Sympathy Saturday

    Sympathy Saturday is 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. So when I share one, it might be from a week or two ago.

Official Obituary of

James Thomas Claxton

April 30, 1936 ~ April 12, 2025 (age 88) Mr. James Thomas Claxton, age 88, of Tarrytown, died peacefully April 12, 2025, at Memorial Health Meadows Hospital in Vidalia

surrounded by his loving family.  He was born April 30, 1936, to Dock and Annie Brantley Claxton in Uvalda, Georgia.  He was a

charter member of Cornerstone Baptist Church where he had served as a deacon.  He graduated from Toombs Central High School

in 1954.  He was a proud Army veteran and a master machinist.  He was co-owner of Sikes Machine Shop in Metter for many years

and was known for his expertise in the field.  James loved Jesus and lived a life that exemplified his faith.  He was a devoted husband

and father and especially enjoyed his role as “Pa Pa” to his grandchildren and great grandchildren.  He played guitar and enjoyed

playing and singing gospel music.  He passed on his love and knowledge of the guitar to his sons and grandsons.  He is preceded in

death by a son, Joel Claxton; a grandson, Wil Ramsey; two brothers, Horace Claxton and Edwin Claxton; and a sister Sandra Clark.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Kay Memory Claxton; two sons, Greg Claxton and wife Karen, and Marty Morris and wife Mary; one daughter, Ginger McRae and husband Philip; five grandsons, Les Ramsey, Kevin Morris, Charlie Morris, Corey Claxton, and Troy Claxton; one granddaughter, Hannah Autry; ten great grandchildren; sisters Hortense Barnes, Velma Bryan, and Dorothy Day; brother-in-law JH Memory, and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be Wednesday afternoon, April 16, 2025, at 3:00 in the chapel of Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home with Pastor Gaynor Ridgdill and nephew, Johnny Bryan officiating.  Burial will follow in the Williamson Family Cemetery in Montgomery County.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday afternoon from 1:00 until just prior to the service.

Pallbearers will be Les Ramsey, Kevin Morris, Charlie Morris, Corey Claxton, Troy Claxton, Cade Ramsey, Wynn Ramsey, and Ashley Lewis

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Cornerstone Baptist Church, 3429 GA Hwy 29, Vidalia, GA 30474.

The family would like to thank the staff of Meadows Hospital and Community Hospice for their loving care of James.

Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home of Vidalia is in charge of arrangements. - Obituary courtesy of Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home.

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James is my 3rd cousin, 1x removed.  Our common ancestors were
Zachariah William Claxton and Lincelia 'Lincely' Bush Claxton.

Please join me in offering condolences to James's family and holding them in the light.

Sympathy Saturday

     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 was one who actually passed away months ago.

"Official Obituary of

Sherry Jean Edenfield

September 3, 1963 ~ January 1, 2025 (age 61)

Ms. Sherry Jean Purvis Edenfield, 61, of Kite passed on the wings of an angel into the loving arms of our Lord, Wednesday, January 1, 2025, at Piedmont Hospital in Augusta due to liver failure. She was born on September 3, 1963, in Swainsboro, to the late Bennie S and Margie Williams. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Thomas Ray Purvis; brother, Billy Ray Williams.  Sherry loved her children and grandchildren very much.  She enjoyed fishing, gardening, going to the beach at St. Simons Island, and collecting Indian artifacts and amethyst stones.  Sherry was a good cook and very strong-willed.

Sherry is survived by her sons, Phil Riner of Kemp, Dustin Edenfield, Kyle M. Edenfield, both of Kite, J.L. Purvis of Colorado; daughters, Nicole Osika of Clearwater, FL, LeAnn Weber of Wisconsin; brother, Cliff Willams of Kite; sisters, Judy Riner of Swainsboro, Brenda Creech of Kite, Trish Wheeler of Harlem; 14 grandchildren; 4 Great Grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and many friends.

Memorial service will be held Sunday, April 20, 2025, at 2:00 P.M. at Gumlog Primitive Baptist Church in Kite.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com.

Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Ms. Sherry Jean Edenfield, 61, of Kite." - Obituary courtesy of Chapman Funeral Home, Swainsboro, Georgia

Sherry was married to my 2nd cousin, 1x removed, Thomas Franklin Purvis, Jr.  Our common ancestors are James Madison "Jim" Tapley and Elizabeth Rebecca "Becky" Page Tapley.

Please join me in offering condolences to Sherry's family and holding them in the light.

Sympathy Saturday - Keith Claxton

    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 I learn to the tree.   

Official Obituary of

Henry Keith Claxton

November 10, 1955 ~ April 4, 2025 (age 69)

Henry Keith Claxton, 69, of Swainsboro, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 3, 2025, following an extended illness. His devoted wife was by his side as he peacefully entered the arms of his Savior, whom he faithfully followed throughout his life. Born in Swainsboro on November 10, 1955, Keith was the son of the Late Willis Claxton, Sr., and Jewel Perryman Claxton. He was also preceded in death by his sister, Phyllis Claxton Scarboro. Until his last moments, Keith’s life was marked by a deep and unwavering love for Jesus Christ. Whether through his words, his actions, or simply the way he cared for people, he carried the light of Christ with him everywhere he went. His life’s mission was clear- to make sure the world knew the Savior he loved so deeply. Keith served his community not only through the ministry but through a quiet and steadfast presence. He was a man of grace, courage, and integrity. Those who knew him were touched by his gentleness, his wisdom, and the way he made every person feel seen and valued. He finished his race with the same strength and faith that defined his life, leaving behind a legacy of love, humility, and service. More than anything else, Keith was a family person. He adored his wife of five decades, Kathy Canady Claxton. Their marriage was a beautiful testimony of enduring love and mutual devotion, especially evident in the care and companionship Kathy offered throughout his illness and final days. He was a proud father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, and uncle, and his biggest wish was that those he loved would always carry his example of faith and love in their hearts. Keith is survived by his loving wife, Kathy Claxton; his children, Mathew Keith Claxton (Brenda), Joshua Claxton, and Kristal Smith (Wayne); his daughter-in-love, Sara Edmond (Adelaide’s mother); his grandchildren, Lindsey Simmons (Matt), Levi Smith, and Jewel Adelaide Claxton; his great grandchildren, McKinley, Stetson, and Garrison Simmons; his brother, Willis Claxton, Jr. (Diane); and a host of nieces, grand-nieces, nephews, grand nephews, and friends whom he loved and cherished very deeply. A Memorial Service to celebrate Keith’s life will be held at Hillcrest Baptist Church on Sunday, April 13th, 2025, at 2:00 P.M. The immediate family will depart for a private interment following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to New Beginnings in Christ, a cause close to Keith’s heart, 113 Augusta Road, Garfield, Georgia 30425, (478) 763-2647. The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Staff of Emanuel County Nursing Home and Pruitt Hospice in the love and care they showed for Keith. Though the ache of his absence is profound, we rejoice in knowing Keith is now healed, whole, and worshipping at the feet of Jesus. Heaven has gained a good and faithful servant. Until we meet again. Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com. Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Mr. Henry Keith Claxton, 69, of Swainsboro.

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    Keith was my 4th cousin.  Our common ancestors were Zachariah William Claxton and Lincelia 'Lincely' Bush Claxton.

    Please join me in offering condolences to Keith's family and holding them in the light.

Sympathy Saturday

     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.                               

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"Mahon Lee Clements Obituary Graveside funeral services for Mahon Lee Clements, age 75, will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday, April 4, 2025, at Mt. Olive Church of the Nazarene Cemetery. Mr. Thurmon Foskey will officiate.

Mr. Clements was born on February 7, 1950, in Dublin, Georgia. He was a member of the Mt. Olive Church of the Nazarene where he served as a work and witness team member. He was a licensed contractor, electrician and plumber and later worked for the Department of Transportation as a general trade craftsman foreman. He was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Ruby Foskey Clements and siblings Kenneth Clements, Ronnie Clements, David Clements, Charles Clements, Troy Clements, Aurelia Clements Garnto and Lois Clements Poole. Mr. Clements passed away on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at his residence.

Mr. Clements is survived by his wife, Mary Frances Clements of Kite, 2 daughters, Ramona Clements (Alan) Smith and Karen Clements (Garyth) Everett of Tennille; 2 brothers, Gerald Clements and Wadell (Betty) Clements of Wrightsville; sister, Elizabeth Tyson of Dublin; sister-in-law, Ann Tyson of Dublin; grandchildren, Spencer (Josephine Hedrick) Smith, Carson Everett, Ethan Smith, and Mallory Everett; and a host of nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Jim Musselwhite, Stanley Clements, Stevie Clements, Jay Foskey, Elliott Tyson and Joe McCullough.

Stanley Funeral Home and Crematory/Wrightsville Chapel has charge of the funeral arrangements."

- Official Obituary courtesy of Stanley Funeral Home & Crematory, Wrightsville Chapel

    Mahon was my 4th cousin, 1x removed. Our common ancestors are Archibald Odom III and Isabella Elizabeth Anderson.

    Please join me in offering condolences to Mahon's family and holding them in the light.

Sympathy Sunday

  Sympathy Days 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.  

         "Mr. Lonnie Hilton Barwick, age 74, of Adrian, passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, March 18, 2025, at his home. Funeral services were conducted Sunday, March 23, at 2 p.m. from the graveside in Watson – Odomville Cemetery with Karen Breedlove officiating. Family received friends Sunday, March 23, at the gravesite. Mr. Barwick was laid to rest beside his wife.

        Born in Dublin, Lonnie was the youngest of two sons and one of three children born to the late John T. Barwick and Tasia Petrova Barwick. He grew up in Adrian, and in 1968, moved to Atlanta and launched a forty-year career as a Master Carpenter and Independent Contractor in the North Atlanta area. Lonnie retired in 2008 and returned to Adrian. In 2011, he married Cynthia Louise Cronic of Madison who passed away in 2023. Mr. Barwick is preceded in death by his parents; wife; infant brother, Maurice; sister, Gloria Hun; and grandson, Donnie Davis.

        Mr. Lonnie leaves behind his daughter, Tracy Barwick MacDonald, Griffin; granddaughter, Lauren Davis; and great-grandson, Zane Costello.

        Sammons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements."

            - Obituary courtesy of Emanuel County Live (online news source), Swainsboro, Emanuel, Georgia, USA, posted Wednesday, April 2, 2025.

  Lonnie was my 3rd cousin.  Our common ancestors are William Robert Harrell and Catherine M. Odom Harrell.

  Please join me in offering condolences to Lonnie's family and friends and holding them in the light.

Sympathy Saturday - Barb Sawyer Claxton 1955-2025

  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 was one.        

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 Official Obituary of

Barber Sawyer Claxton

August 27, 1955 ~ March 21, 2025 (age 69)

Mrs. Barber Sawyer Claxton, 69, of Kite, passed away Friday, March 21, 2025, at her residence following an extended illness. She was born August 27, 1955, in Albany to Donald Jack Sawyer, Sr. and Sara Barber Sawyer. She is preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by her husband, Jimmy Claxton of Kite; son, Jimmy Claxton, Jr. (Kim) of Danville; daughters, Karen Claxton Barry (Chris) of Eleville, Sandy Claxton Clayton (Anthony) of Cordele; brother, Donald Sawyer, Jr. of Atlanta; sister, Lynne Sawyer Travis (David) of Atlanta; grandchildren, Ben Barry, Will Barry, Brooke Glover, Cade Glover; great-grandson, Zayne Glover; nieces, Stephanie Patterson (Robert), Claire Kahn (Yaamer); great niece, Lucy Patterson; special people, Gina Copeland (Nate), Maibree, Mack, Brianna Heuett (Noah Way), Aria, Michael, Megan Wood, Alison, McKenzie, Skylar, Michael, Jr.

Services will be planned for a later date. 

Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Mrs. Barber Sawyer Claxton, 69, of Kite.

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  Barb was the wife of my 2nd cousin, Jimmy Claxton. Our common ancestors are James Madison "Jim" Tapley (1847-1912) and Elizabeth Rebecca "Becky" Page (1844-1924). 

  Please join me in offering condolences to Barb's family and holding them in the light.

Sunday's Obituary - Joann Bellflower(s) Edge (1933-1993)

 

Published in
The Macon Telegraph
Macon, Georgia, USA
Thursday, May 27, 1993, Page 9

"Joann Bellflower Edge

BLOOMINGDALE — Joann Bellflower Edge, 59, of 8 Poplar St., died Wednesday in a Pooler nursing home after an extended illness. Born in Treutlen County, he [sic] lived in Bloomingdale since 1952. Survivors: husband, Floyd Edge; sons, Ronald K. Edge of Statesboro and Randall C. Edge and Mark W. Edge, both of Savannah; parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Bellflower Sr. of Vidalia; sister and brother, Alberta Hutcheson of Garden City and C. A. Bellflower Jr. of Mount Vernon; and five grandchildren.

Services: 3 p.m. Friday in Sammons Funeral Home, Soperton. Burial: Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery near Soperton. The Rev. Kenneth Wren will officiate. Visitation: The family will receive friends tonight in the funeral home."  Transcription courtesy of ChatGPT.

Joann Bellflower(s) Edge

 b 10 Nov 1933 in Treutlen County, Georgia, USA

d 26 May 1993 in Pooler, Chatham, Georgia, USA

Joann was my 3rd cousin, 1x removed.  

 Our common ancestors are 

Canneth Swain and Sarah Tapley 

Sympathy Saturday - Helen Alexander Willis (1943-2025)

 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 was one.

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Helen Alexander Willis, age 82, of Normantown, died Monday, March 3rd, 2025, at her home after an extended illness.  She was a native of Toombs County, grew up in the Toombs Central Community, and was a 1959 graduate of Toombs Central School.   Soon after high school, she and her husband moved to East Palatka, Florida and they lived there until moving to Normantown in 1980.  Helen worked for Toombs County Schools for 10 years and she was active in their family business, Wade Willis Trucking.  She was a member of Liberty Baptist Church, and she enjoyed fishing, farming, gardening, putting up vegetables, going out on the boat in the St. Johns River, shrimping, dove shoots and helping restore tractors.  She is preceded in death by her husband, Wade “Buddy” Willis, three daughters, Penny Willis Connell, Robin Lyn Willis Matthews and Marcy Willis Branson; one son, Jason B. Willis; and sister, Josephine Alexander.

Her family includes five children, Victoria Stephenson of Normantown, Pam Willis Tilton of East Palatka, Florida, Janice Willis Humphrey of Flagler Beach, Florida, Alan Willis and Jack Willis, both of Normantown; one brother, James Floyd Alexander, Jr. and wife Ollie Ann of East Palatka, Florida and one sister, Ruth Alexander Wooten of Jacksonville, Florida; and several nieces and nephews.

The graveside funeral service will be Friday morning March 7th at 11:00 at Lakeview Memorial Gardens with Pastor Michael Plowman and Debra NeeSmith officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Liberty Baptist Church, PO Box 410, Lyons, GA 30436.

Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home of Vidalia is in charge of arrangements.

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Helen was the wife of my 4th cousin, Lee Wade "Buddy" Willis (1941-2004).  Our common ancestors were Canneth Swain and Sarah Tapley.

Please join me in offering condolences to Helen's family and holding them in the light.

Sympathy Saturday - Mary J 'Mae Mae' Murphy Kent (1932-2025)

 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 were none, so I am going to go back a couple of weeks to find one to share.                                            

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Mrs. Mary Murphy Kent “Mae Mae”, 92, of Swainsboro passed away Saturday, February 1, 2025, following a brief illness, Mae Mae was called to her final home in glory.  She was resting peacefully at home surrounded by family, which is where she prayed to be.  She was born April 16, 1932, in Swainsboro to the late James Cecil Murphy and Lydia Kight Murphy.  A graduate of Swainsboro High School, she then attended Augusta Business School.  Her major passion was fashion and making things beautiful.  Owner and operator of Mary’s Ladies Shop in Swainsboro for 25 years.  A career that she thrived on made her happy and full of laughter and friends.  After retirement, she filled her days with being a wife, mother and grandmother.  She enjoyed gardening and visiting her friends who were ill or shut in.  On her visits, she almost always baked cookies or brownies to take them.  A great cook her family has several favorites but mostly the brownies she made for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren will always be a wonderful memory.   Mae Mae was the matriarch of the family and tried always to keep us in line.  For the women, she always expected hair done, makeup on (Especially lipstick) and finished with jewelry just like she was.

Mae Mae was Baptist by faith and a longtime member of First Baptist Church.  She was also a member of Seppa Youngblood Circle and a loyal member of the Bereavement Committee for many years.  Mae Mae’s “southern lady demeanor” will Always be remembered by many.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James Cecil Murphy and Lydia Kight Murphy; daughter, Judy Braddy Tapley; sisters, Evelyn Murphy Hayes, Lucretia Murply Greenway; brother, Jimmy C. Murphy.

Mary is survived by husband, Dana C. Kent, Sr. of Swainsboro; son, Dana C. Kent, Jr.  (Melonie) of Augusta;  grandson, Andrew Kent and granddaughter, Hannah Kent; daughter, Jan Braddy Slater (James) of Swainsboro; grandson, Jon Tapley (Kristian) of Atlanta; granddaughter, Jami Ledbetter Slater (Douglas) of Summertown; two great-granddaughters, Mary and Murphy Tapley; three great-grandsons, Patrick Ream, Liam Ream and Lucas Ream; one sister, Jonnie Murphy Boulineau; several special nieces and nephews; special friends and caregivers, Roger Bell Eason and Elaine Cummings; and many friends.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, February 8, 2025, in the Chapel of Chapman Funeral Home with Reverend Phil Wilson officiating.

Interment will be in Swainsboro City Cemetery. 

The family will receive friends Saturday, February 8, 2025, from 1:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. at Chapman Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Bill Boulineau, Phillip Boulineau, Andrew Kent, Patrick Ream, Rob Kent and Al Knight.

The family would like to give a special thank you to the nursing staff at Pruitt Hospice.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com.

Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Mrs. Mary Murphy Kent “Mae Mae”, 92, of Swainsboro.  

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Mary was my 3rd cousin, 1x removed through the Claxton line.  Our common ancestors were Zachariah William Claxton (1806-1895) and Lincelia 'Lincely' Bush Claxton (1806-1872).

Please join me in offering condolences to Mary's family and holding them in the light.

Sympathy Saturday - Dennis Hopkins (1969-2025)

   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, I only have one to share.

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Mr. Dennis Hopkins, 55, of Swainsboro, passed away Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

He was born in Swainsboro on September 30, 1969, to Edward Hopkins and Trannie Wilkerson Hopkins. He was preceded in death by his brother, Donald Hopkins.

Dennis was one of a kind. He was a determined man, hardheaded, stubborn, set in his ways, but he was also the love of my life. He stole my heart when I was 14 years old, and he never turned it loose. He was smart, funny, charming and the most handsome thing I had ever seen. He was my heart. He loved to fish, hunt, and play his guitar and sing. The Lord knows he was great at that. We traveled many miles for him to play and sing over the years. We had good times over the years, but we also had tough times, but we fought our way through everything that came along. We had Heather and Cody, and he taught them everything he could so that they would be able to stand on their own. I have to say he was a wonderful daddy (Deddy). He loved our babies with everything he had. He would have followed them to the ends of the earth. He coached them in ball, taught Cody how to play the guitar, how to change their oil and tires, taught Cody how to operate big machinery before he even had a license to drive. He taught them everything he could. When the grandbabies started coming you could just see his heart explode, he loved them so much. He always smiled the most when they were around.

Dennis fought a long hard battle for many years. The diabetes took it’s toll on his body so that over time he just got wore down. The last few years were exceptionally hard on him when he had his amputations. Within 3 months, he lost both his hands and his right foot. He was a fighter, and he fought so hard, but I do not think he really smiled again after that. Life got so hard for him. He would push through the best he could, but I often wondered if he was doing it for himself or for us. He was tired and had been for quite a while.

Dennis Hopkins, you were the love of my life. I have loved you since day one and I always will. I have seen you fight and struggle for so long, now it is time for you to rest. You gave it everything you had and then some. You taught our babies everything you could and for that I am so grateful. You shaped them into the wonderful adults they are and the most amazing parents. You will always have my heart, and you will always be with me. There will never be a time that I do something that I will not think of you. Your fight is over and for us the days to come will be extremely hard, but we also know you are at peace. You go play that guitar in heaven for you are whole again now and keep an eye on us down here. I love you; I always have and always will. Love you bunches, Susan.

Mr. Hopkins is survived by his wife of 36 years, Susan Wilson Hopkins of Swainsboro; parents, Edward & Trannie Hopkins of Swainsboro; son, Cody Hopkins (Chelsea) of Swainsboro; daughter, Heather Murry (Matt) of Swainsboro; grandchildren, Noah Hopkins, Mason Murry, Aubri Murry, Jax Hopkins and Chase Hopkins; several , aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and many friends.

Funeral services will be Sunday, February 23, 2025, 3:00 p.m. at Jesus Saves Church with Reverend Brad McKenzie officiating, assisted by Reverend Johnny Baggett and Reverend Shannon Boula.

Interment will follow at Eastbrook Cemetery and Mausoleum.

Pallbearers will be Terry Reese, Tommy White, Chris Wilkerson, Tim Wilkerson, Randy Wilkerson, Henry Wilkerson.

Honorary pallbearers will be past musicians Dennis played with over the years.  

The family will receive friends Saturday, February 22, 2025, from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Chapman Funeral Home.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com.

Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Mr. Dennis Hopkins, 55, of Swainsboro.  

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Dennis was the husband of my 3rd cousin, 2x removed, Susan Wilson.  I am related to Susan on my Page line.  Our common ancestors are Solomon Page Jr (1800-1860) and Elizabeth Caroline Scoggins (1802-1880).  

Please join me in offering condolences to Dennis's family and holding them in the light.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - What is Your Favorite Record Type?

 From Randy (a cousin discovery!!) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

(1)  What is your favorite record type or resource? Not a website, but a type of record - e.g., census, cemetery, land, etc.  Why?

(2)  Tell us all about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, in a post on Facebook, or on Twitter.  

Here's mine:

My favorite record type is obituaries.  While I realize obituaries are not primary sources, they are still valuable to me as part of my genealogy "toolbox."  I have found the names of parents, siblings, children, and sometimes grandparents.  I have found the deceased's date and/or place of birth or the date they got married, along with the name of their spouse(s).  I have found occupations and what their hobbies were.  Every once in awhile, I can find a cause of death.   It's a goldmine of information, especially for someone from a branch of  my family that I am not as familiar with.  

I know that the information provided in an obituary comes from a family member or friend of the deceased.  I am sure that many times, the obituary is a group effort made up of several family members and perhaps even funeral home staff.  So there is bound to be some mistakes along the way.  Just today, I found a mistake in my sister's obituary.  I was listed as Sue Tapley of North Carolina.  So I know it happens.  However, I have found that there are mistakes in all types of records.  If it is information I did not have before, the facts I find in an obituary, even if not entirely correct, puts me on the path to finding the correct information!  

My favorite type of obituary is a long obituary, full of information about the person's career, organizations they belonged to, and hobbies and interests they pursued.  The perfect obituary includes the person's maiden name, their mother's maiden name, the full names of their children's spouses, and to which child each grandchild belongs to.  

I find a lot of obituaries on Find-a-Grave that have been transcribed or copied by members and added to a person's memorial page.  If the person passed in the last few years, I do a Google search with "the person's name, year (if known), location, and [the word] obituary" in the search box.  I can find some older obituaries by doing a search on Newspapers.com (for which I have a paid membership).  I have also found obituaries on Ancestry.com where someone has uploaded them to a person's page.  I have subscribed to obituary announcements from funeral homes in my hometown.  Many years ago, I found an entire display of index cards with obituaries on them in my hometown's library.  What a find!  

Obituaries have been invaluable to me in piecing together relationships, for example, for my Schwalls line.  Finding the names of parents or siblings in an obituary was so helpful in putting together that part of my family tree, since the members of that family are so dang elusive!

Bennett Wesley Tapley, Jr. 1950-2019

"Mr. Bennett Wesley Tapley, Jr., 69, of Kite passed away Monday, August 5, 2019 at Fairview Hospital in Dublin following an extended illness.

 Mr. Tapley was born May 8, 1950 in Sandersville to the late Bennett Wesley Tapley, Sr. and Mary Kathryn Johnson Tapley.  He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Diane Browning Tapley.  Mr. Tapley loved to go hunting and fishing.  He was a self-taught diesel mechanic and a welder which he passed on to his nephew.   Mr. Tapley was a very intelligent person with an excellent memory. Even though he sacrificed his education, he excelled in his trade.  Mr. Tapley was a member of Powell’s Chapel Methodist Church.

Survivors include his brothers, Randall Tapley, Wayne (Pam) Tapley, Oliver Tapley, all of Kite; sisters, Teresa (Duncan) McEachern, Pam (Bill) Mathis, both of Dublin; several nieces, nephews and many friends.

Graveside Services will be Wednesday, August 7, 2019 11 a.m. at Powell’s Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery with Reverend Allen Meeks officiating.

The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. till time of service at Powell's chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com

Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Mr. Bennett Wesley Tapley, Jr., 69, of Kite."  Obituary courtesy of www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com

My cousin passed away last week.  We were close.  We shared a love of family history.  We shared family.  As his obituary so aptly read, "Mr. Tapley was a very intelligent person with an excellent memory."  That was so true.  Even after his stroke a few years ago, he still remembered anyone or any place I mentioned to him.  He wasn't able to get the words out, but I could see in his eyes that he knew exactly who or what I was talking about.  

Our grandfathers, Bennett Olin Tapley and Lucian Keman Tapley were brothers.  Our fathers, Bennett Wesley Tapley, Sr. and Gilbert Tapley were first cousins.  We visited their house often when I was a child.  Wesley Jr. would be working on a truck (diesel engine, I imagine) in the back yard under the trees and there was a semi-circle of chairs there, and our fathers would sit there and shoot the breeze while Wesley Jr. worked and I played with Pam, his youngest sister.  I like to think that Wesley Jr. just soaked up all the stories his father told out there.  And he never forgot a one of them.  

Wesley Jr was almost grown by the time I came along, so those times I would be there playing, he was in his 20's.  But I remember he was always nice to me.  Spoke to me.  Didn't just ignore me cause I was a kid.  I thought he was cool, like a lot of my older cousins.  

Of course, I grew up, moved away, was busy living my life same as he was living his.  We didn't keep in contact.  For about 25-30 years.  Then my uncle passed away in 2007, and I attended the funeral at Powell's Chapel.  Wesley Jr was there but I didn't recognize him.  Had no idea who he was.  I had to ask my mother.  When she told me it was Wesley Jr., I went right over to him, and it was like no time had passed.  At this point, I was very much into genealogy research, and he was a wealth of information.  Like his father, he told great stories, which just happened to be true stories about our family.  So every time I visited the area, I would visit him.  Even after I moved to North Carolina, I still tried to see him at least once a year when I was down visiting my mother.  He was always welcoming.  Ready with stories, pictures, or artifacts from our family's history. 

When I needed to contact him, I would call him at his "office" - the Penny Saver in Kite.  He was there every morning, drinking coffee, and shooting the breeze.  They would call him to the phone, and I could let him know when I would be in town or who had passed away in the family or whatever information I needed to relay.  

These pictures were taken at his "office" in 2012:

In 2014, his wife passed away, and soon after, he suffered a debilitating stroke.  He could no longer live alone and had to go into a nursing home.  I visited him in Dublin.  Then he got moved to Metter.  Mom and I went to seem him there, for what turned out to be the last time, about a year ago.  He recently was moved to Wrightsville and closer to home.  I was excited and planning to visit him next month.  But I didn't get the chance.  Due to distance and other variables, I was unable to attend his funeral.  My heart has another crack.  

Wesley, I am sorry I wasn't there enough the last 5 years.  I am sorry I wasn't there at all the last year.  I'm terribly sorry I wasn't there to tell you goodbye.  I hope you know my heart and know that I loved you, respected you, enjoyed my time with you, and I look forward to seeing you again and hearing just one more family story.  

You are reunited with your beloved Diane, your parents, Wesley and Kathryn, and your grandparents, who I am sure doted on you.  You can speak, walk, or even jog if you wish.  You are no longer sitting bored and lonely in a nursing home.  You feel warmth and light all the time.  I so want to believe you are happy.  I can see your smile in my mind's eye, and I hope you're wearing a big and magical one.

Wesley Jr and Bennett Olin Tapley, circa 1954