Joseph Nichols
Covington/Jesup—Retired sheriff George Joseph “Joe” Nichols, 77, of Covington and Jesup died May 10, 2021.
The Wayne County native was born into a military family with his father serving 48 years. He knew he wanted to continue serving his country in military service. A graduate of Jesup High School, he attended Georgia Military College and obtained a criminal justice degree, thus leading into a career in law enforcement. After a move to Covington, he joined the Covington Police Department. After five years, he joined the Newton County Sheriff’s Department, where he served as chief deputy for 20 years. In 1996 he secured the highest number of votes to become sheriff and served three terms.
He was instrumental in establishing the Covington Newton County SWAT Team. He had a vision for his community to have a state-of-the art detention center, which was achieved with full taxpayer support.
Retiring in 2008, he and his wife moved back home to South Georgia for lake fishing and trying to find the right boat for all areas. He enjoyed his small Union United Methodist Church in Statesboro, his expertise with plants, gathering his vegetables and his wife’s cooking. His true love was his family, especially his grandchildren.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Lois Hires Nichols of Statesboro and Jesup: two sons, Joe Nichols III of Chicago, Illinois, and Josh Nichols of St. Simons Island; grandchildren, Meacon, Abigail, Isabella, Aiden, Ryder and Ellie Nichols; a host of in-laws; and many Georgia law-enforcement family members. His career motto: “You wear The Badge, don’t let The Badge wear you!”
A private “Celebration of Life” service is being held.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to Union United Methodist Church, 6 Adrian Court, Statesboro, GA 30458.
Rinehart & Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Charles Edward Brantley
Jesup—Charles Edward Brantley, 68, of Jesup died Monday 10, 2021.
The Wayne County Georgia native was a former employee with Chemtall Inc.
He was predeceased by his father and mother, Dan and Betty Rentz Brantley, and his companion, Judy Mendez.
Survivors include daughters, Wendy Merritt of Milton, Florida, Christina Brantley of Pensacola, Florida, Heather Brantley of Columbia, South Carolina, Jessica Maeweather of Hinesville and Emily Strickland of Portand, Oregon; a son, Levi Brantley of Jesup; brothers, Wayne (Marta) Brantley of Hinesville and Perry (Nina) Brantley of Jesup; one sister, Ann “Cricket” Lawler of Jesup; and 14 grandchildren.
The family is having a “Celebration of Life” service at Gardi Cemetery.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Dalisa Dent Hoffman
Jesup—Dalisa Dent Hoffman, 57, of Jesup and Bruns-wick died May 12, 2021
The Wayne County native was a communicant of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She received an associate’s degree in business management and was an employee of Georgia Pacific in Atlanta as a legal secretary. She later worked at their Brunswick location in human resources.
She personified the true value of friendship in every way, loving her many friends and family members, her family said. For many years she assisted Armstrong Photography and was an accomplished artist under the guidance of D-Dot Kenerly. She was also an avid communicator who loved traveling and meeting new friends.
She was predeceased by her parents, David and Dorothy Dent.
Survivors include her aunt, Dorothy Dent Thompson of Jesup, and her many cousins and friends.
A “Celebration of Life” service was held May 15 at Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery with the Rev. Stanley Todd and friends officiating.
Honorary pallbearers were family, friends and 1981 classmates of Wayne County High School.
In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to ARF, 203 Trevor Circle, Jesup, GA 31545.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Dorothy Mae Bryan Jones
Screven—Dorothy Mae Bryan Jones, 87, of Screven died May 17, 2021, at her residence after an extended illness.
The Wayne County native was the second child of Buster Baker and Sarah Rowell Bryan. She was a graduate of Jesup High School, and a member of O’Quinn Baptist Church and the Joy Sunday School Class. She was owner of Reedy Creek Restaurant and the Odum Kwik Stop for several years. Flowers and fishing were her favorite pastimes.
She was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Eugene Jones, and sisters, Connie (Derryl) Miller and Sally Bryant.
Survivors include two daughters, Terri Jean (Dess) Smith of Swainsboro and Pam (Dennis) Edenfield of Screven; two sons, Gene Jones of Screven and Pat (Sonya) Jones of Odum; several grandchildren, Gina (Shane) West, Ryan (Katelyn) Aldridge, Nicole (Jacob) Prine, Jordan (Samantha) Hooks, Sally (Pratt) Mathews, P.J. (Erin) Jones, Cora Jones, Mattie (Triston) Anderson and Dub Jones; 11 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Josephine (Roy) Crews of Hortense.
Funeral services were held May 19 at O’Quinn Baptist Church with Pastor Gerald Greenlee officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Active pallbearers were Ryan Aldridge, Jordan Hooks, P.J. and Dub Jones, Shane West, Jacob Prine, Pratt Mathews and Triston Anderson. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Joy Sunday School Class, Hospice of South Georgia Staff and a special caregiver, Pam Hanks.
In lieu of flowers, 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.
Jerone Leggett
Odum—Jerone Leggett, 81, of Odum died after a short illness, surrounded by his family on May 16, 2021.
The Wayne County native was a member of Crossroads Church of God, where he was a former Sunday school superintendent and council member
He was a “Jack of all trades” including farmer, handyman, contractor and retired Wayne County maintenance supervisor but mostly known as an umpire for the Wayne County Recreation Department. He was a member of the Georgia Umpires Association and a former Odum Recreation Department director. In his spare time, he enjoyed deer hunting and gardening.
He was preceded in death by first wife and mother of his children, Evelean Williams Leggett; his parents, Clennie Hoss and Ruby Leggett; and two brothers, Thomas and Tip Leggett.
Survivors include his wife of 31 years, Gwen S. Leggett of Odum; a daughter, Vicky (Joe) Johnson of Monmouth, Oregon; a son, Michael (Pam) Leggett of Jesup; several grandchildren, Nicole (Luc) Fulker, Aaron (Sarah) Johnson, Darren (Ashley) Board, Ashten (Omar) Cruz, Lauren Leggett and Seth (Tiffany) Leggett; several great-grandchildren, Nick, Kellen, Micky, Harlow, Jacob, Thaddeus, Jeremiah, Memphis and Ronin; two brothers, Ronald (Carolyn ) Leggett and Jerry (Freda)Leggett, both of Odum; a sister-in-law, Doreen (Doug) Edenfield of Jesup; two brothers-in-law, William “Bill” (Sue) Jones of North Carolina and Dwight Roberts of Delaware; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held May 19 at Crossroads Church of God with the Rev. Mike Cowart, Pastor Brandon Stone and the Rev. Hulet Smith officiating. Interment followed in Red Hill Cemetery. Active pallbearers were family and friends. Honorary pallbearers were the Crossroads Church of God Senior Adult Sunday school members, the Wayne County Recreation Department and the Wayne County Road Department.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Crossroads Church of God, 2949 Lanes Bridge Road, Jesup, GA 31545.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Dana Edward Moger
Jesup—Dana Edward Moger, 64, of Jesup died May 13, 2021.
The Sarasota, Florida, native had lived in Wayne County since 2007 and was a carpenter. He enjoyed visiting around with his golf cart and collecting odds and ends.
He was predeceased by his brother, Butch Moger.
Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Judith S. Moger, of Jesup; a son and daughter-in-law, Lucas (Kayla) Moger of Jesup; a grandson, Case Moger; and a brother, Rex Moger of Brunswick.
Memorial services will be held by the family.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Betty Maebelle Thomas Hart
Jesup—Betty Maebelle Thomas Hart, 85, of Jesup died May 15, 2021.
She was born and raised in St. Marys.
She lived in many states before settling in Jesup for several years. She then moved to St. Simons Island. She was a member of St. Simons Island First Baptist Church and formerly a member of Anderson Drive Baptist Church in Jesup.
She was a former employee with Moore’s Department Store, from which she enjoyed clothing many children and seeing them grow up while also selling shoes to the delight of others and herself for many years. She was talented in embroidery, loved coloring books and gardening, and was an avid reader.
She volunteered at Altamaha Healthcare, where her concern for others was most appreciated. Her volunteer work also included being a “Pink Lady” at Wayne Memorial Hospital, where her hours of rocking babies in the nursery and working in the gift shop had been acknowledged many times by the Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Billy K. Hart, and her parents, John and Betsy Thomas.
Survivors include two daughters, Debbie (Joey) Jones of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Patty and (Thomas) Wright of Jesup; a son, Calvin (Tory) Hart of Jacksonville, Florida; a sister, June (Andy) Anderson of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida; a brother, Frankie (Allison) Thomas of St. Marys; grandchildren, Hannah (Clay) Wood, Trey Wright and Ainsley and Jonah Hart; three great-grandchildren, Ellis, Ruthie and Betsy Wood; several nieces and nephews; and an aunt, Sis Hernandez.
A private memorial service will be held to celebrate her life of joy and kindness at Forrest Pond Lodge in Ludowici.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her memory to Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, 865 First St., Jesup, GA 31545.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Sharon “Sherry” Smith Grantham
Jesup—Sharon “Sherry” Smith Gran-tham, 66, of Jesup died May 16, 2021.
The Houston, Texas, native had lived in Wayne County most of her adult life and was a member of Screven Church of God. She served as secretary at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office for many years and enjoyed her grandchildren, who called her “Nini G.”
Survivors include her husband of 45 years, Billy Grantham of Jesup; two sons, Craig (Karri) Grantham and Brian Grantham, all of Jesup; a sister, Elizabeth (Wayne) Largent of Houston, Texas; a brother, Edward “Bud” (Lila) Smith of Houston; three grandchildren, Kaden, Chase and Casey, all of Jesup; and several nieces and nephews.
Services were held May 19 in O’Quinn Church Cemetery with Pastor Gerald Greenlee officiating.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Charlotte Rowett
Jesup—Charlotte Mae Gardner Rowett died May 11, 2021.
She lived in Jesup for the past three years after living in Colorado most of her life.
She was born in Walsenburg, Colorado, to Robert and Stella Gardner. In 1945 she met and married Sidney Rowett. They lived in Pueblo, Colorado, for the next 50 years. He preceded her in death in 2000. They were married for 55 years.
She was an avid bridge player with several groups in Canon City, Colorado, and played into her 90s. She moved to Jesup to be near her daughter, Barbara, continuing to play bridge with a new group until last year. She attended First Baptist Church in Screen. She would have soon been 95.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother, Robert Gardner Jr.
Survivors include two daughters, Beverly (Richard) Thomas and Barbara (Richard) Grice; five grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandsons; and a sister, Violet Thurston.
She was laid to rest at Imperial Gardens in Pueblo.
Rinehart & Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Rowan Saige Godwin
Baxley—Rowan Saige Godwin was born May 14, 2021, at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Jesup at 6 a.m. and died at 12:46 p.m. at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah.
Survivors include his parents, Cody Lee Godwin of Screven and Sintia Guadalupe Andrade of Baxley; a sister, Rayne Teston of Baxley; paternal grandparents, Scott and Phyllis Godwin of Screven; maternal grandparents, Baldemar Hernandez and Ignacia Andrade of Baxley; a paternal great-grandmother, Marilyn Godwin of Screven; a maternal great-grandmother, Guadalupe Silva of Baxley; aunts and uncles, Jeremy and Kalen Godwin of Screven, Magali Ortiz of Baxley and Jose Ortiz both of Baxley; cousins, Easton Godwin, Rush Godwin, Haze Godwin and Loyal Ma’Laya.
He was preceded in death by his paternal great-grandparents, John and Hilda Harris and Everett Godwin.
Funeral services will be held today (Thursday) at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of Swain Funeral Home with Pastor Mickey Tomberlin and Pastor Donnie Mullis officiating. Interment will follow in Omega Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Jeremy Godwin and Jose Ortiz. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Angela Fagiana, Dr. Sandra Mager, Dr. Daniel Collipp, Wayne Memorial Hospital L & D Code 1 Team, and the following nurses of NICU at Memorial Health—Megan F., Scott M., and Laura C.
Swain Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.