Obituaries 12-15-22

RUBY WILLIAMS

June 2, 1934-Dec. 12, 2022

Funeral services for Ruby Williams, 88, of Waynesboro, were conducted on

Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022 from the Chapel of Freeman Funeral Home, with

Rev. Mitchell Smith officiating.

Interment followed at Mt. Zion Cemetery.

Born in Waynesboro on Saturday, June 2, 1934 to the late T.T. and Leona

Moseley, she was a member of Clara First Baptist Church.

Shed died on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022 in Waynesboro.

She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Ronald and Audrey

Cochran and Gary and Crystal Williams, all of Waynesboro; her twin

sister, Ruth Harris of Waynesboro; a special nephew, Tommy Williams of

Waynesboro; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and

nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Larry M. Williams; her

parents, T.T. and Leona Moseley; four brothers, Alvin Moseley, Buddy

Moseley, Edison Moseley and Alton Moseley; and three sisters, Christine

Tate, Audrey Faye Hutcherson and Janelle Henderson.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.freemanfh.com.

Freeman Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

JIMMY EARL DAVIS

Jan. 28, 1954-Nov. 22, 2022

Graveside services for Jimmy Earl Davis, 68, of Gig Harbor, Wash., and

formerly of Waynesboro, were conducted on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022 from New

Pilgrim Cemetery in Hiwannee, with Rev. Darron Chapman officiating.

Born on Jan. 28, 1954, he was a Electrician in the shipbuilding

industry.

He died on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022 at Manor Care of Gig Harbor in Gig

Harbor, Wash.

He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Levan and Mary Davis of

Waynesboro; and four sisters, Joyce Ann Davis of Jackson, Lenora Davis

Robinson of San Diego, Calif., Linda Davis Tarpley of Uniontown, Penn.,

and Rene Davis Nelson of Bremerton, Wash.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

BARBARA WARREN

Aug. 15, 1968-Dec. 6, 2022

Graveside services for Barbara Warren, 54, were conducted on Saturday,

Dec. 10, 2022 from Sweet Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery,

with Rev. Shronda Carter officiating.

Born on Aug. 15, 1968, she died on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022.

She is survived by her husband, Napoleon Warren; her son, Lakreion

Warren; a daughter, LaKenya Warren; her goddaughter, Leighton Johnson;

her mother, Lottie Franks Jones; her stepfather, Flemon Jones; nine

sisters, six brothers, four grandchildren and two special friends.

She was preceded in death by Ladario Warren; her brother, Kenny Gandy;

her father, James Pace; Sabrina Young and her father-in-law, Mack

Warren.

McDonald and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

DERRICK TAYLOR

July 27, 1979-Nov. 27, 2022

Funeral services for Derrick Taylor, 43, of State Line, were conducted

on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022 from Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in State Line,

with Rev. W.E. Rankins officiating.

Interment followed at State Line Cemetery.

Born on July 27, 1979, he was a Rigger with Ingall's Shipbuilding.

He died on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022 at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Ala.

He is survived by his wife, Melinda Taylor; his son, Dillon Taylor; two

brothers and sisters-in-law, Demetrius and Latsha Taylor and Eric and

Bridgett Taylor; five sisters and brothers-in-law, Yolanda and Patrick

Cook, Stacy and Edward Johnson, Dnyeld and Chinwan Barnett, Jennifer and

Markeith Berry and Tiffany and derrick Eskridge; and his parents,

Clifton Taylor, Jr., and Rose Taylor.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents and his paternal

grandparents.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

FRANKLIN "SONNY" MCGILL

Aug. 23, 1948-Dec. 3, 2022

Funeral services for Franklin "Sonny" McGill, 74, of Waynesboro, were

conducted on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022 from Sweet Hope Missionary Baptist

Church, with Rev. W.E. Rankins and Rev. Alfred James officiating.

Interment followed at Serenity Gardens.

Born on Aug. 23, 1948, he was a former Laborer with Waynesboro Co-Op.

He died on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 at Merritt Health Wesley in

Hattiesburg.

he is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Chase and Cortney McGill

of Sallis; three daughters and a son-in-law, Barbara McGill of Dayton,

Ohio, Marshia and Meshawn McGill-Gandy and Sharonda McGill, all of

Waynesboro; four brothers, Rev. W.E. Rankins and Marvin Rankins, both of

Waynesboro, Alfred Rankins of Flushing, N.Y., and Ernest McGill of

Jesup, Ga.; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Janice Smith and Mary and

Melvin Bishop, all of Waynesboro; a host of grandchildren and

great-grandchildren and his godson and his spouse, Cornelius and

Kimberly Blakely of Waynesboro.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, three brothers

and a daughter.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

ANNIE M. WELLS

Jan. 8, 1932-Dec. 6, 2022

Funeral services for Annie M. Wells, 90, of Waynesboro, were conducted

on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022 from the Chapel of Freeman Funeral Home, with

Rev. Noel Gandy and Rev. Roger Douglas officiating.

Interment followed at Community Southern Methodist Cemetery.

Born in Shubuta on Friday, Jan. 8, 1932 to the late Hal Jessamine Herron

and Carrie Elizabeth (Evans) Herron, she was a member of Community

Southern Methodist Church. She was a Homemaker.

She died on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022 at Wayne General Hospital.

She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Randy and Pam McIlwain

and John and LaTonia McIlwain, all of Waynesboro; six daughters and two

sons-in-law, Myrna Story and LuAnn Doby, both of Waynesboro, Susan and

Dale Kennedy of Tremont, Lori Bayne, Tammy McRae and Melanie and Scott

Taylor, all of Waynesboro; her stepdaughter and her husband, Linda and

Jack Cushing of Greenville, S.C.; and a host of grandchildren,

great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Oliver Randol McIlwain and

Sanford Dudley Wells; her parents, Jessamine and Carrie Elizabeth

Herron; her brother, Cecil Herron; and her sister, Marie Freeman.

Her grandsons served as pallbearers.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.freemanfh.com.

Freeman Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

ROBERT PITTS

March 27, 1927-Dec. 6, 2022

Funeral services for Robert Pitts, 95, of Waynesboro, were conducted on

Friday, Dec. 9, 2022 from West Shady Grove Church, with Rev. Stephen

Smith, Brother Earl Pitts and Rev. Mike Street officiating.

Interment followed at West Shady Grove Cemetery.

Born in Waynesboro on Sunday, March 27, 1927 to the late Earl Pitts,

Sr., and Floye T. (Bodie) Pitts, he served in the United States Army and

was a Veteran of World War II. He was a member of West Shady Grove

Baptist Church and was retired as a Motorman in the oil field industry.

He died on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022 at Brookwood Villa Personal Care Home.

He is survived by four sons and a daughter-in-law, Lynn and Lelia Pitts

of Shubuta, John Pitts of Jackson and Robin Pitts and Ronald Pitts, both

of Birmingham, Ala.; a brother, Earl Pitts of Waynesboro' three sisters,

Joyce Vinson Pitts of Mobile, Ala., and Mary Ann Lovelace and Bobbie

Gail Williams, both of Waynesboro' three grandchildren and their

respective spouses, Deidra Lynn and James "Bud" Baylis of Ellisville,

Robert Blake Pitts of Shubuta and Parker Pitts of Birmingham; two

great-grandsons, Cole Vaughn and Christian Baylis; and four

great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl Pitts, Sr., and Floye T.

Pitts; the mother of his children, Barbara Jeanette Pitts; four

brothers, Tommie Pitts, R.C. Pitts, J.C. Pitts and Ralph Pitts; three

sisters, Dorothy Nell Norton, Bonnie Yvonne Cooley and Edna Earl Odom;

seven half-brothers, Charlie Pitts, Clarence Pitts, Ottis "Toby" Pitts,

Homer "Jack" Pitts, K.C. Pitts, Howard Pitts and J. Willard Pitts; and

his half-sister, Verda Long.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.freemanfh.com.

Freeman Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

LAWRENCE WILLIAM WYNN, SR.

Feb. 19, 1933-Nov. 24, 2022

Funeral services for Lawrence William Wynn, Sr., 89, of Needham, Ala.,

were conducted on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 from Oak Grove Baptist Church

in Needham, with Pastor Kenneth Gray officiating.

Interment followed at the church cemetery.

Born on Feb. 19, 1933, he was a Retired Vending Machine Manager with

Marriott Corporation.

He died on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022 at Oschner Rsh Medical Center in

Meridian.

He is survived by his wife, Willie W. Wynn; four sons and three

daughters-in-law, Lawrence Wynn, Jr. of Havelock, NC, Leroy and Marilyn

Wynn of Needham, Donnell and Nietta Wynn of Freehold, N.J. and Russell

and Tonja Wynn of Weaver, Ala.; a daughter, Dana T. Wynn of Conyers,

Ga.; 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, a sister, a

stepbrother, a daughter and a great-grandson.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

MARY ALICE HOWARD-WILSON

April 16, 1954-Nov. 22, 2022

Funeral services for Mary Alice Howard-Wilson, 68, of Waynesboro, were

conducted on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. As per her wishes, she was

cremated.

Born on April 16, 1954, she was a Housekeeper.

She died on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022 at her residence.

She is survived by two sons, James Wilson and Kacey Wilson; two

daughters and a son-in-law, Stephanie and Neal Gulley and Angela Wilson;

three brothers, Lemon Howard, Jr., Willie Earl Howard and Jimmy Howard;

two sisters, Luretha Williams and Annie Lane Gandy; and six

grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

VERNON ALLEN GRAY

Nov. 8, 2022

Vernon Allen Gray of Waynesboro transitioned on Tuesday morning, Nov. 8,

2022, battling pneumonia at Applingwood Healthcare in Cordova, Tenn.

He was the youngest of seven children born to the late Odell Gray, Sr.,

and Tommie Edd Dunagan. He attended Riverview High School in Waynesboro

and graduated from Rust College in Holly Springs, where he earned his

Bachelor's degree in Political Science and minored in Geography. He also

earned a double Master's degree in Political Science and Criminal

Justice from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

He worked for the Montgomery County Court System and the U.S. Department

of Justice as an Adult Probation and Parole Officer. In 1974, he

enlisted into the United States Army and served as the Tank Commander

for the 3-35th Armored Division in Bamberg, Germany. He returned

stateside and served on the Waynesboro Police Department until he

retired. He was a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Due to his failing health, he later moved to Memphis, Tenn., into the

care of his daughters. He leaves four daughters, Dr. Eugenia

Gray-Covington and Francine Gray-Rodgers, both of Cordova, Benita

Sawyers-Lang of Hattiesburg and Bianca Gray; a son, Dorian Gray of

Bamberg, Germany; two sisters, Ruby Creagh of Meridian and Billie

McCollough of Silver Spring, Md.; a brother, George Gray of Waynesboro;

11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Wake services were conducted on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022 from the Chapel of

Turner Funeral Home. Homegoing services were conducted on Saturday, Nov.

26, 2022 from St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, with Rev. Donald E.

Miller officiating.

Interment followed at Waynesboro Cemetery.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.