Howard-Jones
Wade Moody
Hinesville—Wade Moody, 65, died peacefully on Aug. 19, 2022, at home under the care of Hospice of South Georgia.
A resident of Liberty County for the past six years and former lifelong resident of Odum, he was born on Aug. 13, 1957, in Jesup. In his younger years, he enjoyed competing with others by playing baseball and racing boats on the river. He was a smart man who was extremely mechanically inclined. A welder and fabricator by trade, he was a fast learner and could build almost anything. He worked as a millwright for the union, traveling to different facilities as his job required. When he wasn’t working, he enjoyed hunting, running dogs, crabbing, shrimping, salt-water fishing and truck pulling. He built motors for numerous pulling trucks and helped to fabricate everything from racing boats to grills for smoking meat. He was always the life of the party and could tell a story better than almost anybody, always with a surprise ending, his family said.
He was preceded in death by his father, Wadley Carlos “Skeeter” Moody Sr.; his mother, Jeanette Bennett Sikes; and his stepfather, C.E. Sikes.
Survivors include his wife of 26 years, Wendi Aspinwall Moody of Hinesville; children, Weston Moody of Odum, Whaley Moody and her daughter, Brielle Ava Moody, of Hinesville and Wayden Moody of Jesup; a daughter, Nikki (Jeffery) Edmondson Jr. of Ludowici and her children, Jeffery Edmondson III, Blake Edmondson and Paislee Edmondson; three sisters, Carla (Chip) Mulford of Jesup, Cathy (Mark) Sayers of Hinesville and Missy (Dee) French of Riceboro; two stepbrothers, Danny (Kitty) Sikes of Shellman Bluff and Charles E. (Kathy) Sikes Jr. of Hinesville; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended-family members.
Funeral services were held Aug. 24 at Howard & Jones Funeral Home in Jesup with the Rev. Stanley Todd officiating.
Private interment services will be held in Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery at a later date.
Family and friends may sign the guestbook online at www.jesupfuneralhome.com.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Rinehart & Sons
Peggy Marr Aspinwall
Odum—Peggy Marr Aspinwall, 78, of Odum died Aug. 17, 2022, under the care of Hospice of South Georgia.
The Wayne County native was a cosmetologist and a homemaker and loved taking care of her grandchildren and serving others. She attended O’Quinn Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ritch Aspinwall; her parents, Arthur and Winnie Harper Marr; a sister, Mary Alice Thomas; and a brother, Cecil Marr.
Survivors include two daughters, Toni (Keith) Ray of Odum and Tammy (Daniel) Porvalik of Brunswick; a son, Jason (Shelby) Aspinwall of Odum; seven grandchildren, Bryce Ray, Carson Ray, Sullivan Porvalik, Sebastian Porvalik, Emery Aspinwall, Miller Aspinwall and Olivia Aspinwall; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Grady (Mable) Marr and Herschel (Kay) Marr, all of Jesup; and several nieces and nephews,
Funeral services were held Aug. 20 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with the Rev. Gerald Greenlee and Brother Phil Bunce officiating. Interment was in the Odum City Cemetery. Active pallbearers were nephews.
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.
Michelle Steverson
Jesup—Michelle Steverson, 54, of Jesup died Aug. 17, 2022.
She attended Akin Memorial United Metho-dist Church and was a former salesperson with Gibson McDonald Furniture Store. She liked to hunt and fish, but she always loved to help anyone she could. Her family said she had the biggest and caring heart. Her smile was the thing that she will be most remembered by, her family said.
She was preceded in death by her father, Carl, and her brother, Burt.
Survivors include her longtime companion, Mitchell Manning of Jesup; two sons, Evan (Bree) Jackson and Jarrett Jackson, both of Jesup; two grandchildren, Josie Mae Jackson and Jett Brooks Jackson; her mother, Sharon B. (Don) Rogers of Jesup; a sister, Angie (Mike) Hester of Jesup; a brother, Curtis (Amy) Steverson of Mount Pleasant community; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services were held Aug. 19 at Akin Memorial United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mark Ledbetter officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Active pallbearers were family and friends.
The family received friends after the graveside service.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Christy Sawyer Manning
Screven—Christy Sawyer Manning, 50, of Screven died Aug. 22, 2022.
The Wayne County native was a former member of O’Quinn Baptist Church and member of Friendship Baptist Church in Malone, Florida. The master cosmetologist formerly owned and operated “Talk of the Town Beauty Shop” in Screven and then later in Malone.
She was all about people-serving, loving, caring for and always putting them ahead of herself, her family said. Her grandchildren were at the center of her heart, but she always had an open-door policy for anyone. She would plan trips, games, social and media around them. Jesus Christ was her Lord and Savior, and she would tell anyone about Him, even in her sickness, her family said.
Survivors include her two daughters, Natalie (Brandon) Scarborough of Addis, Louisiana, and Kaitlyn (Michael) Leasure of Brusly, Louisiana; a son, Bradley Manning of Brusly; parents, Tom (Derone) Sawyer of Screven; five grandchildren, Zeplin, Scarlett and Synclair Scarborough and Brody and Benton Leasure; a brother, Carl (Tina) Sawyer of Screven; two nieces, Hannah Sawyer and her two sons, Peyton and Palmer Pittman, and Lacey (Josh) Gordon and their soon-to-be-daughter, Sawyer Ann, all of Screven; and two aunts, Bettye and Pat Sawyer, both of Malone.
Funeral services were held Aug. 24 at O’Quinn Baptist Church with Pastor Gerald Greenlee and the Rev. Donnie Mullis officiating. Interment followed in O’Quinn Cemetery. Active pallbearers were family and friends.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Carole Ann Day McQueen
Jesup—Carole Ann Day McQueen, 86, of Jesup died Aug. 22, 2022.
The Connecticut native raised her family in Bruns-wick and had lived in Wayne County for the past 30 years and was a homemaker. She was a member of Northside Bible Baptist Church and also a member of the Red Hat Ladies. She was a precious outgoing lady who never met a stranger, her family said.
She was predeceased by her husband of 40 years, Karl McQueen; a son, Robert Rynish; and a daughter, Diane Lutz.
Survivors include daughters, Mary Elllen (Shellie) LaPradd of Jesup, Linda Gail Calvin, Bonnie Carole (Greg) Johns, all of Arizona; sons, Michael Chester (Kim) McQueen of Vidalia and James Bryan (Robin) McQueen of Brunswick; 11 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday, Aug. 26, at 11 a.m. at the Northside Bible Baptist Church with Pastor Anthony Hipps officiating. Interment will be at 2:30 p.m at The Brunswick Memorial Park Cemetery in Brunswick. Pallbearers will be family and friends.
Family will receive friends at the church from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. prior to services.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Jean Elaine Hughes Deal
Ellijay--Jean Elaine Hughes Deal, 85, of Ellijay, formerly of Bristol, died Aug. 22, 2022.
She was born in Oak Park, Illinois, to her parents, the late Ivor and Elizabeth (Mojonnier) Hughes. She was a member of Cartecay Baptist Church and a former member of the Lake Chapel Primitive Baptist Church near Patterson.
She was also a faithful pastor’s wife and supported her husband in his ministry. She was a Navy veteran of two years, a Navy wife and a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Allison Deal; a daughter, Deborah Carlile; a sister, Marynel Lemke; and a grandson, Robert Batten.
Survivors include her brother, Kenneth Hughes of Arab, Alabama; a daughter and son-in-law, Colleen and Chris Putnam of Ellijay; a son-in-law, Roger Carlile of Chicago, Illinois; a grandson and his wife, Richard and Melany Batten of Ellijay; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Aug. 24 at Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home with Elder Jason Deal officiating. Interment followed at Lake Chapel Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Appling County with James Williamson, Mike Deal, Eldon Deal, Jimmie Deal, Elder Ricky Deal, Gary Deal, Donald Deal and Vann Deal serving as pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, at her request, please make donations to: Gilmer County Library, 268 Calvin Jackson Drive, Ellijay, GA 30540 or Gilmer Senior Center, 111 Gilmer Street, Ellijay, GA 30540.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Joan Ellen Jahn Blount
Jesup—Joan Ellen Jahn Blount, 89, of Jesup died Aug. 19, 2022.
She was a Chica-go, Illinois, native and was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. She enjoyed traveling, camping and vacationing with her family.
She was predeceased by her first husband of 67 years, Lawrence T. Jahn; her parents, John Walter Cox and Hazel Clara Cox; her daughter, Donna Jo Jahn-Dean; and her son, Robert Jahn.
Survivors include her husband, Arthur Blount; her children, Patrick (Debbie) Jahn of Chicago, Joe Jahn of Jesup and Lawrence Jahn of Texas; grandchildren, Sarah and Patrick Jahn Jr., Cheyenne Dean, Jessica Abad, Sam (Nicole) Dean IV, Michael, Kyle, Ryan and Hannah Jahn, Jennifer (Todd) Wargo, Angela (Steve) Koerner, Marshall Gulley, and Courtney, Heather, Lawrence and Brandon Jahn; a son-in-law, Ed Dean of Jesup; several great-grandchildren; a stepson, Artie Blount; and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services were held Aug. 22 at Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery with Father Keith O’Neill officiating. Pallbearers were her grandsons and great-grandsons.
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
Out of Town
Janet Griffin Lewis
Pine Harbor—Janet Griffin Lewis of Pine Harbor died Aug. 15, 2022.
She was born in 1943 in Glenn-ville, where she graduated from Glennville High School in 1961. She went on to attend the University of Georgia, where she majored in journalism and was fittingly the proud business manager of UGA’s newspaper, The Red and Black.
While at the University of Georgia, she met her husband, James Graham Lewis Jr. (“Graham”), who she married in 1965. After marrying, they moved to Falls Church, Virginia, where she accepted a position with Blue Cross Blue Shield. In 1968 they moved to Decatur, where she began a successful career as an executive with the Meade Corporation.
After retiring from Meade in 1978, she and her husband moved to Conyers, and she became an owner and operator of two popular bridal and formal-wear boutiques, Southern Charms I and II.
She and her husband officially retired and moved to Pine Harbor in the 2000s, where they have lived since.
While she was a successful business woman, she found the most pleasure in being “Granny” to her five grandchildren, who will all miss her dearly. She enjoyed bridgeand golf and was quite the fisherman. She also adored and took great pride in tending to her beautiful flowers and garden.
She will be remembered for her sharp wit, her strong work ethic, her never-failing ability to “tell it like it is,” and of course, her green thumb. She never failed to show up when her friends and family needed her most. The family said it will all miss her colorful personality so very much.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William Emory Griffin and Earldene Swindell Griffin.
Survivors include her husband, Graham; her children, Griffin Earl (Dana) Lewis, Clair Lewis Harrison and Catherine Lewis (David) Larkin; her grandchildren, Griffin James Larkin, Emory Leigh Larkin, Walker David Larkin, Ginger Carolyn Harrison and Henry Graham Lewis; and her sister, Patricia Griffin Harrell.
She was actively involved in the community raising funds through golf tournaments and plant sales for causes that were close to her heart. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the McIntosh Humane Society (HART of McIntosh)—the information is below.
At this time, a service has not been planned. Loved ones will be notified when plans are made.
Checks should be sent to HART of McIntosh, 14213 GA Hwy. 251, Darien, GA, 31305.
Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Robert Jerrell Dent
Jacksonville, Florida—Robert Jerrell “Jerry” Dent, 63, of Jacksonville, Florida, died Aug. 1, 2022.
A Jesup native, he was a member of the 1977 graduating class of Wayne County High. He worked for several years as a lineman with BellSouth.
His family said, “He had the brightest smile and cheerful spirit. He loved his family, friends and music. He touched our lives, thoughts and hearts for years to come.”
He was preceded in death by his father, Vernon A. Dent, and and older brother, Thomas (Tommy) V. Dent.
He is survived by his mother, Josephine Sikes Dent; his wife, Rosa B. Dent; his son, Zachary J. Dent; his sister, Gail D. Hoover; his aunt, Sharon Dent; nieces, Kellie D. Oglesby (Chuck), Melanie Hoover Graves, and Michelle H. Peterson (Jim); nephews, Kevin and Page Dent; and several grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Memorials may be made to Anchored in Community, 189 North Brunswick St. Jesup, GA 31546.