The Statesboro Herald

Faye McBride Montgomery, a beloved wife and mother, passed away in the early hours of January 6, 2023, after a long, brave fight against Alzheimer's disease. She was 77. Born in Millen, Georgia to Maude and George McBride, she was one of eleven children. Faye grew up in Screven County, Georgia. After graduating Screven County High School, she attended Bolen Draughon Business School in Augusta, Georgia, where she met her future husband, Richard Montgomery (Capt. Ret. USMC). As a proud military wife and mother, Faye accompanied Richard to various duty stations and served as a substitute elementary school teacher. Upon his retirement, Faye returned to Sylvania, Georgia where she worked as the...

Funeral Services for Mr. Richard Deal, 74, who entered into rest November 13, 2022, will be conducted Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock at Christ Church Presbyterian with Rev. Robbie Hendrick officiating. Interment will follow in Westover Memorial Park with Veteran Honors. The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service from 1 until 2 o'clock. Mr. Deal was born January 30, 1948, to the late Harvey Elbert Deal and Grace Lee Brannen Deal. He was raised in Statesboro, GA, was a former resident of Mountain Rest, SC for nine years, and made North Augusta, SC his home for the past eleven years. Mr. Deal was a Vietnam War veteran, having served in the U.S. Air Force, and...

Kenneth Ray NeSmith Sr., 74, of Winder, passed away Saturday, November 5, 2022. A visitation will be held from 1:00PM until 2:00PM on Saturday, November 12, 2022 at the Smith Funeral Home in Winder. A memorial service will be held at 2:00PM in the Chapel of Smith Funeral Home. Mr. NeSmith was born in Statesboro, Georgia, on April 30, 1948 to the late Albert NeSmith and Bessie Mae Lee. He was a self-employed carpenter most of his life. Mr. NeSmith was a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and loved his family and congregation dearly. He is survived by his wife, Frances NeSmith; three sons, Kenny Ray, Tommy Joe and George and their spouses Paula and Lara; four grandchildren,...

Mary Esther Peppers, age 86, passed away on Thursday, October 6, 2022. She was born in Statesboro, Georgia, on Thursday, May 14, 1936 to the late Leon Devit Perkins and Eula Hart Perkins. Mary loved the outdoors, cross stitching, and watching cooking shows on television. She also enjoyed listening to gospel music and was an active member at Philadelphia Baptist Church of Rutledge. Mary was a loving mother and grandma who will be greatly missed. She is preceded in death by her husband, Bobby Forrest Peppers; brothers, Laurace Perkins, LynWard Perkins; and sisters, Eula Mae Scott, Virginia Quattlebaum. Mary is survived by her daughters, Jan Peppers, Zeala Gaye Peppers; grandchildren, Arrica...

Edna Fulmer Lanier, 93, of Athens, Georgia died Friday, September 30, 2022. Born February, 17, 1929, in Metter, Georgia, she was the daughter of the late Edward J. Fulmer, and Mary Creed Fulmer, predeceased by brother Edward J. Fulmer, Jr., and sister Juanita Fulmer Bracewell. Mrs. Lanier was married to T.Z. Lanier, Jr. for 53 years before his death in 2002. They lived in Millen, Savannah, Statesboro, and Athens. Beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Mrs. Lanier is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Thomas (Tom) Z. Lanier, III (Jan), James (Jim) Edward Lanier (Lydia), of Athens, and Scott Alan Lanier, of Woodstock, six grandchildren, Beth West (Adam), of Athens,...

Billy Joe Doyle was born to Doss and Evie Burrow Doyle on December 3, 1931 and grew up near Skullbone, Tennessee in a two-room house. He walked across several fields to go to a country school from 1st through 5th grade. Then the family moved to Milan. Bill met Frances Redmon of Paris, Tennessee, when she would visit her grandparents in Milan. He graduated from Milan High School in 1950. On December 16, 1950, he and Frances were married. Bill was a member of the Tennessee National Guard that was activated in 1950 and sent to Japan and Korea. He served as a member of the 2998 Treadway Bridge Company. After the war, he attended college at Memphis State University with Fran's support. He...

Mark Eugene "Gene" Meadows of Charleston, SC, and a former resident of Register, GA, passed away peacefully on July 8, 2022 at the age of 87. Visitation will be held at J. Henry Stuhr, Downtown Chapel, on Tuesday, July 12 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Funeral services will be held at Providence Church on Daniel Island, SC, on Wednesday, July 13, at 1:00 PM. Interment will be at Westover Memorial Park in Augusta, GA, at 11:30 on the following day. A native of Toombs County, GA, Gene was reared by his parents, Mark Wood Meadows and Ora Mayo Meadows in Metter and Register, GA, where he was a stellar student, a natural leader, and a proud member of the Register High School basketball team. He...

Julian Kyle Ulmer, 85, of Athens passed away peacefully at the Landings Memory Care facility on July 7, 2022. Julian was born in Savannah and spent most of his life in Athens and Statesboro. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Julian played minor league baseball for the Detroit Tigers. He enjoyed a career in human resources and marketing. Julian loved the Lord and his family. We will miss his youthful exuberance, his quick wit and easy smile, and all his blue shirts and khaki pants. Julian is preceded in death by his wife, Ann Thompson, formerly of Guyton, GA; his parents, Roy and Aileen Ulmer; and his brother Sanford. He is survived by his daughters, Julie (Josh) Watt and Carmen...

In a good life, full of love, death will always arrive too soon. James Allen Parrish left this world Sunday, June 5th in his sleep. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Melissa, daughter Hannah, mother Masako Jhocson, mother in law Marilyn Hendrix, his beloved dachshund Sadie dog, as well as his extended family. James was born in Memphis, Tennessee to the late Alfonso "Al" Parrish and Masako Jhocson. James, also known as Jap or Jimmy, moved to Statesboro in the 7th grade in 1969. He graduated from Statesboro High School in 1975 and attended Young Harris College and graduated with a degree in biology in 1977. Jap then graduated from Georgia Southern University in 1979 with a BA degree...

Mr. Harley E. "Mac" McDonald, beloved husband of Jeanette D. McDonald for 38 years, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at his residence after an illness. He was the son of the late Harley McDonald and Mary Elizabeth McDonald Keziah. Harley was born in Charlotte, North Carolina on August 21, 1940. He was preceded in death by his son, Gregory Scott McDonald; brother, Richard McDonald; and sister, Sandra M. Mullis. Harley proudly served in the United States Navy for five years mainly on submarines and went into the reserves serving the United States Air Force and United States Army. He worked for General Electric, Motorola, and EF&I through Norfolk Southern Railway for 50...

Zailin Ja'Kobe Hunter, 2 months, entered into rest Thursday, April 14, 2022. He was born on January 16, 2022 to Kirsten Helen Hunter and Savin Darrell LaShawn Jones. He was a loving, happy, and precious baby, who always was smiling. Zailin was here too early and gone to soon. He was preceded in death by, Ronald Hunter, Sr., Fred James, Max Anglin, Helen Anglin, Monk Bullard, and Zechariah Jones, Jr. In addition to his parents, Zailin is survived by grandmothers, Tammy Worman of Statesboro and Jamese Smith of Statesboro; grandfathers, Gregory L. Littles of Statesboro and Henry Church of Hephzibah; great grandparents, Susie Hunter of Surrency, GA and Cynthia Lonon (Franklin) of Statesboro;...

James (Jim) Richard Hughes, M.D., passed away at his home on the evening of Wednesday, March 2, 2022, after a long battle with ALS. He was 69 years old. Jim is survived by his wife of 36 years, Kimberlee; three daughters: Heather Scarborough of Statesboro, Ga., Leeann Vrabel (Jeff) of Cupertino, Ca., and Lauren Hughes of Washington, D.C.; four grandchildren: Blake Neighbour, Jacob Vrabel, Hannah Maylee Neighbour, and Kieran Vrabel; four siblings: Tom Hughes (Debbie), Ruth Hughes, Kathy Bilz (Joe), and Mary Maxey (Rich); and many nieces and nephews. Jim was born on January 16, 1953 to parents Richard and Marie Hughes in Oneonta, New York and grew up in nearby Delhi in the foothills of the...

James Troy Hollingsworth, Jr., aged 72, died Friday, January 14, 2022 at Brentwood Health and Rehabilitation in Waynesboro, Georgia after a long illness. Born in Millen, Georgia April 18 1949, he lived in and around Burke County, Georgia for most of his life. He worked as a motorcycle police officer for the Athens, Georgia Police Department for several years before moving to West Virginia and Texas as a sales representative for Fleetwood. In 1984, he was hired as a road deputy for the Burke County Sheriff's Office by Sheriff Greg Coursey; the sheriff named him Chief Deputy in 2002. He worked closely with Sheriff Coursey for nearly thirty years before retiring in 2015. He is preceded in...

Mr. Raymond (Ray) Gibson Hammond Jr., of Statesboro, GA, beloved husband of 59 years to the late Mrs. Anne Fulmer Hammond, passed away at his residence on Thursday, December 30, 2021. Mr. Hammond was born December 4, 1939, in Elberton, GA. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents Mr. Raymond Gibson Hammond Sr. and Mrs. Katherine Parks Hammond; and his sister, Mrs. Patricia Hammond Powell, all of Lincolnton, GA. He was in the US Navy from 1957-1960, where he served on the USS Salem, USS Canberra, and USS Randolph; after his military service he then served in law enforcement in Lincoln County, GA and as a Georgia State Trooper where he was a segreant at the end of...

Tommie Guess Mullis, born on June 7, 1934 in Sycamore, Georgia passed into the hands of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the afternoon of December 3, 2021, at the age of 87. She was the daughter of the late John Benjamin Guess and Oxie Hickman Guess. She was preceded in death by her brother, John Henry Guess and her son-in-law, Jon Darrell Poole. She is survived by her husband, Norris N. Mullis, Athens, Ga.; her children, Mitch (Jean) Mullis, Colbert, Ga.; Mitzi Mullis Poole, Athens, Ga.; Marisa (Jody) Mullis Reynolds, Bogart, Ga.; and Mark (Melissa) Mullis, Commerce, Ga. Also surviving are her brother Lowell (Frances) Guess, Dublin, Ga. and thirteen grandchildren and four great...

Willie Charles Strickland, also known as "W.C." and "Dub", passed into eternal life on November 28th, 2021. Willie was a beloved and cherished husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather who deeply cared for his family and friends. Wille was born on September 28, 1938 in Pembroke, GA, son of Delmas and Sendia Strickland. Growing up in a farming family and community, Willie learned at a young age the meaning and value of a hard day's work. He carried this work ethic throughout his life. Willie was a graduate of Southeast Bulloch High School in 1956. After moving to Savannah at the age of 18, Willie worked 10 years at National Gypsum and served in the Air Force National Guard before...

Dorma Gemiah Smith Perry, 96, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Thursday, November 18, 2021. She was born on October 1, 1925 in Carroll County, Georgia, to the late Thomas Walter and Belle Hyatt Smith. Dorma moved to Waynesboro with her family in 1936, and graduated from Waynesboro High School in 1942. After graduation Dorma attended Chicago Evangelistic Institute until she was asked to return home to help raise her younger siblings. During her time at CEI she met the love of her life, Frank Long Perry, and the two were married on June 27, 1944 at Waynesboro First United Methodist Church. After their marriage Frank and Dorma lived in Michigan where Frank attended...

Jefferson Stierheim Henderson II, 90, of Statesboro, GA went to meet his savior on November 16, 2021, and be with his wife, Nancy Chilton Henderson, of 64 years who passed on December 26, 2020. He passed peacefully under the care of Regency SouthernCare Hospice Services at Willow Pond Senior Living Facility in Statesboro, GA. Jeff is survived by two children, son Jefferson S. Henderson III (Sheri) of Jupiter, FL and daughter Alice Henderson Hall (Darryl Hopkins), and granddaughter, Sarah Hall, and a great grandson, Casey of Statesboro, GA. He is also survived by a half-sister Mary Henderson Walker (Mark) of Springfield, MO and half-brother Robert Henderson of Scottsdale, AZ. Jeff was born...

Reverend Earl Thomas Saxon, 73, loving husband, father, and grandfather went to be with his Lord and Savior Monday, November 8, 2021. Rev. Saxon was born in Savannah, GA, grew up in Bulloch County, and was a resident of Burke County since 1981. Before moving to Burke County, he pastored churches in St. Mary's, Claxton, and Augusta. Here in Burke County, he pastored at Rosemont Heights Baptist Church and retired from Hebron Baptist Church. Rev. Saxon graduated from Georgia Southern College with a Bachelor's degree in Education. After graduation, along with pastoring he taught Middle School. Rev. Saxon went on five mission trips to Brazil, six to India, and one to Sri Lanka after the tsunami....

Sarah Elizabeth "Betty" Jennings of Gainesville, Georgia, passed away on Sunday evening of All Saints Day, October 31, 2021. Graveside services will be held 1:00 pm Saturday, November 6, 2021 at Alta Vista Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Friday, November 5, 20201 at Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel. Betty is preceded in death by her husband Robert Mansfield Jennings, her son Robert Mansfield Jennings Jr., both of Gainesville, GA, and her parents Horace Zack Smith and Sallie Woodcock Smith of Statesboro, and brother Horace Zack Smith, Jr. of Hilton Head, SC She is survived by her daughter Harriet Jennings Shirley of Nashville, TN, her son Horace...

It is with great sorrow we announce the death of our beloved, Mr. Leon Lasseter. Leon passed away at the age of 67 on Oct. 9, 2021 from COVID under the care of Northside Hospital in Lawrenceville, Ga. He was born April 17, 1954 to the late Nelia Mae Lasseter and Robert E. Lasseter. Leon was a native of Bulloch County and was a graduate of Statesboro High School in 1972. After graduation he moved to L.A. California. Leon loved the Arts and Theatre. He caught the acting bug in grammar school when he was cast as Robin Hood in a class play. His happiest years were spent studying acting at Estelle Harmon actors workshop in Los Angeles. Since then he has appeared in a number of plays in...