David E. Bowen
Jesup—David E. Bowen, 92, of Jesup died March 4, 2023.
The Pierce County native had lived in Wayne County the past 50 years and was a member of the Jesup Church of God.
He began his retail life founding David’s Clothing in Jesup in 1972 and branched out to several other locations. He was also co-owner of Pro Feet Inc. in Hinesville. Serving God through missions was a large part of his life. He was humble and devoted to building God’s kingdom both in the States and abroad. He visited many countries and supported efforts to share the name of Jesus all over the world.
He enjoyed spending time with his family with whom he instilled a steadfast love for Jesus and modeled a life of hard work and humble gratitude. He never ceased to pause and give thanks. His family looked forward to gatherings at his and his wife’s home, where good food, heartwarming stories and laughter abounded. He enjoyed working in his garden so he could share his blessings with others. His grandchildren share many memories of trekking through the garden, playing in the rows of corn, and building hideouts in the yard.
Survivors include his loving wife of 74 years, Loretta Dixon Bowen of Jesup; daughters, Theresa (Norman) Williamson of Dothan, Alabama, and Jan (Rick) Faircloth of Jesup; a son, Larod (Suzanne) Bowen of Jesup; a sister, Shirley Bennett of Mershon; two brothers, Buddy (Wanda) Bowen of Blackshear, and Danny (Diane) Bowen of Fernandina Beach, Florida; two sisters-in-law, Naomi Bowen and Lavon Thomas of Waycross; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Celebration-of-life services were held March 6 at the Jesup Church of God with Pastor Scott Hatten officiating. Private family graveside services followed in the Greenlawn Cemetery in Waycross.
In lieu of flowers, memorials should be made to the Jesup Church of God Missions, P.O. Box 185, Jesup, GA 31598.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Donald “Don” Snyder
Jesup—Donald “Don” Snyder, 80, of Jesup died March 4, 2023.
The Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, native had lived in Wayne County most of his adult life and was a U.S. Army veteran. He was a member of Jesup Primitive Baptist Church and a retired postal clerk and owner of Snyder Electrical and Plumbing Company.
Some favorite pastimes were fishing, riding the river and in the country, listening to music, building, and remodeling.
He was predeceased by his parents, Charles and Della Snyder; three brothers, Charles Jr. “Buddy” Snyder and Kenneth “Ken” Snyder and Richard “Dick” Snyder; and an infant sister, Nancy Jean Snyder.
Survivors include two daughters, Sue (Eric) Mallard of LaGrange and Debbie (Howard) Wasdin of Fernandina Beach, Florida; their mother, Barbara “Bobbie” Snyder Browning of Jesup; three grandchildren, Stephen (Christy) Mallard and their children, Bryson and Samuel, Katie (Phillip) LaCount and their children, Dixie and Ryder, and Eryn (Paul) Graeter and their children, Emma and Maverick; step-grandchildren, Blake (Jordan) Wasdin and their children, Tripp and Banks, and Rachel Wasdin and her children, Kayden and Jace and Kara Watson; a sister, Ann Louise (Bob) Bevins of McSherrystown, Pennsylvania; and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside funeral services were held March 5 in Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery with the Rev. Stanley Todd officiating.
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.
Lawrence Cravey
Jesup—Lawrence Cravey, 73, of Jesup died March 5, 2023.
The Wayne County native attended Crossroads Church of God and was a retired brick mason and an avid fisherman.
He was predeceased by his parents, Norman Cravey and Elvin Surrency, and sisters, Ima Jean Moore and Willa Mae Passmore.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Sandra Edenfield Cravey of Jesup; daughters, Tracey (Ernest) Hires of Ellabell, Tennille (Daniel) Wall of Jesup and Tiffany (Jonathan) Denison of Jesup; one son, Bill Cravey of Jesup; grandchildren, Kacie, Wesley, Samantha, Austin, Beau, Ansleigh, Addison, Bailey, J.B. and Cobb; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were held March 8 from Crossroads Church of God with Pastor Brandon Stone and the Rev. Hulet Smith officiating.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Peggy Jones Payne
Jesup—Peggy Jones Payne, 89, of Jesup died Feb. 27, 2023, under the care of At Home Assisted Living and Hospice of South Georgia.
The Ware County native and former resident of Fernandina Beach, Florida, had lived in Wayne County most of her life. She was a member of Jesup First United Methodist Church, the JOY Sunday School Class, Women’s Circle and the Jesup Garden Club.
After graduating from Georgia Teacher’s College in Statesboro, she began her teaching career in Nassau County, Florida, and retired after 38 years from the Wayne County Board of Education. The avid reader encouraged literacy with every child she taught and loved her students deeply.
Her family time was very important to her so she would assist her sister, Ruby Jean Keith, in leading the Methodist Youth Fellowship and helped direct weddings with her sister, Patsy Jones Bennett. Some of her favorite pastimes were gardening, watching her children’s alma mater, Auburn Tigers football, and doting on the grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, C.B. and Ruby Jones; her brother, Charles Jones; and her sister, Patsy Jones Bennett.
Survivors include one daughter, Glenna (Tim) Reeves of Atlanta; one son, James C. “Jim” Payne of Keystone Heights, Florida; five grandchildren, Nathan (Courtney), Kayleigh (South) and Hayden Reeves, Marissa and Charlotte Payne; three great-grandsons, Jackson, Elliott and Leo; a sister, Ruby Jean (Jerry) Keith of Jesup; her accepted brother, Richard (LaTiare) Riley of Richmond Hill; dearly loved nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews; and her dearly beloved Shih Tzu companion, Buddy.
A celebration-of-life service will be held Saturday, March 11, at 3 p.m. at Jesup United Methodist Church with Pastor Rebecca Duke-Barton officiating. Private interment will be in the Jesup City Cemetery.
Family will receive friends from 2 p.m. to-3 p.m prior to services at the church.
The family wants to thank her “amazing” caregivers: staffs of At Home Senior Living Center, Hospice of South Georgia, Dr. Marsha Certain, Kathy Frazier, Kimberly Neville, Rose Daniels and Ellen.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Jesup First United Methodist Church, 205 E. Cherry Street, Jesup, GA 31546 or Hospice of South Georgia, 1625 Sunset Blvd., Jesup, GA 31545.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Waldon Lee Stafford
Jesup—Waldon Lee Stafford, 61, died peacefully on March 4, 2023, at Altamaha Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center under the care of Hospice of South Georgia.
A resident of Jesup for the past four years, he was born on Dec. 27, 1961, in Oakland, California, to the late James Milton Stafford and Ruth Ann Koon Stafford. He spent his early years in Jacksonville, Florida, where he worked as a plumber. Later, after moving to Brunswick, he owned and operated his own plumbing company, S&S Plumbing, for many years. He was an avid University of Florida Gators football fan who enjoyed playing softball and bowling in his younger years. He enjoyed spending time with the ones he loved and could have lived off milk and Budweiser.
In addition to his parents, his brother, Mike Stafford, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his daughter, Nicole Sizemore (Brad) of Odum; a sister, Karen Boyd of Jacksonville, Florida; a brother, Jimmy Stafford of Carrollton; grandchildren, Carlin, Carson and Sophie Sizemore; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended-family members.
Private memorial services will be held.
Family and friends may sign the guestbook online at www.jesupfuneralhome.com.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Donell Brannen
Jesup—Donell Brannen, 88, died peacefully on March 7, 2023, at Wayne Memorial Hospital under the care of GHC Hospice, surrounded by his loving family.
A native and lifelong resident of Wayne County, he was born on Aug. 13, 1934, to the late Alvin Barney and Pearl Pye Brannen. He was a member of the Jesup High School Class of 1952, where he participated in the sports program before serving his country in the United States Army for several years. He worked as a cryptographer alongside the 101st Airborne Division, commonly known as the “Screaming Eagles.”
After returning home, he began a career with Norfolk Southern Railroad, where he loyally worked for 44 years, until his retirement in 1996. His work ethic was second to none, and in his spare time, he took a second job managing the Family Apparel Manufacturing facility in Odum.
He was a loyal member of First Free Will Baptist Church for nearly 60 years, where he was known for his faithfulness in attendance. He was a jack-of-all-trades and could fix nearly anything. He repaired and maintained his own vehicles and also enjoyed working with wood. Many of his friends and family have been blessed by tables, jewelry boxes and other pieces of furniture expertly crafted by him, his family said.
He also enjoyed fishing, both freshwater and saltwater, and spending time with his beloved family.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his two brothers, Barney Lavergne Brannen and Jesse “J.E.” Brannen, and three sisters, Jimmie Szoke, Marilyn Poppell and Marell Aspinwall.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Patricia Martin Brannen of Jesup; three daughters, Bianca Brannen of Jesup, Lori (Paul) Thiel of California and JoEllen (Roger) Flannery of Brooklet; three sisters, Betty Harris of Brunswick, Patsy (James) Carter of Jesup and Sandra Edenfield of Jesup; 10 grandchildren, Shannon (Josh) Parks, Courtney Jackson, McClain Thiel, Madelyn Thiel and Matthew, William, Katherine, Kelsey, Rachel and Jacob Flannery; nine great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended-family members.
Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 11, at Howard & Jones Funeral Home in Jesup.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, March 12, at 2 p.m. at First Free Will Baptist Church with the Rev. Randy Pruitt officiating.
Burial will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Danny Peek, Shawn Peek, Barry Brannen, Kenny Brannen, Robert Horton and Jordan Givens.
Family and friends may sign the guestbook online at www.jesupfuneralhome.com.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ruth Khaw
Middletown Township, Pennsylvania—Ruth Khaw, 73, a resident of Middletown Township, Dela-ware County, Pennsylvania, died Feb. 21, 2023, after a brave battle with thymic cancer.
She was kind, selfless and generous—a ray of positive light to those who knew her. She will be deeply missed by family and friends across the globe.
She was born and raised in Yangon, Myanmar (then known as Rangoon, Burma). She was a graduate of Rangoon Arts and Science University, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She was a lifelong learner and global citizen, as a young woman living in Taipei; Los Angeles; Chicago; and Portland, Oregon, where she and her husband, Bernie, were married.
She then obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and worked as a medical technologist at Mason General Hospital in Shelton, Washington. She later moved to Jesup, where she received an associate degree in information technology from Altamaha Technical College.
She was actively involved in the United Methodist Church (UMC) throughout her life, culminating in 12 years as an indispensable partner to Bernie, who became a pastor after early retirement as a chemical engineer. Alongside her husband, she served at Zoar UMC and Melton’s Chapel UMC, in Baxley, Millen UMC, also in Georgia, and Thiells Garnerville UMC, in Rockland County, New York. She played the piano and organ and was always engaged in church activities and helping those in need.
After moving to Brooklyn, New York, to be closer to family, she ended up settling in Media, Pennsylvania, where she was a member of First United Methodist Church, in Media. She was a member of P.E.O., a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting educational opportunities for women. In her free time, she enjoyed cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family.
Survivors include her beloved husband of 49 years, Bernie Khaw; her children, Bliss Khaw (Dan Washburn) of Media, and A.J. Khaw (Christina Joy), of Philadelphia; and two granddaughters.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks donors to consider donations to: P.E.O. Foundation—contact Susan Barker at susanbarker1225@gmail.com or Media Food Bank (www.
firstchurchmedia.org/media-food-bank).