Roswell Majette Murphy
Jesup—Roswell “Ros” Murphy, a native of Jesup, died in the Inpatient Unit of Hospice of South Georgia on May 10, 2024, after a long illness and valiant health battle.
He attended Wayne County High and Brunswick High and graduated with an associate degree in business from Brunswick College. Beginning at age 16, he began work in his father’s business, Murphy Builders’ Supply, eventually becoming CEO and owner. He was proud that each of his five children and five of his grandchildren worked at some time at Murphy’s and that today the business is owned and operated by his son and daughter.
An active civic-minded individual, he was a member of the Pine Forest Country Club Golf Association; was president of the Rotary Club, where he was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow; and was president of the Jesup Jaycees, where he was instrumental in the remodeling of Jaycee Stadium and creation of Jaycee Landing, the building of the Jaycee Clubhouse, and the 1972 hosting of the Georgia Jaycee Convention. He was a member of Jesup First United Methodist Church. He served on the Jesup Interstate Credit Union Board and the Construction Supplier’s Association Board. He was a lifelong Georgia Tech fan.
He is predeceased by his parents, Robert “Buck” Wiley Murphy and Betty Majette Murphy.
Survivors are his wife of 39 years, Melba Bennett Murphy; a daughter Jennifer Murphy Reeder (Steven); sons, Kevin Murphy (Sarah), Matt Keith (Kelly), Russ Keith (Sarah) and Justin Keith (Emma); grandchildren, Luke and Abbi McBee, Noah Murphy, Emma Murphy, Hampton Keith, Ella Keith, Olive Keith and Charly Keith, and great-grandchildren, McKenna McBee and John Luke McBee; siblings, Susan (Don) Carson, Mike (Cheryl) Murphy, Ellen (Larry) Smith and Katie (Wally) Orrel; two nieces, Maggie Sorel and Katie Murphy; a grand-niece, Reese; a brother-in-law, Fred (Ansley) Bennett; four-legged companions, Sadie and Hank; and a caregiver, Micki Brooker.
A celebration of his life took place May 13 at Rinehart Chapel. Honorary pallbearers were the past and present employees of Murphy’s Builders Supply, the Supper Club, staff of Hospice of South Georgia, Randy Parks, Dr. Robert Pumpelly, Dan Clary, Herman Gordon, David Earl, Dell and Kevin Keith, Shon Mullis, and Ralph Doomes.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of South Georgia, 1625 Sunset Blvd., Jesup, GA 31545.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home of Jesup was in charge of arrangements.
Robert Ronald Kennedy Sr.
Screven—Robert Ronald Kennedy Sr., 73, of Screven died May 11, 2024, in the Inpatient Unit of Hospice of South Georgia.
An Appling County native and a former resident of Brunswick, he had lived in Wayne County for more than 20 years and was a member of O’Quinn Baptist Church. A U.S. Army veteran, he served in the Desert Storm war and was a retired civil service employee of Kings Bay Submarine Base as a welder. He enjoyed hunting and traveling. His son-in-love, the Rev. Larry A. Copley, preceded him in death.
Survivors are his wife of 50 years, Kathy Harris Kennedy of Screven; daughter, Laurie Copley of Screven; son, Ronnie (Kristen) Kennedy of Screven; grandchildren, Nicole (Jamie) Smith, the Rev. Joshua (Bell) Copley and Kane Rozier; and two great-grandchildren, Mackenzie Austen and Larsen Allen.
Funeral services will be at noon May 18 at O’Quinn Baptist Church with the Rev. Joshua Copley officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery with full military rites.
Active pallbearers will be James Godwin, Derrick Sinclair, Jeff Westberry, Mike Beard, Danny Anderson and Robert Arnold. Honorary pallbearers will be the deacons of O’Quinn Baptist Church and the O’Quinn Breakfast Club at Hog-N-Bones.
Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of South Georgia, 1625 Sunset Blvd., Jesup, GA 31545.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home of Jesup is in charge of arrangements.
Sandra “Sandy” Colquitt Boyles Williams Lack
Sandra “Sandy” Colquitt Boyles Williams Lack died peacefully May 10, 2024, at the age of 79.
She was born to the late William House “Bill” and Christine Mathews Colquitt in Crawford Jan. 12, 1945.
She was raised in Decatur, graduating from Southwest DeKalb High School in 1963, and later attended West Georgia College. She began employment with the state of Georgia as a secretary at the Georgia Mental Health Institute in Atlanta in 1965 and transferred in 1968 to the Department of Corrections, Georgia State Prison, Reidsville, where she remained until relocating to Atlanta in 1978. Continuing employment with Corrections, Sandy was promoted to several positions within the Facilities Division and retired as manager of Inmate Data Management in 1996.
She was a member of Lake Hills Church in Candler, North Carolina. She and her late husband Bill were very active in a Life Group following church on Sundays, and they also participated in the Wednesday Night Prayer Group. She was previously a member of Stewart Community Church and had been very active at First Baptist Church in Covington and at Oxford Baptist Church in Oxford. With a very outgoing personality, she never met many strangers. She loved people and had many, many, many friends. She loved music, jigsaw puzzles and playing games on her computer.
She was preceded in death by her last husband, Bill Lack of Asheville, North Carolina; her husband of 37 years, Joe P. Williams; her firstborn son, Robert William “Bobby” Boyles, at the age of 8, in 1977; and by her firstborn granddaughter, Kamiryn “Kami” Boyles, also at 8 years old, in 2010. She was also preceded in death by her sisters, Betty Barton and Georgia Gee; brothers-in-law, Dewey Barton, LaRoy Gee, Kenneth Williams, Don Williams and John Everheart; sisters-in-law Joyce Williams and Betty Williams; and first husband, Bob Boyles.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Crissy Boyles, and grandson, Brody Boyles, and granddaughter, Megan Boyles, all of Jesup; a special niece, Kris Gower (Darrel), and special great-nieces, Kelsey Gonzalez (Tyler) and Reagan and Rose Gower, all of Loganville; sisters-in-law Margaret Everheart and Idelle Williams and brothers-in-law, Alfred Williams (Beth) and Harold Williams (Sharlynne), all of Texas; and Lonnie Williams (Michelle) of California.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at Howard & Jones Funeral Home in Jesup with pastor Dennis Johnson officiating. Friends are invited to visit with the family one hour prior to the services at the funeral home. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Lawnwood Memorial Park in Covington, where she will be buried beside her late husband, Joe Williams.
Active pallbearers will be Brody Boyles, Megan Boyles, Kelsey Gonzalez, Reagin Gower, Rose Gower, David McMillian and Cory Mulkey. Honorary pallbearers will be Darrel Gower, Marlon Pollard and Lloyd Spickard.
In lieu of flowers and at her request, monetary donations in memory of her son, Bobby Boyles, may be made to Tattnall C.A.R.E.S., Reidsville, GA 30453 or to the Kami Boyles Foundation Inc., 25 Kami Lane, Brunswick, GA 31523, in memory of her granddaughter, Kami. More information is available at kamiboylesfoundation.com.
The online guestbook is at www.jesupfuneralhome.com.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home of Jesup is in charge of arrangements.