Dearly Departed Staff

  Year                         Staff

        Name                                 Obituary/Eulogy

          Carlton Thomas Adams

            I transferred into Lowndes High in 1987 and live on the boys ranch while Mr Adams was the ranch director. I went

            into the air force upon graduation from LHS and havent really kept up with the hometown. I was shocked to see Mr

            Adams had passed away when i found this web site. He was a great man and role model. I can still picture Mr

            Adams sitting in his office smoking his pipe , trying to make me understand why it was important to be in before my

            curfew on the weekends. He always pushed all of us ranch boys to do our best, and although we didnt always

            listen to him, everyone had alot of respect for him. He was a great father figure to all of us , filling a void so easily ,

            as if we had been his children all along. You will be missed Mr Adams , thanks for all the help and encouragement .

                                                               KEN DAVIS                                               ABubblejuice@aol.com

          Carlton Thomas Adams

            Carlton Thomas Adams -  73, of Valdosta, died Thursday, Sept. 30, 1999 at South Georgia Medical Center. Born in

            Valdosta on Aug. 15, 1926 to the late Gordon Ira and Lucille Malloy Adams, he had lived in Valdosta most of his life.

            During World War II, from 1942 until 1944, he served with the United States Navy. He attended Middle Georgia

            College, lettering in three sports and then Georgia Southern University where he received a B.S. degree in Physical

            Education. Mr. Adams received a Master of Education Degree and Education Specialist Degree from Western

            Carolina University at Cullowhee, N.C. From 1949 until 1951, he was a teacher and coach at Jeff Davis High School

            in Hazlehurst where he started the first football program for that school. He taught and coached at Cook County

            and Bainbridge from 1951 to 1955, continuing on at Leesburg High School, Leesburg, Fla., until his return to

            Valdosta in 1958, when he went to work under Coach Wright Bazemore, as line coach for the Valdosta Wildcats.

            Mr. Adams was instrumental in starting the football program at Lowndes High School. When he ended his 29-year

            career as an educator, Mr. Adams retired as Principal of Lowndes High School, where he had also been coach and

             teacher. In the early 1960's, he was head of physical training at Moody Air Force Base for the student pilot

            program. Following his retirement from teaching, he became director of the Georgia Sheriffs Boys Ranch. In 1990,

            he was inducted into the Lowndes Valdosta Athletic Hall of Fame. Mr. Adams was a member of the Park Avenue

            United Methodist Church and the Fellowship Sunday School Class.   Survivors include his wife, the former

            Catherine Cooper; one son and daughter-in-law, David Carlton and Debra Adams; two granddaughters, Karla

            Adams and Erin Adams; one sister and brother-in-law, Myrtice and G.W. Colson, all of Valdosta; and several nieces

             and nephews. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Pam Adams. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m.

            Sunday at the Park Avenue United Methodist Church with the Rev. Craig Rikard and the Rev. John Walker,

            officiating. Entombment will follow in McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. The family will receive

            friends from 7-9 tonight at the funeral home. Carson McLane Funeral Home is serving the family of Mr. Adams.

            Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to the Georgia Sheriffs Boys Ranch or to Park Avenue

            United Methodist Church. -- Carson McLane Funeral Home, Inc.

          Carlton Thomas Adams

            I just want to say that I lived on the Boys Ranch for about 9 years and CARLTON ADAMS filled my void for a family.

            He was so understanding and full of love that I can't begin to explain. He told me once"Todd be who you want to be

             even if it is a manager at Mcdonalds:but always love yourself, because that is where your strength comes from.   I

             am going to miss such a great person.  Everybody he knew he touched a special part of their life!

                                                              Todd Nickels                                 mailto:nickelsgeorgia@hotmail.com

          Michael Cortez Booker                                                                                   Picture

            Michael Cortez Booker, 63, of Valdosta died Sunday, December 11, 2005 at South Georgia Medical Center after a

            short illness. He was born on October 30, 1942 in Wildwood, Florida to the late Clarence Cortez and Helen Atkinson

             Booker and had lived in Valdosta for thirty seven years. Mr. Booker served in the United States Marine Corps from

            1960-1964 and was retired from the Lowndes County Board of Education after thirty three years as an educator

            and administrator. He received his AA Degree from North Florida Junior College in 1968, Bachelors Degree in

            History in 1970 and his Masters Degree in 1972 from Valdosta State University at which time he wrote his Thesis

            on the Growth of Catholicism in South Georgia that was published in the Southern Cross and is kept on file at St.

            John’s Catholic Church. He received his Education Specialist Degree in 1991 and was the recipient of the Liberty

            Bell Award in 1978 given by the Valdosta Bar Association. He was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic

            Church.  Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Lorita Booker of Valdosta, two daughters and sons in law, Michele

             Minyette and Ray Yeager of Jacksonville, Illinois and Nicolette Camille and Sonny Rigdon of Homerville, two sons

            and daughters in law, Christian Cortez and Laura Booker of Eielson AFB, Alaska and Shannon Michael and

            Candace Booker of Valdosta, 8-grandchildren, Victoria Catherine Yeager of Jacksonville, Illinois, Lawson Seth

            Rigdon of Homerville, Stephanie Lea Booker, Collin Cortez Booker, Ashley Danielle Booker all of Eielson AFB,

            Alaska, Brooklyn Marie Booker, Brayden Michael Booker and Briton Morgan Booker all of Valdosta, his mother in law

             whom he loved dearly, Myrtle McDonald of Valdosta, a niece, Kimberly Laduska Baldwin of Marietta.  Memorial

            services will be held at 2pm, Wednesday, December 14, 2005 in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home with

            Father John O’Brien officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

            Condolences to the family may be conveyed online at www.mclanefuneralservices.com. Carson McLane Funeral

            Home.

          Corinne DeLoach Coleman

            VALDOSTA -- Corinne DeLoach Coleman, 74, of Marietta and formerly of Valdosta, died on Sept. 29, 2004, at her

            residence after a short illness. She was born on Dec. 11, 1929, in Pitts. Mrs. Coleman taught English at Lowndes

            High School for many years.  Survivors are a daughter and son-in-law, Jane and Charlie Smith of Marietta; sons

            and daughter-in-law, Dan Coleman and David and Lynn Coleman, all of Marietta; six grandchildren, Jessica Hall,

            Renee Schoen, Tillman Coleman, Spencer Smith, Corinne Smith and Grant Coleman; several great-grandchildren and

             a sister and brother-in-law, Anita and Leon Meyer of Augusta.  A gathering to celebrate her life will be held on

            Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004, from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at Lulu's Restaurant, 132 N. Patterson St., Valdosta. In lieu of

            flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1292, Albany, GA 31702.

            Condolences may be expressed online at www.mclanefuneralservices.com. -- Carson McLane Funeral Home

          Earl  Coleman

            VOCA teacher

          James Charles Cooper                                                                                  Picture

            James Charles Cooper, 73, of Demorest, formerly of Valdosta, died on Monday, June 13, 2005, at Emory University

            Hospital in Atlanta. He was the son of the late James Ellis and Mabel West Cooper of Brooks County. Survivors are

            his wife Jean Cooper of Demorest; three daughters and their husbands, Debbie and Ray Poe, Kathy and James

            Bonner, Lisa and Bob Lee, all of Valdosta; one son and his wife, Chuck and Jennifer Cooper of Sylvester; two

            stepdaughters, Kimberly and Ray Robertson of Blacksburg, Va., Jennifer and David Price of Charlotte, N.C.

            Grandchildren are Chris and Amy Yarbrough, Jason Yarbrough, Blake Bonner, Ben Bonner, Coleman Miley, all of

            Valdosta; Matthew Cooper and Rebekah Cooper of Sylvester; Christian Robertson, Parker Robertson and Ashley

            Robertson of Blacksburg, Va. Also surviving are four sisters, Catherine Adams, Lenelle and Julian Shierling, Laura

            and Charlie Flythe, Carol and Billy Folsom, all of Valdosta; and two brothers, Bernard and Edna Cooper of Marietta,

            Wayne and Gail Cooper of Hahira. He is also survived by two sisters-in-law and their husbands, Cathy and George

             Luckett of Memphis, Tenn., Judy and Pete Adams of Banks, Ark.; and one brother-in-law and his wife, Charles and

             Kay McEwen of Dyer, Tenn. A number of nieces and nephews also survive. He was preceded in death by a

            beloved brother-in-law and mentor, Carlton Adams.  Cooper, better known by many former basketball players as

            “Coach,” touched the lives of numerous young people throughout Georgia. During a super successful career, he

            coached basketball both on the high school and college levels. During the 2005 season, he was honored by the

            Great South Athletic Conference as the Coach of the Year after winning more than 1,000 games during a career

            that spanned 48 years. After graduating from Morven High School, he earned bachelor and master’s degrees from

            Georgia Southern University. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. He coached at Morven

            High School and later moved to Brooks County High and on to Live Oak, Fla. In 1968, he moved to Lowndes High

            School where his girls’ basketball teams won state titles for four consecutive years. Following an outstanding stint

            at Lowndes High, he became women’s coach at Valdosta State University where he took his team to the NCAA

            Final Four. After being retired from Valdosta State University for two years, he took the helm of the womens’

            basketball program at Piedmont College in Demorest where he remained until his illness and death in 2005. Cooper

            leaves a legacy of outstanding professionalism, enviable success on the court, and valuable lessons about life. He

            received numerous awards and recognition throughout his career with the most outstanding being the naming of

            the facility at Lowndes High School as The Charles Cooper Gymnasium. Funeral services for James Charles

            Cooper will be on Friday, June 17, 2005, at 2 p.m. at Northside Baptist Church in Valdosta. He will lie in state at the

            church one hour prior to the service. The Rev. Dr. Bill Cashion, senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church where

            Cooper was a member, will officiate. Interment will follow in McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens. The family will

            receive guests at Carson McLane Funeral Home from 6-8 p.m. this evening. In lieu of flowers, donations may be

            made to the Boys and Girls Club of Valdosta. Condolences to the family may be conveyed on the obituary page at

            mclanefuneralservices.com. — Carson McLane Funeral Home

          William Hubert “Bill” Cribbs

            Dr. William Hubert “Bill” Cribbs, Sr., PhD. 58, passed away Wednesday, June 7, 2006, in the Adel Nursing Home,

            Adel Ga., following a short illness. Dr. Cribbs was born on Jan. 18, 1948, in Lowndes County to Vertis Young

            Cribbs of Valdosta and the late George Hubert Cribbs. He graduated from Valdosta State College and the University

            of Georgia. He was a member of the Leadership Georgia, Cornerstone United Methodist Church, Valdosta and was

            past head of the Alapha District Boy Scouts of America. Dr. Cribbs was a professor of Biology at Valdosta State

            University for 25 years before his retirement and did private tours of the Okefenokee Swamp. He was the widower

             of Mary Olive Strickland Cribbs who passed away in March, 2003. Survivors other than his mother are one son

            and daughter-in-law: William Hubert “Will” and Stephanie Cribbs, II, of Tallahassee, Fla.; one brother and sister-in-

            law: Paul and Sharon Cribbs, of Valdosta; his mother-in-law: Eloise Strickland of Homerville: two nephews: Paul

            Cribbs, Jr. of Warner Robins and Justin and Stacy Cribbs of Valdosta and several other relatives. Services for Dr.

            Cribbs will be held today, June 10, 2006, at 11 a.m. from the Homerville First Baptist Church. Interment will be in the

            North Cemetery near DuPont.— Roundtree Funeral Home, Homerville

          Rick  Draffin

            COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Rick Draffin, Jr. formerly of Valdosta, passed away after a lengthy illness on Monday, Nov. 26,

            2001, in Columbia, S.C. He is survived by his children, Mercedes Draffin Castaneda, her husband, Frank and their

            children, Zoe, Ethan, Kendall, and Courtney of Lawrenceville; Rick Draffin, his wife, Angel, and children, Gage and

            Trinity of Lake Park; Dodge Draffin of Breckenridge, Colo.; and family friend, Liz Ferguson of Valdosta. Mr. Draffin is

             also survived by his mother, Anita Eckenrode of Blairsville, Ga.; his father, Roger Draffin of Fla.; his sister, Carla

            Green of Charleston, S.C.; and numerous relatives. Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Miles-Odum

            Funeral Home in Waycross. Burial will be held in Oaklawn Cemetery, Waycross. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m.

             Thursday at the Miles-Odum Funeral Home, Waycross. -- Miles-Odum Funeral Home of Waycross. Rick was a

            former school board member for lowndes county in the early 1990's.

          Jerry W. Edwards

            Jerry W. Edwards, 60, formerly of Lake Park and Valdosta, passed away Jan. 13, 2000 at his Seminole, Fla.,

            residence. Mr. Edwards was born in Fulton County to Evelyn M. Tibbitts, Seminole and the late Morris R. Edwards,

            New Port Richey, Fla. Mr. Edwards attended Russell High School in East Point where he resided. He graduated from

             West Georgia College where he was in Who's Who of American Colleges and Universities. He also received a

            Master of Education degree from the University of Georgia. Mr. Edwards was a teacher, coach and administrator at

             Lake Park Junior High School from 1962-1964, Lowndes County High School and then Lowndes High School from

            1965-1975. He was also a former director of Sylvan Learning Center in Jonesboro. Survivors include one daughter,

             Jennifer Edwards, Savannah; one son, Morris Edwards, Cochran; three brothers, Charles Edwards, Fayetteville,

            Robert Edwards, Albany, and Chris Edwards, Valdosta; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in

            death by one sister, Cheryle A. McCrary, Madeira Beach, Fla. Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at

            the McLane Lakewood Funeral Home with the Rev. Richard Soper, officiating. McLane Lakewood Funeral Home

          John Nealon Feazell

            John Nealon Feazell died on May 19, 2008, at Langdale Hospice House in Valdosta, Ga. Mr. Feazell was born Jan.

            7, 1930, in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Ga., the son of the late John Otis and Verdye Akins Feazell. He was a

            direct descendent of the early pioneers of Ouachita and Union Parish, Louisiana and Lowndes County, Ga. His

            maternal grandparents were Albert Luther and Emma Ethel Lee Akins of Berrien County, Ga., and his paternal

            grandparents were John Nealon and Elfryda Elvida Mobley Feazell of Jackson Parrish, La. Mr. Feazell was a 1948

            graduate of Valdosta High School, a 1952 Graduate of Valdosta State College and a 1960 graduate of Mercer

            University, Macon, Ga. He also attended Georgia Southern, Florida State University, Emory of Valdosta and

            University of Hawaii. In 1952 Mr. Feazell entered the U.S. Army and served in Korea in the winter and spring

            campaigns of 1953 with the 31st Infantry Regt. of the 7th Division. He received the Combat Infantryman Badge for

            this service. He began his career in education as a teacher at Hahira High School, then principal of Pine Grove High

            School and then became principal of Hahira High School. He was at Lowndes High School the first year of

            operation, 1966-1967. Mr. Feazell then moved on to Hopwood High School, Saipan, Mariana Island for school year

            1967- 1968. He was the Director of Education Majuro, Marshall Islands 1968-1970, district Director of Education in

            Marianas 1970 -1971, Headquarters Department of Education 1971-1972 Saipan, Mariana Islands. From 1972 until

            1980 Mr. Feazell was at Lowndes County Jr. High/Middle School. He then transferred to Lowndes High School until

            his retirement in 1985. After retiring, Mr. Feazell’s hobbies included hunting, fishing, restoring antiques, extensive

            traveling and especially antique automobiles. He was a member of the American Legion, Sons of Confederate

            Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 31st Infantry Regiment Association and Disabled American Veterans. He was

             also a member of the National Rifle Association, the Lake Park Historical Society and the Georgia Retired

            Association of Educators. Survivors are his wife of 56 years, Joyce Hodges Feazell; daughter and son-in-law,

            Rebecca Barton and Kenneth of Homerville, Ga.; son and daughter-in-law, John Nealon Feazell, Jr., and Suzanne of

             Guyton, Ga.; grandchildren, Kristen White and husband, Joey of Okinawa, Japan, Michael Hammond and wife,

            Belle of Tuscon, Ariz., Christopher Hammond of Okinawa, Japan; four great-granddaughters, Mackenzie Turner and

             Madison White of Okinawa, Japan, Anika Hammond and Maiyah Hammond of Tucson, Ariz.; one great-grandson,

            Nealon White of Okinawa, Japan; two sisters, Lenora Johnston of Livingston, Texas and Elvida Driskell of Cape

            Canaveral, Fla.; three sisters-in-law, Winnie Hodges of Jasper, Fla., Louise Jones of Boerne, Texas, and Mildred

            Hodges of Hahira, Ga. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, May 22, 2008, at 4 p.m. in the chapel of the

            Carson McLane Funeral Home. The Rev. Ed Falgout and Mr. Paul Johnson will officiate. Burial will follow in

            Friendship Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m. In

            lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of South Georgia or to the Georgia Sheriff’s Boys Ranch.

            Condolences to the family may be conveyed online at www.mclanefuneralservices.com. — Carson McLane

            Funeral Home

          Anna Jean Fennell [Courson]

            Anna Jean Courson Fennell, 74, of Valdosta, died at South Georgia Medical Center on Monday, Oct. 24, 2005, after

            a brief illness. Born on March 22, 1931, in Pearson, she was the daughter of the late Dan and Floy Pearson

            Courson. Mrs. Fennell was a homemaker, a former school teacher and a member of Park Avenue United Methodist

            Church. She greatly loved and doted on her children and grandchildren. She loved playing cards with her Bridge

            Group and loved quilting. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Roy Fennell of Valdosta; two sons and

            daughters-in-law, Chip and Beth Fennell of St. Simons, Dan and Lorri Fennell of Limestone, Tenn.; three

            grandchildren, Libby Fennell and Jacob Fennell both of Athens at the University of Georgia and Danni Fennell of

            Knoxville, Tenn. at the University of Tennessee and several nieces and nephews. She was also preceded in death

            by two sisters, Marjorie Simpson and Mary Farnell and a brother, Dr. Jack D. Courson. Funeral services will be held

            at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2005, in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home with the Rev. V.L. Daugherty

            and the Rev. Craig Rikard officiating. Entombment will follow in the mausoleum at McLane Riverview Memorial

            Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home this evening from 6-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations

            may be made to the Building Fund of Park Avenue United Methodist Church or the United Methodist Children’s Home

            or the charity of your choice. Condolences may be conveyed to the family on the obituary page at

            www.mclanefuneralservices.com — Carson McLane Funeral

          K. E. Folsom

            You may remember my father, K.E. Folsom. He recently passed away (November 23, 2004). He served the

            Lowndes County Schools faithfully for 30 years as transportation supervisor. He kept those yellow buses running

            every morning. A man of high standards and integrity he was responsible for throwing more than a few scoundrels

             off the bus too.

                                    Cindy Folsom Morris (Class of '76)                                              centralumc01@alltel.net

          Calhoun Wilson (Bill) Hendrix, Sr.                                                                     Picture

            Calhoun Wilson (Bill) Hendrix, Sr., 84, of Lake Park died Sunday, September 16, 2007 at the Langdale Hospice

            House. He was born on February 16, 1923 in Lowndes County to the late Thomas Walter and Fannie Lee Lyons

            Hendrix. Mr. Hendrix was a member of the Redland Church of Christ and an avid fisherman and enjoyed gardening.

            He served in the United States Navy during World War II and served aboard the USS Montpelier CL-57 and was one

             of the first trained radar technicians. Mr. Hendrix was an retired teacher and administrator for forty two years

            having taught math and industrial arts at Lowndes High, Madison County and Dixie County, Fla.