Tammy Jean
Griffis Pierce
Patterson—Tammy Jean Griffis Pierce, 55, died April 16, 2021, at her residence.
She was born in Jesup and lived in the Lake Chapel area of Appling County most of her life. She was owner and operator of the family business, Griffis Auto Sales, where she began working with her father in her early years. She also worked on the family farm and was a homemaker.
She was a loving, giving person, her family said, and a member of Crosby’s Chapel Church in Bacon County.
She was preceded in death by her parents, David Lee and Betty Jones Griffis.
Survivors include her husband, Ricky Pierce of Patterson; son, James Brown of Glenwood; stepsons, Draven Pierce of Waycross and Shannon (Rebecca) Dowling of Macclenny, Florida; two grandchildren; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Funeral services were held April 19 at Crosby’s Chapel Church with the Rev. Kathy Palmer officiating. Burial followed in Ephesus Church of God Cemetery in Appling County.
Remembrances are suggested to American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org) or American Heart Association (heart.org).
Family and friends may sign the online register at www.howardfuneralga.com
Arrangements are under the direction of Howard Funeral Home of Ludowici.
Ben Grantham
Screven—Ben Grantham, 42, of Screven and Jacksonville, Florida, died April 15, 2021.
The Ware County native had lived most of his life in Wayne County and was a member of Screven First Baptist Church. He was a tree surgeon and carpenter by trade. The avid reader enjoyed anything outdoors—hunting, fishing, weightlifting and training dogs.
He was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Dalton Grantham and Connie Green, and stepfather, Buddy Tate.
Survivors include a daughter, Alex Grantham of Screven; his parents, Dennis Grantham of Jesup and Kim Blocker Tate of Screven; three sisters, Sasha Theus of Odum, Summer (Jereme) Kennedy of Screven and Kendra Tate of Florence, Alabama; maternal grandparents, Don Blocker of Screven and Marion Blocker of St. Simons Island; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held today (Wednesday) at 2 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church with David Simmons and the Rev. Dan Harris officiating. Interment will follow in the Screven City Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be Caleb Grantham, Clayton Grantham, Dalton Grantham, Raymond Strickland, Raymond Madray, Jim Echols and Greg Wasdin.
Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Melva D. Blocker
Jesup—Melva D. Blocker, 82, of Jesup died April 15, 2021.
The Wayne County native was a member of Crossroads Church of God. She was a retired bookkeeper with Wayne Truck and Tractor, Peede & Bramblett Company, and RWP Services.
Sewing was a favorite pastime, along with gardening, singing and keeping her grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her parents, Lawrence and Bernice Drawdy, and a brother, Ed Drawdy.
Survivors include a husband of 37 years, Tom Blocker of Jesup; a daughter, Deborah (Glynn) Goober of Jesup; two sons, Glenn (Lisa) Miller of Jesup and Neal (Sherry) Brannen of Dalton; a stepdaughter, Sonia Blanton of Jesup; a stepson, Mike (Kathy) Blocker of Jesup; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a sister, Avie (Lloyd) Edenfield of Jesup; two brothers, Joe Drawdy and Dickie Drawdy, both of Jesup; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held April 18 at Crossroads Church of God with Pastor Hulet Smith, Ellen Dorminey and the Rev. Dickie Waters officiating. Interment followed in Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery. Active pallbearers were Kenny Fuller, Erik Mattingly, Hunter Blocker, Russell Drew, Brandon Goober and Preston Barrow. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Senior Adult Sunday School Class of Crossroads Church of God, the staff of Hospice of South Georgia, and former employees of RWP Services and Ed Hancock.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Kathy Humphries
Jesup—Kathy Humphries, 63, of Jesup and formerly of Daytona Beach, Florida, died April 14, 2021.
The Ohio native was a member of House of Worship and Ministries. She worked as a certified nursing assistant and medical coder with several nursing homes. Some favorite pastimes were gardening, phone games and spending time with her dogs.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Dan and Eleanor Humphries.
Survivors include a sister, Shirley Bell of Jesup; two brothers, Carl (Donna) Humphries of Aiken, South Carolina and Gene Humphries of Jesup; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held April 18 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with Pastor Mickey Tomberlin officiating.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Louise Viola “Vi”
Poppell Kicklighter
Jesup—Louise Viola “Vi” Poppell Kicklighter, 94, of Jesup died April 13, 2021.
The Wayne County native was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and Shirley Clark’s Sunday School Class. She was known for her work with Ward’s Sewing Basket and Southern Bell Telephone Company. Some favorite pastimes were cooking, gardening and bird watching.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Lawton Kicklighter; brother, Joe Poppell; and granddaughter, Mandi Kicklighter Dubberly.
Survivors include a daughter, Joni (Reid) Yeargan of Valdosta; sons, Steve (Alice) Kicklighter of Jesup, Mike Kicklighter of Jesup and Neil (Dalin) Kicklighter of Elberta, Alabama; several grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held April 15 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with Pastor Vann Dempsey officiating. Private family burial was in Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery. Active pallbearers were family and friends. Honorary pallbearers were members of her Sunday school class.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of South Georgia, 1625 Sunset Blvd., Jesup, GA 31545.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
William L.
“Popee” Miller
Screven—William L. “Popee” Miller, 83, of Screven died April 16, 2021.
The Wayne County native was a member of Trinity Baptist Church, a retired employee with Horton Homes of Eatonton and also a retired Wayne County school bus driver. He served in the Georgia National Guard and enjoyed fishing, hunting and being with his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Sadie Miller; a daughter, Kalei Ann Miller; sisters, Merle Walker, Jean Curtis, Bobbie Strickland, Jackie Harrison and Brenda Walker; brothers, Forrest Miller and Richard Miller; and a great-grandson, Caden Griffin.
Survivors include three daughters, Tonya Griffin, Zina Finn and Aneka McReady, all of Eatonton; sisters, Delene James of Folkston and Marie Sigman of Buford; six grandchildren, Will Griffin, Chesley McReady, Marlie Griffin, Alyssa Martinez, Bailey McReady and Alaina Finn; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Celebration-of-life services were held April 18 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with Durwood Miller officiating. Private graveside services were held by the family in Screven.
Memorials may be made to the Trinity Baptist Church, 2061 Spring Grove Road, Jesup, GA 31545.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Elbert Lee Howard
Jesup—Elbert Lee Howard, 87, died April 17, 2021, at home under the care of GHC Hospice and his loving family.
A lifelong resident of Wayne County, he was born Dec. 28, 1933, in Ludowici to the late Demery and Mamie Fulton Howard. He served his country in the U.S. Army before he began working in the construction business, which he devoted his entire life to, and was an expert carpenter, painter and electrician. He was a true “jack of all trades” and an expert at reading blueprints, and he could fix just about anything.
He retired from Bayer Corporation as a painter after many years of faithful service.
In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, making jokes, playing cards and “shootin’ dice.”
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Lilla Mae Tyre, Minnie Lee Roberson, Bertha McNicholl and Louise Ribron; his brother, Burel Demery Howard Jr.; a daughter, Myrtice Brown and a son, Thomas Slone.
Survivors include his daughters, Sarah Howard Mathis and Deanna Howard Miller, both of Jesup; his sons, Elbert Davis of Kingsland, Thomas (Teresa) Howard of Augusta and Joe Robert Howard of Kingsland; a sister, Freeda Brazell of Ludowici; a former wife and mother to his seven children, Mae Howard Starling; a sister-in-law, Myrtice Howard of Brunswick; stepchildren, Stacie (Ulysses) Hershaw of Brunswick, Sharon (Chris) Conway of Kingsland and Richard (Tiffiny) Carver of Davenport, Iowa; 22 grandchildren; and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and extended- family members.
Funeral services will be held today (Wednesday) at 2 p.m. at Unity Church of God with the Rev. Calvin Anderson officiating.
Interment will follow in Elim Baptist Church Cemetery in Long County with military honors rendered by the U.S. Army.
Active pallbearers will be Travis Martin, Travis Riddle, Trevian Guyton, Mykeon Williams, Jayvora Brooks, Jordan McGuire, Marshall Jackson III, Josh McGuire, Daniel Bryson and Joshua Mauney.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Billy Poppell
Jesup—Billy Poppell, 86, died peacefully on April 17, 2021, at Cotton Grove Estates under the care of Hospice of South Georgia Inc.
A native and lifelong resident of Jesup, he was born on March 8, 1935, to the late Jimmie and Josephine Graeber Poppell. He was a graduate of Jesup High School and began his success story at an early age with a work ethic that was second to none.
He started his career in 1957 when he was working for Wares Auto and made the decision that Jesup needed a bicycle repair shop. After borrowing $80 from his father, he bought a shop and began what would become a lifelong career of entrepreneurship in Wayne County. The business grew and prospered, and before long, he expanded his business several times, adding used-car sales and an auto repair shop and eventually becoming a Datsun dealer in 1970.
His firm, Billy Poppell Car Sales, was so successful that it sold 45 new Datsuns in the first five weeks they were on display, and the company grew from a single employee to 19 over the years, certainly a testimony to its success. He sold many other types of cars over the years, including Buick, International and AMC, but his love for a good, economical car that was made to last always brought Datsun to the forefront of his car lot.
Through the 1980s, he began a second business venture when he pursued his love of plants, flowers and the outdoors as he and his late wife began growing flowers and designing landscapes. Countless hours were spent in the greenhouse watering flowers and growing plants, a true labor of love.
He managed several rentals around town in addition to his other duties and was instrumental in the development of Country Garden Estates.
He loved Wayne County and he loved the Lord. He was a longtime member of Jesup Church of God, where he had served on the Pastor’s Council and the Building Committee and was the Sunday school superintendent for many years.
He also enjoyed collecting cars and was a member of the Altamaha Classic Cruisers.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Lawanna Leggett and her husband, Joe Leggett; his brother-in-law, Leon Cothern; and his first wife, Betty Driggers Poppell.
Survivors include his wife, Jaquita Poppell of Jesup; a daughter, Rhonda Poppell of Jesup; a son, Ronald (Christie) Poppell of Jesup; sister, Nita Cothern of Jesup; grandchildren, Shauna (Cameron) Mattingly of Jesup and Brandon Bullock of St. Simon’s Island; two great-grandchildren, Emree and L.C.; three stepchildren, Vanessa Tyre, April Morgan and Wesley Smith, and their seven children and two grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins and a large extended family.
Funeral services were held April 20 at Jesup Church of God with the Rev. Scott Hatten officiating. Eulogies were given by Genell Poppell and Cameron Mattingly.
Interment followed in Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Bobby Cutter, Jonathan Poppell, Jacob Poppell, Greg Leggett, Bob Bryant and Givens Bryant.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Senior Sunday School Class of Jesup Church of God, staff of Cotton Grove Estate, staff of Hospice of South Georgia, members of the Altamaha Classic Cruisers, Ian Greene, Randy Teston, Genell and Jerry Poppell, Ray Hamilton, Ben Poppell, Scottie Poppell, Zach Poppell, Dustin Rozier, Daryl Cothern, Craig Cothern, Jerry Leggett, Venita Daniels, Terri Ogden, Nathan Mobley, Don Rogers, Grant Lewis, Don Leggett, Carlton Ring, Benny Clark, James Vann and Curt Spell.
One of the most wonderful characteristics of Billy was his love of people and his strong desire to help those in need, his family said, adding that over the years, countless people have been blessed by his acts of kindness.
Family and friends may take a few moments to express a memory or share a special moment at www.jesupfuneralhome.com.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.