Gene Rodney “Buzzie” Jones
Jesup—Gene Rodney “Buzzie” Jones, 86, of Jesup died May 9, 2021.
He grew up in Wayne County, living a happy youth with a large family of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, all close by on and around Magnolia Street. He attended Jesup High School, playing multiple high school sports and attended Georgia Teachers College in Statesboro (now Georgia Southern University).
After two years, he transferred to the University of Georgia in Athens. He married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Connor, in 1956 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in forestry in 1957. He was a Kappa Sig fraternity member while at UGA.
After college graduation, he returned home to Jesup to begin his career in forestry, working for ITT Rayonier, Timber Division. During those forestry service years, he kept his three small children guessing as to what would be in his car trunk when he would come home—alligators, turtles (big enough for his three children to ride on), rattlesnakes and much more.
After 10 years, he transferred to the ITT Rayonier Chemical Cellulose Mill as a supervisor, where he spent the remainder of his work life. Trunk shows were not nearly as exciting as those of the forestry years, the family says.
In addition to a career in pulp, he served as the Wayne County surveyor for many years. Weekends and off shifts were filled with traipsing through swamps, dusty trails and dense pine forests as he surveyed to help provide for his growing family and also served many years as an appraiser for a local bank, now known as Truist Bank. He was a conscientious community member and served more than 45 years as a chairman, director and credit committee member for Altamaha Federal Credit Union, working to provide a sound fiscal base for this young Rayonier employee-based business. He thus received The Moses C. Davis Award in 2000, presented by the AFCU Southeast Chapter, as Volunteer of the Year.
He went on to serve as deacon and Sunday school teacher at First Baptist Church for many years. Church league softball games, Wednesday-night church suppers and XYZ events were all great experiences that included winning first prize for his “Goose Creek Sausage Cake” recipe he created for the church cooking contest.
He loved hunting, fishing and woodworking as hobbies, and many of his blue birdhouses were donated to First Baptist for annual Jack Cowart Auctions. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge and served as Mason for 55 years.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley C. Jones; his son, Gene “Rodney” Jones Jr.; a grandchild, Owen Jones Dorsey; his parents, Clarence Connell and Irma Jordan Jones; and his brother, Connell Jones.
Survivors include children, Marissa Lewis (Lew) Wilcher of Jesup and Augusta and Trina Jones Dorsey of Townsend; grandsons, Dr. Judson A. (Emily) Lewis of Columbia, South Carolina, Dr. Victor J. Lewis (Dr. Jeniann Yi) of Denver, Colorado, Phillip R. Lewis of Augusta, Niki (Tyler) Brooks of Hahira, Connor Dorsey of Athens and Garrison Dorsey of Jesup; great-grandchildren, Clara Sohui (Victor and Jeniann) and Cannon and Dart Brooks (Niki and Tyler); a beloved sister, Jennifer (Joe) Gilmore of Salisbury, Maryland, and their children, Syd and Jordan; and his closest lifelong friend, from rowdy preschool days, David Earl (Jean) Tyre.
The family extends a special heartfelt “thank you” to its extended-family members: those who helped provide care to Buzzie during his final years, especially the Molly Manning family of Odum and the beloved staff members of The Windsor House at the Brandon Wilde Retirement Community in Evans.
Graveside funeral services will be held Friday, May 14, at 11 a.m. at the Jesup City Cemetery with the Rev. Stanley Todd officiating. Visitation with family will be after graveside services.
In lieu of flowers, consider memorials to your local animal rescue of your choice. Buzzie loved and cherished his rescue pups.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Kathryn Marie Aikman
Ludowici—Kathryn Marie Aikman, 78, died May 6, 2021 at home under the care of her family and GHC Hospice.
Born in Savannah, she grew up in Blackshear and Alma before moving to New York, where she raised her four sons. She returned to Georgia, where she lived the past 15 years.
She retired as a social worker and was a homemaker and a Christian.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Aikman, and daughter-in-law, Karen Davis.
Survivors include her sons and daughters-in-law, Arthur and Janemarie Davis, Kelly and Debra Davis, and Lee and Susan Davis, all of Ludowici, and Jamie Davis of Jesup; brothers, James Sanders and Jessie King of Hoboken; 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were held May 8 at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Gabe Gill officiating.
Remembrances are suggested to GHC Hospice, 141 S. Macon St., Jesup, GA 31545, or Catholic charities.
Family and friends may sign the online register at www.howardfuneralga.com
Arrangements are under the direction of Howard Funeral Home of Ludowici.
Ruth Ann Morris
Ludowici—Ruth Ann Morris, 78, died May 6, 2021, at her home under the care of her family and GHC Hospice.
She was a native and lifelong resident of Long County, had worked as a home interior consultant, and was a homemaker. She enjoyed sewing, gardening and time spent with family.
She was a member of Jones Creek Baptist Church, where she enjoyed singing in the choir and was a member of the Senior Adult Sunday School Class.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Morris; grandson, Jarod Wagner; and brother, Donnie Roberson.
Survivors include her daughters and sons-in-law, Julie and Ben Logan of Eatonton and Merry and Larry Wagner of Ludowici; brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Laura Roberson of Franklin, Tennessee; grandchildren, Rebecca Rozier, Carla Rozier and Mindy Rabon; great-grandchildren, Jack, Aries, Odin and Tolkien; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held May 9 at Jones Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Dempsey Golden and the Rev. Allan Perce officiating. Burial followed in Jones Creek Memorial Gardens.
Active pallbearers were Bobby Chestnut, Wilford Morris, Norman Morris, Marvin DeLoach, Shawn Blocker, Carl Rozier and Lee Harrison.
Family and friends may sign the online register at www.howardfuneralga.com.
Howard Funeral Home of Ludowici was in charge of arrangements.
Van Williamson Jr.
Jesup—Albert Van Gould Williamson Jr., 75, died May 9, 2021, at home surrounded by his family. He had fought a short but brave battle against cancer.
He was born on Dec. 23, 1945, in Eastman to the late Albert Van Gould Williamson Sr. and Naomi Grace Dun can Williamson.
He spent his most of his early years in Maryville, Tennessee. His mother was very talented in playing the piano, and so music became a big part of his life. At the end of his sophomore year, he decided to follow a family tradition of attending military academies and finished his junior and senior years at Kentucky Military Institute in Lyndon, Kentucky. After graduation, he moved back home to attend Maryville College. During college, he was a member of the college choir, which toured the country. One of the most memorable stops was at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
He could trace his family ancestry back to 1865, when his great-great-great-grandfather built the first building at the corner at Cherry Street and North West Broad Street. His mother and maternal grandmother were avid genealogists, so he was raised on learning the history of his family and Wayne County. He brought to life his family ancestry and extensive knowledge of history in the vivid stories that captivated his children and grandchildren.
He worked many years for J.C. Penney, managing retail stores and relocating several times as the position required. While managing the store in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, he met and married his soul mate and the love of his life, Susan Lynn Holt. After marriage, the couple decided to move to St. Simons Island to help his parents manage the family corporations dealing with commercial real estate. In 1982 he moved his family to Jesup when another business opportunity was available. He bought the local Western Auto franchise, which he operated successfully for many years. Later in his working career, he oversaw the building of several residential homes and managed the renovation and construction projects, including the design and construction of the rebuilding of the Whaley Center building in downtown Jesup after it was destroyed by fire in 2014.
He loved being with his children and grandchildren and sharing the knowledge he had acquired in his life with them. He was an avid shooter who loved teaching the art of shooting as well as gun safety to his students. He coached the 4-H .22 rifle team for many years as they competed and won countless competitions. He also coached the Tri-County Gun Club Youth Shotgun team. In 1998 he watched one of his sons take a gold medal in 410 shotgun skeet shooting competition in Georgia’s Junior Olympic games. He also volunteered as an assistant baseball coach. In his spare time, he loved collecting stamps, continued to look for more ancestors of his and his wife’s families, and watched movies. He and his father had been avid duck hunters and would travel to the bayous of Louisiana annually until his father’s health started failing. Later in life, he and Sue enjoyed looking for hidden treasure with metal detectors.
He was a longtime communicant of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. He was a 51-year Master Mason in the Rockford Tennessee Masonic Lodge No. 469 F&AM.
Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Sue Williamson; three sons, Albert Van “Trey” Gould Williamson III, Graham Williamson and Pate (Aimee) Williamson; five grandchildren, Samantha Williamson, Isabel Gonzales, Elijah Gonzales, Charlotte Williamson and Norah Williamson; special cousins, Jeannie Tyre and Sherry Mauldin; and many additional cousins.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday (May 15) at 11 a.m. at Howard & Jones Funeral Home in Jesup with the Rev. Nathan Wilson officiating. A reception will follow the services at the funeral home.
The family would like to thank the following for the loving care given: Dr. Lance Hendrix and staff, Dr. Doug Mullins and staff, Dr. Jon Simmons and staff, Dr. Patrick Karl and staff, Dr. Bulbul and staff, Dr. Mark Manocha and staff, Dr. Gary Stern and staff, and the staff of Community Home Care.
Family and friends may sign the guestbook online at www.jesupfuneralhome.com.
Howard & Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.