Obituaries
Published 3:35 pm Tuesday, December 6, 2005
For Dec. 25
James O. Sledge
COCOA, Fla. — James O. Sledge, 76, of 825 Brush Lane, Cocoa, Fla., 32926, died Monday, Dec. 22, 2003, at his residence.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, at King Street Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Cocoa, Fla.
Born Jan. 17, 1927, Mr. Sledge was the son of the late Annie Maude Mayo Sledge and Willie Green Sledge. He was a member of King Street Baptist Church in Cocoa, where he was an active deacon.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Joel W. Sledge, and sisters, Willie Maude Rivers, Florene Davis, Faustine Vogel, Mary Ellen Moore and Ann Broughton.
Survivors include his wife, Danese Jones Sledge of Cocoa, Fla.; a son, Mike Sledge of Rockledge, Fla.; a daughter, Carol S. Gerlach of Cocoa, Fla.; three grandchildren, Hilary Sledge, Megan Sledge and Justin Gerlach; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the funeral hour at King Street Baptist Church.
Memorials may be made to King Street Baptist Church or to the Florida Baptist Children’s Home, c/o King Street Baptist Church, 1040 W. King St., Cocoa, Fla. 32922.
Beckman-Williamson Funeral Home of Cocoa, Fla., is in charge of arrangements.
Bernice Gloria Lanning Potts
MOULTRIE — Bernice Gloria Lanning Potts, 79, of Moultrie died Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003, at her residence.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 26, at Cobb Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Ron Shiver officiating. Burial will be in Cobb Suncrest Memorial Gardens. Members of the Ray McMullen Sunday School Class will serve as pallbearers.
Born Oct. 19, 1924, in Renville, Minn., Mrs. Potts was the daughter of the late Hulda Swanson Lanning and Bennie Lanning. She was a homemaker and was a member of Funston Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, Arvin Lanning, Harry Lanning and Carrol Lanning.
Survivors include her husband, Furman Willis Potts of Moultrie; two sons, Stephen Potts and Eugene Potts, both of Moultrie; a daughter, Diane Potts Hall of Mobile, Ala.; four brothers, Virgil Lanning of Sacred Heart, Minn., Ardell Lanning of Hamilton, N.J., Dale Lanning of Alexandria, Minn., and Rodger Lanning of Renville, Minn.; one sister, Larraine Lanning Moen of Huron, S.D.; and three grandchildren, Justin Potts, Matthew Hall and Benson Hall.
Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m. Friday at the funeral chapel.
The family may be contacted at 2766 Kendallwood Church Road, Moultrie.
Cobb Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Jerrell Hill
DOERUN — Mr. Jerrell Hill, 23, died Sunday, Dec. 21, 2003, in Doerun.
Services will be held at noon Saturday, Dec. 27, at First African Baptist Church with Pastor Elaine Smith officiating. Burial will be held in Dunk Smith Cemetery in Doerun. Kenneth Copeland Sr., Willie Daniels, Ronald Smith, Anthony Hill, Frank McIntyre and Gary Copeland will serve as pallbearers.
Born Nov. 2, 1980, in Ft. Benning, Mr. Hill was the son of Willie Donald and Wilma Jean Williams Hill. He was a 1999 graduate of Colquitt County High School and was a member of Pure Life Ministries.
Survivors include his parents, Willie Donald and Wilma Jean Hill of Doerun; a son, Ty’Kurian of Doerun; a daughter, Ja’Quishia of Doerun; two brothers, Derik Dewane Hill and wife Tatiana and Enrico Hil, all of Doerun; a sister, Imogene Hill of Augusta; one grandmother, Mae C. Williams of Doerun; a great-grandmother, Aomia Pittman Stewart of Doerun; two nephews, Derek Jr. and Anthony; and a host of aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great-uncles, cousins and friends.
The family may be contacted at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Donald Hill, 612 Union Drive, Doerun.
Luke Strong and Son Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Dr. Charles Edward Rowe
MOULTRIE — Dr. Charles Edward Rowe, 86, of Moultrie died Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2003, at Park Regency Assisted Living.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 26, at Cobb Funeral Chapel with the Revs. J.E. Moak and Roger Benton officiating. Entombment will be in the Rowe Mausoleum in Cobb Suncrest Memorial Gardens. His nephews will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Born March 10, 1917, in New Albany, Ind., Dr. Rowe was the son of the late Otto Rowe and Sallie Sherman Rowe. He attended grade school in Corydon, Ind., where he was active in the school bands and was selected to play at the Kentucky State Fair under the direction of John Phillip Sousa. He was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and attained the rank of Eagle Scout as a member of Troop 22, Corydon, Ind., on Dec. 21, 1931.
Dr. Rowe graduated cum laude from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Kentucky. He entered the U.S. Army Pilots Training Program at Maxwell Field, Ala., and received his wings and commission Nov. 11, 1942, Class 42J, at Spence Field, Moultrie. He flew 281 combat missions in the China-Burma-India Theater of War. Capt. Rowe was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, China-Burma-India Theater ribbon with two bronze stars and the American Theater Ribbon, and was awarded the China War Memorial Medal with wings 35 years after the orders were lost.
He attended Southern College of Optometry, Memphis, Tenn., and graduated suma cum laude with a doctor’s degree in optometry. While in college, he was named to membership in Beta Sigma Kappa and Sigma Alpha Sigma, was president of the Georgia Club and designed the Georgia Key for the club.
Dr. Rowe opened his Moultrie office in January 1950, and practiced optometry until retiring in 1998.
He was a member of First Baptist Church of Moultrie and was a past president of Suncrest Memorial Gardens. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. Dr. Rowe was a member of Hump Pilot’s Association, P-47 Thunderbolt Pilot’s Association, P-51 Mustang Pilot’s Association, the 9th Air Force Association and Sunset Country Club.
Dr. Rowe was past Exhalted Ruler of the Moultrie Elk’s Lodge No. 1277, serving three times, and was past State President of the Georgia Elk’s Association. He was past District Deputy Grand Exhalted Ruler in 1959 and 1973; was past president of the Georgia Elk’s President’s Association; and a member of Albany’s Elk Lodge No. 713.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Harry Rowe.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret Aldridge Rowe, who he married Jan. 6, 1943; a son, Charles E. Rowe Jr. of Thomasville; a daughter, Charlotte Rowe Cunningham of Warner Robins; grandsons, Christopher Cunningham of Pasadena, Calif., and Brian Cunningham of Warner Robins; and a sister, Catherine Rowe Ireland of Muncie, Ind.
Visitation will be held following the service at Cobb Funeral Chapel.
Please omit flowers. The family requests that memorials be made to the charity of your choice, Georgia Elk’s Aidmore Children’s Center, 2394 Morrison Road, Covington, or Hospice in Colquitt County.
Cobb Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.