Mabel Carter
Jesup—Mabel Carter, 94, of Jesup died July 25, 2023, at her granddaughter’s home peacefully and surrounded by her family.
She was born May 13, 1929, on St. Simons Island to the late Bessie Swain and Bennie McDonald. Her strong will and love for her family were admired by everyone who knew her.
She loved fishing, the beach, taking walks and, most of all, rocking in her rocking chair. She loved spending every moment she could with her family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, J.M. Carter; a daughter, Terry Ralston; two grandsons, Shaun Ralston and Michael Ralston; four brothers; and two sisters.
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Donnie (Talitha) Carter of Odum; a granddaughter, Michelle (Gene) Lewis of Jesup; a grandson, Joshua Ralston of Jesup; a great-granddaughter, Miranda (Austin) Adams; a sister, Betty Myrick of Blackshear; several nieces and nephews; and a circle of friends.
Funeral services were held July 29 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with Don Pye officiating. Private family burial followed in Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery. Active pallbearers were her family and friends.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Larry W. Odum Sr.
Jesup—Larry W. Odum Sr., 75, of Jesup died July 27, 2023, under the care of Georgia Hospice Care.
The Wayne County native was a member of House of Worship and Ministries and a U.S. Air Force veteran. This minister of the Gospel had secular jobs such as insurance salesman and Wayne County sheriff deputy.
He loved to shop yard sales and secondhand stores in search for a great deal on Christian books and whatnots. Then, he loved to brag about his finds.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawton and Pauline Odum, and his brother, Darwin Odum.
Survivors include his wife, Kay Beasley Odum of Jesup; three daughters, Michelle (Ray) Shearin of Jesup, Shane Odum of Milledgeville and Brooke (Berto) Ruiz of Jesup; a son, Larry (Michelle) Odum II of Odum; 13 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; a sister, Dody (Glenn) Jackson of Jesup; two brothers, Tommy (Debra) Odum of Texas and Roy (Sherry) Odum of Jesup; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held July 30 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with the Rev. Dennie Waters officiating. Interment followed in Bethlehem Cemetery. Active pallbearers were his grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers were the staffs of Cotton Grove Estates and Georgia Hospice Care.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
O.T. “Terry” Nichols
Jesup—O.T. “Terry” Nichols, 83, of Jesup died Aug. 1, 2023, under the care of Hospice of South Georgia.
The Wayne County native and 1957 Jesup High School graduate furthered his education at the Georgia Institute of Technology and graduated in 1961. His interest in law landed him at Emory Law School, where he received his degree in 1965. He started his law practice in Glynn County and returned to Jesup in 1977 to serve as judges of the Magistrate Court and Juvenile Court.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, Mary Ruth “M. R.” Nichols, and three grandsons, Matthew, Nathan and David.
Survivors include two sons, Mark (Debbie) Nichols and Michael Nichols, all of Jesup; a daughter, Cathy (Paul) Hegeman of St. Simons Island; grandchildren, Mark Alan Nichols, Lydia Nichols (Michael) DelRossi, Mary Ann, Andrew, Clare and Josiah Nichols, Paul, Steven and Scott Hegeman; and three great-grandchildren, Hailey, Madison and Treyson.
Funeral services will be held today (Thursday) at 10 a.m. at Rinehart Chapel with Bishop George Moxley officiating. Interment will follow in the Screven City Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be his grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be cousins Wade, Harmon and Jimmy Raulerson and friend, Jim Westberry.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Eden Ministries, www.eden-ministries.org, 2133 Berkey Ave., Goshen, IN 46526.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Gwendolyn Faye (Wester) McCamish
Darien—Gwendolyn Faye (Wester) McCamish, 81, died peacefully, surrounded by family, on July 28, 2023, at her home in Darien.
She was born on July 23, 1942, in Savannah, the second child of the late Lamar and Dorothy Wester. Raised in Pembroke, she graduated from Odum High School, where she was captain of the cheerleading squad and deemed universally by her classmates “the sweetest girl ever.”
After working for Southern Bell as a long-distance telephone operator, she went with one of her best friends on an adventure in 1962 to live on the beach in Galveston, Texas. She returned to Georgia in 1965.
A blind date set her up with the love of her life, an Army helicopter pilot fresh from Vietnam. She married John Richard McCamish on Nov. 23, 1968, in Savannah, at the home of her beloved grandmother, Virgie Mims.
Following their adventurous spirits and the opportunities to fly, they made their way to Seattle in 1969 and then north to Alaska in 1972. They lived there for 33 years. This Southern girl learned to pump jet fuel and drive in the ice and snow, all while raising three children. While in Valdez, she founded the local PTA and championed the gifted-student programs. She was a member of the Republican party and a dedicated committeewoman. After moving to Anchorage in 1981, she was a directory assistance operator with the Anchorage Telephone Utility from 1984 until her retirement in 2000. She was even a pioneer of remote work back in 1993.
After retirement, she and her husband road-tripped down the Alaska Highway and returned to Georgia, where she could be close to family and friends.
She always considered her greatest accomplishment to be her children.
She was preceded in death by her sisters Jacquelyn, Marilyn and Carolyn.
She is survived by her husband, John McCamish; children, Chris McCamish of Merritt Island, Florida, Jeff McCamish of Medford, Oregon, and Amy McCamish (Shannon) Eckhoff of Kansas City, Missouri; her brother, Darrell (Pam) Wester of Thomson; her sister Jan Wester (Danny) Webber of Lyons; and a large extended family.
She will be interred at Hillcrest Abbey in Savannah. A celebration will be held at her home in Darien. Her family extends gratitude for the compassionate care provided by Hospice of the Golden Isles and suggest donations to support their critical work at https://hospice.me/general-donation.