Matthew Douglas Peebles, 50, of Vidalia, died at his home on Thursday, June 30, 2022, just one day short of his 51st birthday. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, July 9, at chapel of Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home, followed by a graveside service and burial at Oak Grove Cemetery in McRae. Visitation is one hour before the service at the funeral home. Lay Minister Norwood Davidson will officiate.
A native of Jefferson, GA, Matt was the son of John Edwin and Connie Douglas Peebles. Matt’s maternal grandparents were the late Bruce and Corrinne Douglas of McRae, and his paternal grandparents were the late Julian and Nettie Peebles of Alamo.
After graduating from Jefferson High School, Matt furthered his education with an associate degree from Gainesville State College and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from North Georgia College. Matt held positions in the criminal justice field, including the Jefferson and Vidalia police departments, Sea Island Company, and Rogers State Prison in Reidsville, before beginning his career with the United States Post Office in Vidalia, Georgia. Matt’s career with the Post Office was a perfect fit for his warm personality and jovial spirit. Matt enjoyed visiting with the many people on his postal route, bringing an infectious smile and often sharing a joke and a kind word with them. He will be greatly missed by his friends, family, and the many people who looked forward to a bright spot in their day as he delivered their mail.
Survivors include his fiancée, Michelle Burke, and her son Cameron; his sister, Carmen Peebles of Jefferson; his aunt, Jan Douglas McGinty Rutland of Clayton; first cousins, Melinda McGinty Elkins of Savannah, and Melissa McGinty Elzey, of Clayton; and a host of cousins and caring friends.
Instead of flowers, contributions may be made to the Susan G Komen Foundation (https://www.komen.org), to the Jefferson Public Library, 990 Washington Street, Jefferson, GA 30549, or to a charity of your choosing.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Matt Peebles, please visit our floral store.
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Mr. William Thurston “W.T.” Spivey, Jr., one of the greatest generation, passed away on Sunday morning, July 3, 2022 at the age of 96, at his home in the Rockledge Community.
Born in Laurens County, he was one of eight and the last living child born to the late William Thurston “Jack” Spivey and Gertrude Loyd Spivey. He and his siblings grew up mostly in Laurens County, but due to his father working with the railroad, they lived in several towns and small communities in the Middle Georgia area.
Mr. Spivey was a World War II U. S. Army Veteran, proudly serving with the 117th General Hospital Unit in Europe from January 1944 until August of 1945. In early October of 1945, he reenlisted in the Army Air Force and served at the 461st Air Force Base in Jacksonville, Florida until being honorably discharged in January of 1947. Upon reentering civilian life, he married Edrith Wilkes Spivey and they enjoyed their life together until her passing in 2005. Mr. Spivey had held several different jobs during his life but recently remarked that his favorite job was working for Ryder Truck Lines in Laurens County. To his knowledge and belief, he was the only diesel mechanic in the Laurens County area for a while. When asked why it was his favorite job, he remarked that “it was a challenge and I always like a challenge”. After working in the public sector, he continued farming and fishing; two of his favorite pastimes along with working on engines of any type and size.
In addition to his parents and wife of fifty eight years, he is preceded in death by his siblings, Esta Chance, Inell Chance, Alberta Glover, Bruce Spivey and Sidney Spivey. He also had two younger brothers, Leonard and Luther, who passed away while still young children.
Uncle W.T. leaves behind, nieces: Ellen Sterling, Alvina Chance, Patrice Cowart (Ricky) and Kathy Moseley (Blandon); his nephews, Gary Swearingen (Martha), and Jack Spivey, a special great nephew. Rickey Sterling and numerous other great nieces and nephews. Although he was known throughout the local area and had many friends, particular mention must be made of his friends: John V. Thigpen, Monroe and Shirley Lovett and Delmas Brown.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 am on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 from the graveside in Blue Springs Cemetery with Reverend Jim Allen, Pastor of Blue Springs Baptist Church and John V. Thigpen officiating.
Mr. Spivey will be laid to rest beside his wife with military honors.
His family will receive friends on Tuesday, at the graveside, from 10:00 am until the hour of service.
Please share a memory, leave a condolence and sign the online guest register at www.sammonsfuneralhome.com
SAMMONS FUNERAL HOME, The Tradition Since 1917, Phone 912-529-4411
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Mr. Mike Patel, age 70, of Lyons, died Thursday, June 30, 2022, at Memorial Health Meadows Hospital in Vidalia after a brief illness. He was a native of Uganda, Africa, but moved to India as a child. He lived most of life in London, England before moving to Toombs County in 2004, where he was the owner and operator of Country Pantry in Lyons from 2004 to 2021. He enjoyed vegetable gardening and spending time with his family, friends, “grandkids”, and cats.
His family includes his wife of forty-five years, Shobhana Patel; two children, Nita Ascensio and husband Aurelio and Chirag Patel, all of Lyons; four sisters and two brothers.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home Tuesday evening, July 5th, from 6:00 until 8:00.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mike Patel, please visit our floral store.
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Mr. Rickey Fowler, age 73 of Soperton passed away early on Friday morning, July 1, 2022 at Navicent Health in Macon.
Born in Vidalia he was the only son and the middle of three children born to the late J. E. “Jr” Fowler and Louise Cross Fowler. He grew up in Soperton and was a graduate of Treutlen High School, Class of 1966. After high school, Rickey started a long career as an Electrician. He found his niche as a Commercial / Industrial and Residential Electricion which took him to various cities around the state most significantly Dalton, Albany, Hawkinsville, Warner Robins, Macon and Cordele until returning to Soperton within the past ten years.
Ricky loved to travel and had made solo treks out west as well with family; most recently to Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and California. He was an avid motorcycle enthusiast and wasn’t overly enthused when he had to trade riding his motorcycle for driving a golf cart. He was a big fan of McDonalds, any McDonalds, and especially the McDonalds Breakfast Club in Vidalia and if a Wal Mart appeared on a horizon or around a curve in a road; he was stopping.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Judy Hall Smith and a sister, Peggy Fowler Moxley.
Rickey leaves behind, his children, Donna Latrice Daniels (Todd), Macon, GA, Michelle Leigh Adams, Adrian, GA, Richard Eanon Fowler (Kristina), Andrews, NC, Stacey Dorywalski (Tom), Hahira, GA, Beverly Riddle (Brian), Doublesprings, AL, Danielle Cooley (Anthony), Moultrie, GA, his only living sibling, Cheryl Wilkes (Ronnie), Rockledge, GA, a special sister / aunt, Carolyn Smith, Tarrytown, brother in law, Jimmy Moxley, Seneca, SC, many grand and great grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 pm on Sunday, July 3, 2022 in the Williams Chapel of Sammons Funeral Home with Byron Smith and Cheryl Wilkes officiating.
Rickey will be laid to rest in the Midway Cemetery.
His family will receive friends on Sunday, at the funeral home from 1:00 p. m. until the hour of service.
Please share a memory, leave a condolence message and sign the online guest register at www.sammonsfuneralhome.com
SAMMONS FUNERAL HOME, The Tradition Since 1917, Phone 912-529-4411
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Mrs. Bernese Powell Thompson, age 89, of Lyons, died Wednesday, June 29, 2022, at Meadows Park Health and Rehab in Vidalia after an extended illness. She was a native of the New Branch Community and was a 1948 graduate of Toombs Central School. Earlier in her life, she was owner/operator of York Restaurant in Lyons and was a former member of First Baptist Church of Lyons. She moved to Lilburn in 1983, and lived there until returning to Toombs County in 2021. While in Lilburn, she worked in her son’s business, CTJ Construction for twenty years and was a member of Lucerne Baptist Church in Lilburn. She enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, baking, cooking, reading, sewing, and crocheting. Preceding her in death was her husband, Levy Thompson in 2012; parents, William Lenox Powell and Gertrude Lentile; and two brothers, Melvin Powell and Willard J. Powell.
Her family includes three children, Barbara Patterson and husband Don of the South Thompson Community, Reid Thompson of Vidalia, and Will Thompson and wife Sherry of Lilburn; five grandchildren, Adrianna Pursell and husband Josh of Flowery Branch, Patton Thompson and wife Kaysi of Buford, Casey Thompson and wife Amanda of Jacksonville, Florida, Don Patterson, Jr. and wife Christy of Hazlehurst, and Jonathan Patterson of Statesboro; fourteen great-grandchildren, Matthew, Christopher, Joshua, Tyler, Morgan, Colton, Emma, Maggie, Carter, Presley, Kinsley, Everly, Landon, and Channing; two great-great-grandchildren, Luke and Brooks; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be Friday, July 1st, at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home with Brother Don Patterson and Pastor BL Horne officiating. Burial will follow in Lyons City Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday morning from 10:00 until just prior to the service.
Those desiring may make memorial contributions to the American Kidney Fund, 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852 or South Thompson Baptist Church, 224 South Thompson Road, Vidalia, GA 30474.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bernese (Powell) Thompson, please visit our floral store.
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