Genell Stallings Jr.
Jesup—Genell Stallings Jr., 59, died peacefully at his home on Sept. 5, 2023.
Born in Savannah on June 30, 1964, he spent most of his life in Savannah before moving to Jesup, where he has resided for the past seven years. He enjoyed helping people while working as a skilled tradesman in industrial construction and painting.
In his spare time, he enjoyed riding his motorcycle, “Black Betty”; fishing; and spending time with family and his beloved canine companion and buddy that he affectionately named “Punky.”
He was preceded in death by his father, Genell Stallings Sr.; his paternal grandparents, Buck Stallings and Frances “Fannie” Stallings Thompson; and his maternal grandparents, Arthur and Harriet Blitch Waller.
Survivors include his mother, Reathford Mathis of Jesup; two sisters, Beverly Stallings and Marcia Stallings (Marlon) Stein of Jesup; a son, Derrick Lane of Jesup; a stepson, Chris Lane of Jesup; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and other extended-family members.
Private services will be held at a later date.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Robert William “Bill” Bailey
Jesup—Robert William “Bill” Bailey, 87, of Jesup died Sept. 7, 2023, under Georgia Hospice Care.
The Florida native had lived in Wayne County the past 27 years and was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and a U.S. Army veteran. The retired truck driver loved to hunt and fish but mostly enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. Every time he was called “Grandpa,” he lit up, said his family.
Survivors include his loving wife of 54 years, Rebecca Ann Bailey of Jesup; a daughter, Honey Claudette (Vaughn Alvin) Lord of Jesup; two sons, Robert (Kayoko) Bailey Jr. of Tampa and John (DeAnna Dart) Bailey of Jesup; five grandchildren, Kasumi (Kyle) Anderson, Justin Bailey, John (Angie) Bailey Jr., Austin (Cassie) Bailey and Brooke (Daniel) Honaker; five great-grandchildren, John “J.D.” Bailey III, Paige, Brody, Major and Myles; and a brother, Richard (Judy) Bailey.
A celebration of his life was held Sept. 11 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with the Rev. Chris Turner officiating.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mattie Lee Mosley Driggers
Jesup—Mattie Lee Mosley Driggers, 89, of Jesup died Sept. 10, 2023.
The Wayne County native and former resident of West Palm Beach, Florida, had lived in Jesup the past 35 years and attended Jesup Church of God. She was a retired bank teller with American National Bank and loved cooking and watching NASCAR races. She was special and loved by so many people, her family said.
She was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Kenny Driggers; a stepdaughter, Tommie Driggers Beasley; two sisters, Joyce Murray and Betty Madray; a brother, J.C. Mosley; two brothers-in-law, Bernard “PeeWee” Murray and John I. “Red” Madray; and a niece, Terri Madray Ross.
Survivors include brothers-in-law, Jimmy Driggers and Jerry Driggers, both of Statesboro; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
A celebration-of-life service will be held Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. at Jesup Church of God with Pastor Scott Hatten officiating. The family will receive friends immediately after the service.
Memorial donations may be made to Jesup Church of God, P.O. Box 185, Jesup, GA 31598 or Hospice of South Georgia, 1625 Sunset Blvd., Jesup, GA 31545.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Libby Crosby Griffis
Jesup—Libby Crosby Griffis, 89, of Jesup and Waynesboro died Sept. 10, 2023.
The Florida native had been reared in Wayne County and was a member of Unity Church of God. She graduated from Jesup High School and enjoyed clerical work with her husband in Albert’s Enterprise.
She also loved her time at home with her children. Favorite pastimes were working crossword puzzles and cooking for her family.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Albert Griffis, and her siblings, Billy and Kenneth Crosby and Marie Denison.
Survivors include a daughter, Alene G. Kearns of Jesup; a son, Allen (Lynn) Griffis of Waynesboro; grandchildren, Melissa Griffis, Meloney (Jason) Brown, Chandra (Hovis) Surrency, Brittney (Gabriel) Gruse; great-grandchildren, Taylor, Tyler, Keeli, Austin, Dalton, Jonathan and Malachi; great-great-grandchildren, Greyson and Averly; sisters, Anna Lee Moxley and Joyce (Mark) Ledbetter; many extended-family members; and special friends, Molly Darsey and Sarah Vail.
Funeral services were held Sept. 13 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with nephew, George Moxley, and brother-in-law, Mark Ledbetter, officiating. Interment was in Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Little Greg, Greg Moxley, Jason Ledbetter, Gutt May, Shawn McGowan and Hovis Surrency.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Virginia Jeanette “Jeanie” Jones
Screven—Virginia Jeanette “Jeanie” Jones, 94, of Screven died Sept. 10, 2023, after many years of battling Alz-heimer’s Dementia Disease.
She was born on Nov. 3, 1928, in Jacksonville, Florida, to the late Dewey and Mary Ellen Jones. After growing up in Jacksonville, she married Madison “J.M.” Jones in 1968 and moved with her boys to Jesup where they lived in town until the farm house was built. She owned her own beauty shop, “Jeanie’s Fashionaire and Boutique” in Jesup.
O’Quinn Baptist Church was where she was a member and lived out her faith and commitment by teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir and being the treasurer. Some favorite pastimes were reading and shopping—especially clothes, shoes and antiques.
As a young girl, she loved to roller skate and eat ice cream with her sister, Grace.
Later in life, she and her husband were afforded many opportunities to travel abroad to most of the European countries and other interesting destinations. They would always collect special memorabilia from each country.
The Atlanta Braves were their favorite baseball team, and they held season tickets for many years. University of Georgia Bulldog football season was a fall favorite. Fishing on Lake George at their lake house was one of the highlights of their time together.
Along with her husband, she was also predeceased by her parents; brother, Eugene; twin brothers, Roy and Troy; and son, Gene Stroble.
Survivors include children, Alan (Kim) Stroble, Daryl (Leon) Stroble, Ricky (Cindy) Jones, Kay (Pat) Patterson and Sandy (Gloria) Jones; a sister, Grace Martin; seven grandsons, Travis and Justin Stroble, Lee and James Bazemore, and Eric, Gary and Terry Patterson; 18 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces, including Beverly (Donald) Taylor, Diane Miller and Christi Jones, and nephews.
Funeral services will be held today (Thursday) at noon at O’Quinn Baptist Church with the Rev. Gerald Greenlee officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Travis, Justin and Leon Stroble, Lee and James Bazemore and Gary Patterson. Honorary pallbearers will be her wonderful caretakers, Lamar and Charlotte Cason, Tenelle, Gabriela, Lucy and the staff at Golden House.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the O’Quinn Cemetery Fund, 175 O’Quinn Church Road, Screven, GA 31560 or the charity of your choice.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
T. Foster Odom
Gardi—T. Foster Odom, 73, died Sept. 7, 2023, under the care of Atrium Hospice in Macon.
He was born Dec. 27, 1949, in Jesup to Theodore “Ted” and Monnie (Harvey) Odom and reared in Gardi. Although he enjoyed a successful career as a corporate sales executive, he will be remembered by most for the two things he loved most: football and his girls.
He attended Jesup High School, lettering for two years as a varsity football player. He lettered in track and competed on the swimming and diving team where he won a state championship. He earned an athletic scholarship to East Tennessee State University where he played football for coaches John Robert Bell and Richard “Buddy” Bennett. He would often comment on the influence of those two men, as he earned not only a bachelor’s degree at ETSU but also his meals. He started at nose guard his junior and senior years, which included the undefeated 1969 season. That season was capped off by defeating Louisiana Tech and its quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, in the Grantland Rice Bowl, 34-14. He was an all-conference honorable mention in the Ohio Valley Conference that year and named to the all-conference team the following year.
After graduation, he returned to football as a coach, first as a defensive line coach and ultimately as head coach at Pinewood Christian Academy from 1979 through 1981. Over the two years prior to his leadership, Pinewood was 2-18. In his first year as head coach, Pinewood finished 6-4, and in the second year, 1980, it went to the state championship and finished the season 12-1.
He carried his reputation for excellence and leadership on the field into several corporate sales executive roles, first with the Gillette Company, later Snap-On Tools, and ultimately the Conair Corporation. Through these years he continued to volunteer as a coach in and around Wayne County.
When he was not visiting Tybee Island with family and friends, he could be found spending his free time hunting and fishing, especially on the Altamaha River. Proud as he was of his accomplishments in sales and on the field, he was prouder still of his two daughters, instilling in each of them the same passion for excellence and achievement that he had experienced. As the years began to take his memories, he held fast to his pride for Ashley and Erica. “Those are my girls; they’re good ones,” he would say.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ted and Monnie; the devoted mother of his two girls, Gail (Bullock) Odom; and his brother-in-law, Warren Purvis Jr.
He is survived by his longtime companion, Brenda Timms of Macon; two daughters, Ashley (Cameron) Escott Odom of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Erica Blake Odom of Greeneville, Tennessee; sisters, Sue (Kenny) Tuten of Gardi, Dinah Purvis of Jesup and Linda (Carroll) Odom Phillips of Tybee Island; granddaughters, Georganna Wilson and Blythe Kuhlman; and many nieces and cousins.
A celebration of his life will be held Sept. 16 at 11 a.m. at Gardi Baptist Church with the Rev. Stanley Todd officiating. The family will receive friends an hour prior to the services at the church.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his name to the ETSU Champions Fund, which supports the ETSU football program he loved.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.