement throughout her life. Her professional life began in aerospace engineering in San Diego, California, later moving to United Parcel Service (U.P.S.) back on the east coast. At U.P.S. she enjoyed a senior executive position for many years prior to her retirement.
Throughout her life, Joan exhibited a keen interest in art. Eventually she became the custodian of the collected works of her long time family friend, artist Gershon Benjamin. Joan formed the Gershon Benjamin Foundation, supporting artist and guilds throughout the country and guided the sale of Gershon’s work for decades with great success.
Joan loved to fly and piloted her own plane out of Peachtree DeKalb airport in Atlanta, well in to her late sixties. This is perhaps why she felt so at home in the Heavens Landing Community even though she was no longer flying.
Joan was an avid reader, her favorite book being The Bible. Although baptized into the Episcopal church, Joan converted to Catholicism shortly after moving to Clayton. She enjoyed being an active member of St. Helena Church and found joy and comfort in her spiritual friendships.
Joan’s life was blessed with many special friends, too many to name, who opened their hearts and lives to her, making her part of their families. That meant the world to her. Joan was tenderly cared for by her long time family friend, Tracy Glenn of Bend, Orgeon and her devoted caregivers, Joyce Winn of Tiger and Candace DiGiorgio of Persimmon, aided by the unwavering support and love of others close to, and devoted to her well being. Joan was a generous, loving and considerate friend to many and she will be missed greatly by Clayton and the other communities she has served throughout her life.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers.
A service in celebration of Joan’s life will be held on Friday April 12, 2019 at 11:00 am at the St. Helena Catholic Church 137 Meadow Stream Lane Clayton, Georgia 30525. Services will be officiated by Father Pedro Poloche. A lunch reception will be held at the church immediately following. Interment will take place at Joan’s family gravesite at the Hillside Cemetery Plainfield, New Jersey during the second week of July, 2019.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Community Pantry 46 Plaza Way Clayton, Georgia 30525.
Fred Edgar Boss: Obituary
Obituaries February 27, 2019Fred Edgar Boss
Fred Edgar Boss, 91, of Clayton, GA died Sunday February 24, 2019 at his daughter’s residence in Alto, GA surrounded by his girls and hand-in-hand with his “punk” Ashley.
Born in Gwinnett County on May 25, 1927, he was the son of the late Ernest and Pearl Boss. He lived in Rabun County for the past 37 years. He was a very talented Artist with artwork displayed in various places in Rabun County. He also was featured more than once as a “Featured artist” in the Georgia Mountain Laurel magazine. To know him was to love him. His sweet soul will be dearly missed.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Boss, of 68 years, three sons; Greg, Rick, and Perry Boss, and by two brothers; Horace and Royce Boss.
He is survived by two daughters, Debbie Boss Johnson (Mike) of Valdosta, GA, Melissa Boss Duran of Alto, GA, one sister, Ruby Boss Clayton of Rockmart, GA. Seven grandchildren Kelli Taylor (Shannon), Shannon Taylor (Melinda) Brad Barrett, Greg Hunter (Cate), Jennifer Boss, Ashley Caputo (Warren), and Alicia Boss.
Fourteen great grandchildren also survive.
Funeral services will be Wednesday February 27, 2019 at 11:00AM at the Chapel of Hunter Funeral Home with Greg Hunter officiating. The body is at Hunter Funeral Home where visitation will be on Tuesday February 26, 2019 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM. Burial will follow funeral services on Wednesday February 27, 2019 at 3:30PM in the Forest Hill Memorial Garden in Forest Park, GA.
A special thanks to Amanda Lunsford, Eva, “Dr.” Brian, “Dr.” Cliff, Amanda Ramey, and Chaplin’s Tim and Tom with Amedisys. They have all been a blessing in Fred’s life.
Hunter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
An on-line obituary and register is available at www.hunterfuneralhomega.com


