Rinehart & Sons
Melissa Shanklin Redish
Sorrento, Florida—Melissa Shanklin Redish, 58, of Sorrento, Florida and formerly of Jesup (Gardi community) died on Aug. 3, 2022.
The Wayne County native was a former member of Calvary Baptist Church and Gardi Baptist Church. She was a senior laser technician with Northrop Grumman Company. The 1982 Wayne County High School graduate went on to receive an associate degree, first in her class in laser and photonics from Central Carolina Community College. The black belt karate graduate and adventurer liked traveling, riding motorcycles, reading and fishing. Her family was her most favorite pastime.
Her daughter, Rebecca Denise Redish, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her husband of 39 years, Kevin Redish of Sorrento; two daughters, Michelle Redish of Sorrento and Bonnie Redish of Jacksonville, Florida; parents, Gus and Nina Shanklin of Jesup; three brothers, Carl (Tammy) Shanklin, Wiley (Sara) Shanklin and Michael (Kelly) Shanklin, all of Jesup; several nieces and nephews; a father-in-law, Ronnie Redish of Wilmington, North Carolina; and a sister-in-law, Angie Redish Moody of Jesup.
Graveside funeral services were held Aug. 8 in Gardi Cemetery with Pastor Pete Boyd and Brother John Carlton officiating.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Lawton Richard Strickland Sr.
Jesup—Lawton Richard Strickland Sr., 90, of Jesup died on Aug. 5, 2022.
The Wayne County native and member of Calvary Baptist Church was a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant, having served during the Vietnam and Korea era. He most cherished his time with his family and loved to joke with everyone he met.
He had several siblings who preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife of almost 70 years, Barbara Ogden Strickland of Jesup; a daughter, Debra (Jerry) Cruz of Fort Walton Beach, Florida; a son, Richard (Marty) Strickland Jr. of Jesup; two grandchildren, Dr. Jared Cruz and Breanna Cruz; a step-granddaughter, Laney Townsend; and a sister, Betty Gordy.
Funeral services were held Aug. 9 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with the Rev. Vann Dempsey officiating. Interment followed in Piney Grove Cemetery with military honors. Active pallbearers were family and friends.
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.
Howard Chapman (Buddy) Coulby Sr.
Jesup—Howard Chapman (Buddy) Coulby Sr., 89, of Jesup died Aug. 8, 2022.
The Newburg, Maryland, native was a member of Screven United Methodist Church and a retired U.S. Army master sergeant, having spent most of his career in the 82nd Airborne Division.
Some of his tours of duty include Korea, Vietnam (1st Cavalry Division), Alaska, Dominican Republic and Saudi Arabia, where he served as senior enlisted logistics advisor to the Saudi Arabian Army.
Numerous badges and medals, including the the Bronze Star, Master Parachute Badge and Combat Infantry Badge were awarded him for his outstanding military service.
After retirement, he was a rural mail carrier for 10 years before pursing his love of commercial fishing and crabbing full-time. He was the owner of Coulby’s Crabs in Brunswick.
He enjoyed fishing, gardening, woodworking, and spending time with grandchildren.
He was predeceased by a wife, Myrtle Coulby; a son, Sgt. 1st Class Howard Coubly Jr.; grandson, Eddie Coulby; brothers, James, Robert and Adrian Coulby; and his parents, Edgar and Irene Stine Coulby.
Survivors include his wife, Patsy Coulby of Jesup; a daughter, Sharon Baker (Wayne Lee) of Brunswick; a daughter-in-law, Debbie Coulby of Venice, Florida; sons, Kenneth Coulby, and Walter (Janet) Coulby, both of Nanjemoy, Maryland; two stepdaughters, Lori (Scott) Stradtman of Brunswick and Sabra (Philip) Bazemore of Dexter; brothers, Thomas, Joseph, Phillip and Edgar Coulby; sisters, Betty Bowling, Mary Ganus and Lorraine Stamm; nine grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; special brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held 4 p.m.-6 p.m., Friday, August 12, 2022 at Arehart-Echols Funeral Home, LaPlata, MD.
Graveside service will be 11 a.m., Saturday, August 13, 2022 in Christ Church Cemetery Wayside, Newburg, MD.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to GHC Hospice Foundation, P.O. Box 15665, Savannah, GA. 31416.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home and Archart-Echols Funeral Home are in charge of arrangements.
Howard-Jones
Anthony Harold Kesler
Jesup—Anthony Harold Kesler, 75, affectionately known by his friends and family as “Tony,” died on Aug. 7, 2022, at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah.
A resident of Jesup for the past 26 years, he was a native of Chicago, Illinois. He worked as an over-the-road truck driver for nearly 46 years before his retirement several years ago. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, watching television and spending time with the ones he loved.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Angela Kesler; a son, Johnny Kesler; and a former wife, Heather Kesler.
Survivors include his wife of 36 years, Mary Nell Sears Kesler of Jesup; stepdaughters, Melissa Pellum and Christine Green of Macclenny, Florida; a stepson, Carl Pellum Jr. of Jesup; step-grandchildren, Michael and Corey Varnum, Alex Pellum, Jacob Mae, Matthew Green and Shayna Green; several brothers; several sisters; several great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended-family members.
Funeral services were held Aug. 9 at Howard & Jones Funeral Home in Jesup with the Rev. Charles Drury and the Rev. Thomas Drury officiating.
Interment followed in the Jesup City Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Carl Pellum Jr., Michael Varnum, Corey Varnum, Alex Pellum, Jacob Mae and Matthew Green.
Family and friends may sign the guestbook online at www.jesupfuneralhome.com.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Swain
Jean C. Blanton
Surrency—Jean C. Blanton, 87, of Surrency died in the company of her children on Aug. 6, 2022 following an extended illness.
She was born April 30, 1935, to the late Girvis Knight and the late Ethleen O’Brien Knight, and was raised in Appling County. She graduated valedictorian from Surrency High School, where she met her beloved husband of 67 years, the late Rev. J. E. Blanton. Their ministry together through the years took them from Nashville, Tennessee to Jesup to Decatur and finally back home to Surrency, where they retired.
She excelled in her role as a devoted pastor’s wife but also had an outstanding career as an ICU/CCU nurse for 26 years. She headed the unit and was promoted to a supervisory position over the entire hospital as a result of her unsurpassed leadership and professional skills at DeKalb Regional Hospital, her family said.
Throughout her life, she was known as the consummate nurturer—she always put others before herself. She was a beautiful, elegant, lady who was warm, gracious, humorous, and you were always welcome at her home where you would be offered something sweet to eat, her family said. She loved to cook, garden and sing. But her favorite activity was spending time with her family and friends.
He life verse was Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purposes.”
Survivors include her daughter, Deborah Blanton of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida; a son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Shannon Blanton of Spartanburg, South Carolina; a sister, Dorothy Snead of Jacksonville, Florida; sisters-in-law, Kathleen Overstreet of Surrency and Naomi McQuaig of Alma; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jerry and Linda Blanton of Surrency; and grandchildren, Daniel Miltenberger of Jacksonville, Florida, Chloe Miltenberger of Tampa, Florida and Colt Blanton of Spartanburg, South Carolina; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Aug. 10 at Mount Vernon Baptist Church with the Rev. Justin McLellan and the Rev. Rick Brown officiating. Eulogies were rendered by Deborah Blanton and Daniel Miltenberger. Interment followed in Memorial Free Will Baptist Church Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Daniel Miltenberger, Colt Blanton, David Snead, Jim McQuaig, Donnie Head and Thomas Dubberly.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to a church or a charity that’s doing God’s work.
Swain Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.