Sympathy Saturday will be where I share the obituaries and my condolences for members of my family tree who passed recently. When you get to be a certain age, you begin to read the obituaries every day. As the days go by, you read about more and more of your friends and family members who have died. You compare their age to your own and get a jolt. "That could have been me."
For genealogists, checking obituaries and visiting cemeteries is as normal as breathing. I learn so much from an obituary, i.e., maiden names, parents' names; children's' and grandchildren's' names, funeral and burial locations, sometimes even a cause of death. I want to learn these things not for any purpose but to put it on the family tree for future generations to see and learn about the family that went before them. I admit, most of these relatives I have never met, but I think it is important to share that they were here on this Earth, and they were important.
So I am signed up with at least three funerals homes from Swainsboro, Vidalia, and Wrightsville to get daily notices of obituaries sent to my email. Every day, I peruse them and with the help of the family tree, figure out who is related to me and add any new information to the tree. Some weeks there are several, and some weeks there are none. This week there are two who actually passed away a few months ago as I got behind on email for while. So I may be doubling up for a few weeks.
Please join me in offering condolences to their families and holding them in the light.
November 4, 1941 - June 5, 2026
Otis L. “Buddy” Fortner, 84, of Kite was called to Heaven by his Heavenly Father on Friday, June 5, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was loved by everyone and will be greatly missed.
If you came to Kite, GA, and asked for Otis Fortner few people would know who you were talking about but if you asked for Buddy Fortner, they could tell you where to find him. He was born on November 4, 1941, in a country home to the late Daniel Lewis Fortner and Reba Wheeler Fortner. In high school, he played basketball and was a catcher all 4 years for the Kite Tigers. He graduated from Kite High School in 1959. After high school he married the love of his life, Kathryn Kitchens Fortner, and they married on October 2, 1960. They spent 65 years loving each other in marriage.
He started his career at the age of 18 as a self-employed livestock dealer. He had friends and business contacts throughout the Southeast. As owner of Fortner Livestock, he employed 100s of employees. He operated big rigs hauling hogs and cows. He was also a partner in Smith Brothers Stockyard and Swainsboro Stockyard and later worked for Pulaski County Stockyard.
Buddy was a lifetime member of New Home Baptist Church. He loved God, his family, and his friends. He was the former Sunday School Superintendent and on The Social Committee. Buddy was a member of the Swainsboro Masonic #244 and a member of the Swainsboro Shrine Club for 25 years. As a Shriner clown he enjoyed visiting the Shriners hospitals. He enjoyed fishing and taught his children and grandchildren to fish. His trips to Gatlinburg with his church family were some of his favorite memories. He found pleasure in raising cows and taking care of his farm. He had a special gift for making people happy.
Buddy was preceded in death by his parents and granddaughters, Kathy Carpenter and Tiffany Broughan.
Survivors include his wife of 65 years Kathryn Kitchens Fortner; daughter, Twan Broughan (Buddy) of Kite; son, Lewie Fortner (Gail) of Wrightsville; grandson, Lewis Fortner III (Jessica) of East Dublin; brother, Bobby Gene Fortner (Mahala) of Kite; 5 great grandchildren; special family friend, Jimmie Rumore; other extended family and many dear friends.
Funeral Services will be Monday, June 8, 2026, at 2:00 pm at New Home Baptist Church with Reverend Lamar Kersey, Mr. Phillip Boatright, Reverend Phil Wilson, and Reverend Burton Dixon officiating. Mr. Buddy Fortner will lie in state 1 hour prior to funeral service.
Internment will follow funeral services in Gumlog Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Chapman Funeral Home from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Sunday June 7, 2026.
Pallbearers will be Todd Fortner, Danny Fortner, Walter Drew, Mark Crosby, Jody Scott, and Donnie Sweat.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Eddie Henry, Kenny Carroll, Anthony Frost, Big Red, and Men of New Home Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the New Home Baptist Church Youth Group, c/o Teri Crosby, 1862 Moore’s Chapel Road, Wrightsville, GA 31096.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Pruitt Hospice for their care of our loved one.
Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com
Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of all arrangements for Mr. Otis L. “Buddy” Fortner, 84, of Kite.
~ 2001 - June 19, 2026
Ellabell, Georgia
Jakob Hogan Tapley, 25, of Ellabell, Georgia, passed away suddenly on Friday, June 19, 2026, as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Jakob is going to be missed by his parents, Terry and Sherry Tapley; brother, Carter Tapley (Makenna); maternal grandparents, David and Shirley Hogan “Nana and Pop Pop”; special family, Cristy Sehr (William), Macey Mroz, and Caroline Cannady; uncles, Greg Tapley and Kim Tapley; aunts, Crystal Deal “Beet”, Charlie Spence and Melanie Cook (Mel Mel); special friends, Lucas Dyal, Trey Meeks, Destiny Graham, Greg Romano, Tommy Mikell, Thomas Hicks (Dolly), Terryn New, and Patrick Baratta; cousins, Timothy “Tim Tim” Thompson (Amber), Logan, Laney, Kinsley Sehr, Andrea Flakes, Daci Flakes, Maranda Thompson and Dathan Flakes.
Jakob and Logan Deal, who also passed away in the accident, were cousins and best friends from birth, each other’s “ride or die”. Jakob was his grandparents first grandchild, and his grandmother Shirley enjoyed calling him her “SugaBuggaBuggaBear”. He enjoyed fishing with his dad and brother, gaming, collecting guns, swords and he enjoyed anything Marvel. He was always happy and never had a bad day. Jakob had the most contagious smile and loved big. Jakob was so loved by his family and was always picked on for being a mama’s boy, who he loved and adored the most. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Edsel and Ethelene Tapley, and was employed with the ILA 1475 at the Georgia Port Authority.
The visitation will be on Friday, June 26, 2026 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the funeral home. The funeral to honor Jakob's life will follow at 2 p.m. in the chapel of the funeral home.
Thomas C. Strickland & Sons Funeral Homes – WEST CHATHAM CHAPEL – 901 West Highway 80 – Pooler, Georgia (912) 748-2444
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