Obituaries
Published 3:34 pm Tuesday, December 6, 2005
For Dec. 11
Retha Washington Roberson
MOULTRIE — Retha Washington Roberson, 75, of 709 Coventry Circle, died Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003, at Colquitt Regional Medical Center.
Services will be held at noon Saturday, Dec. 13, at Mother Easter Baptist Church with burial following in Strong Memorial Garden. The Revs. E.H. Hopkins and Joseph D. Davis will officiate.
Born May 5, 1928, Mrs. Roberson was the daughter of the late John L. Washington and Lannie Watts Washington. She was a member of Mother Easter Baptist Church, Queen Esther Chapter of Eastern Star, AMICAE of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Burla Harrington Circle, Chancel Choir, church greeter and adult Sunday school class.
Mrs. Roberson, a domestic worker, also served along with her sister, the late Dorothy Washington Richardson (librarian), to blaze the path for delivering library books to African American families in rural communities. They were known as the “Bookmobile Ladies.”
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Johnny Johnson and Vernon Roberson; a sister, Dorothy Richardson; and two brothers, Charles and Sam Washington.
Survivors include her children, Wilma “Jean” Johnson Gray and husband Gary R. Gray of Laurel, Md.; three sisters, Geraldine Washington Johnson and Edna Washington Marshall of Miami, Fla., and Ella “Jo” Washington of Youngstown, Ohio; a brother, Freddie D. Washington of Atlanta; one aunt, Pearl Merritt of Moultrie; a stepgrandson, Capt. Gary Mario Gray (Coretta) of Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas; special family members: a niece, Sherolyn Richardson and husband Joseph Davis of Moultrie, cousins Emma Rean Williams and Della White of Moultrie, a nephew, Johnny Stanley Ford of Cocoa, Fla.; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and loving relatives and friends.
Visitation will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Strong Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
David Addison Norman
LAKELAND, Fla. — David Addison Norman, 82, of Lakeland, Fla. died Sunday, Dec. 7, 2003, in Tampa.
Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. today, Dec. 11, at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Fla.
Mr. Norman was born in Norman Park and was a longtime resident of Lakeland after retiring as a chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy. He was a VFW life member of Post 2297, Lakeland, and Post 3610 of Norfolk, Va., a Master Mason, Shrine, Legion of Honor, Scottish Rite 32nd Degree Khedive Temple, Chesapeake, Va., Lakeland Lodge Elk 1291, and the Association of Naval Aviation Fleet Reserve Sept. 1949 of Norfolk, Va.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeannette; parents, James B. and Lossie Norman; brothers, James B. Norman Jr., Harry Eugene Norman and Lloyd Norman.
Survivors include his sisters, Winona Powell of Tifton and Annie Ruth White of Cedartown; several nieces and nephews, grandnephews and grandnieces.
Memorials may be made to the Shriner Hospital for Disabled Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, Fla. 33607.
Florida Mortuary Funeral Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements.
Brother George ‘Bubba’ Kendrick III
MOULTRIE — Brother George “Bubba” Kendrick III, 91, of Moultrie died on Sunday, Dec., 7, 2003, at the Colquitt Regional Hospital.
Services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church with the Rev. Edward W. Maddox Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Strong Memorial Gardens. Members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. will serve as active and honorary pallbearers.
Born Aug. 27, 1912 in Perry, Brother Kendrick was the son of the late George Kendrick Jr. and Estelle Turner Kendrick Williams. He was married to Evelyn Bernice Cox Kendrick. To this union, two daughters were born, Evelyn Georgeann Kendrick-Mitchell and Ella Constance Kendrick. He also had one son, Willie Lee Adams.
He received his primary education in the schools of Colquitt County and Gillespie-Seldan Institute in Cordele. While attending Gillespie, he participated in the Male Chorus, choirs one and two, and the Dramatics Club. He participated in all major sports and won two oratorical contests. He received B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from Alabama State University and Fort Valley State College, where he pledged Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
Following his college career, he owned and operated Kendrick’s Cleaners in Moultrie. He was principal and coach of McArthur High School in Alamo and was a teacher at Charlie A. Gray Elementary School in Moultrie.
His community affiliations included recreational director, United Way representative; was the chairman of the War Born World War II Drive; and participated in the polio and March of Dimes campaigns. He started the Little Rams Football Team and trained youth in the areas of basketball and baseball. He was a mentor and motivator to countless people, young and old. All he wanted to do was to give hope and a caring word to everyone he meet.
Brother Kendrick was a faithful member of Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church. There he served as superintendent of the Sunday school; director of the Youth Department; trustee; taught Sunday school and Bible class; lead Sunday school conventions; and taught Sunday school at prison camps.
Preceding him in death were his wife, Mrs. Evelyn Bernice Cox-Kendrick; a daughter, Ella Constance Kendrick; and a sister, Clovis Kendrick-Anderson.
Survivors include one daughter, Mrs. Evelyn Georgeann Kendrick-Mitchell; four grandchildren, Senja Beth Mitchell, Mario Newcomb, Tonya Whitehead and Sabrina Whitehead; five great-grandchildren; a son, Willie Lee Adams; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, grieving relatives, and friends.
Strong Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Josephine Smith
MOULTRIE — Mrs. Josephine Smith, 55, of Moultrie died Friday, Dec. 5, 2003, at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta.
Services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at Luke Strong and Son Mortuary Chapel with Pastor Fredrick Davis officiating. Burial will be held in St. James Pallbearers Cemetery No. 2. Eddie Walker, Carl Walker, Ricky Walker, Ezell Walker, Floyd Collins and Marco Nelson will serve as pallbearers.
Born June 4, 1948, in Brooks County, Mrs. Smith was the daughter of the late Jack and Ozie Lee Sirmon Larry Jr.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Smith, and her brother, Henry Charles Hamilton.
Survivors include a daughter, Linda Hamilton of Valdosta; three sisters, Jacquelyn and Michael McKelvary of Moultrie, Linda Murphy and John Matchett of Valdosta, and Pearl and Charles Walker of Moultrie; a sister-in-law, Gwendolyn Hamilton of Valdosta; two special friends, Nancy Sercanza of Moultrie and Connie of Valdosta; two grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
The family may be contacted at the residence of Charles and Pearl Walker, 3212 Sylvester Drive, Ealum Estates Lot 123.
Luke Strong and Son Mortary is in charge of arrangements.
Cicero Thomas
MOULTRIE — Mr. Cicero Thomas, 71, of Moultrie died Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003, at Archbold Medical Center in Thomasville.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at First African Baptist Church of Doerun with the Rev. Willie Love officiating. Burial will be at Bailey Chapel Cemetery in Doerun. Members of the United States Army will serve as pallbearers.
Born Oct. 15, 1932, in Colquitt County, Mr. Thomas was the son of the late Bennie Lee Thomas and Lucy Mae Porter. He was a retired recruiter for the United States Army and was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Alice Irvin Thomas of Moultrie; a son, Darren V. Thomas of El Paso, Texas; a stepson, Philemon and Linda Irvin of Moultrie; four daughters, Eunice Mae Cherry and Lonnie Carson of Doerun, Christine Turner of Thomasville, Avis J. and James Lester of Mitchellville, Md., and Adrian J. Thomas and Anthony of Greenville, N.C.; a daughter-in-law, Karla Thomas of El Paso, Texas; 11 grandchildren; one stepgrandchild; eight great-grandchildren; and friends.
The family may be contacted at the residence of Lonnie and Eunice Mae Carson, 479 S. Morris Road, Moultrie.
Luke Strong and Son Mortary is in charge of arrangements.