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Criminal Justice Program Coordinator Dr. Lisa Williams represented Wiregrass Georgia Technical College as 40 technical college instructors from throughout Georgia gathered for the first Georgia Master Teacher Experience. The event, which was held in Thomasville at Southwest Georgia Technical College, is designed to bring together teachers from the Technical College System of Georgia for an intensive week of focus on instructional innovations, motivational techniques, situational problem-solving, contextual learning, and information exchange. Kristy White and George Scott from the Alabama Community College System assisted in the facilitation, as Alabama is in the 14th year of the Alabama Master Teacher Experience (AMTE).…

Mrs. Vassie Mae Williams Bryant Pringle , age 86 of Douglas, passed away Friday, July 25, 2014, at Shady Acres Convalescent Center following an extended illness. She was born June 13, 1928, in Alma to the late Grover Addicus Williams and Addie Belle Dean Williams. She is survived by two daughters, Emma Jean (Wayne) Davis and Naomi (Gene) Waldron, both of Douglas; three sons, Larry Bryant and Eulice (Virginia) Bryant both of Jacksonville, FL, Lamar (Peggy) Bryant of Douglas; twenty-two grandchildren, several great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two children, Herbert Ray Bryant and…

Ina Lou Fussell, age 93 of Axson, passed away Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at her residence following an extended illness. Mrs. Fussell was born February 20, 1921, in Douglas to the late Austin Irwin Hand and Annie Jane Blanton Hand. Survivors include her son, Edward (Simmeon) Gillis of Axson; five grandchildren, Ashley (Debra) Gillis, Andy (Lisa) Gillis, Lynda Gillis, Cleon (Kim) Gillis, and Diane Gillis (Stacey) Roberson; nine great grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; two step daughters, Alice Ward and Earnestine (Courtland) Rizor; eight step grandchildren; several step great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded…

Edward G. “E.G.” McKinnon, Jr., age 83 of Douglas passed away Thursday, July 24, 2014, at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. McKinnon was born June 21, 1931, in Douglas to the late Edward Grady McKinnon, Sr. and Estelle McDonald McKinnon. Survivors include his wife, Shelby Jean Clement McKinnon of Douglas; two sons, Lance McKinnon of Broxton and Eddie McKinnon of Willacoochee; two daughters, Debra Burkett of West Green and Therese Paulk of Wray; four brothers, Henry McKinnon of Pearson, Mark McKinnon of Moultrie, Tommy McKinnon of Albany, and Jimmy McKinnon of St. Petersburg, FL; two sisters, Veronica Hope…

Myrtice Herrin Thomas, age 91 of Eastman, passed away Thursday, July 24, 2014, at her residence. Mrs. Thomas was born August 30, 1922, in Nicholls to the late Dewey Herrin and Mary Frances Carver Herrin. Survivors include her daughters, Rita (Lamar) Sanders of Eastman; two sons, William Bernard (Audrey) Thomas of Douglas and Rev. Sidney V. (Annette) Thomas of Nicholls; sister, Mary Brigmond of Warner Robins; fifteen grandchildren; several great grandchildren; several great-great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Sidney Thomas; two sons, Clinton and Roger Thomas; and seven brothers and sisters.…

Mrs. Deborah Joanne Anderson Gallahan, age 63, of Cumming, passed away Sunday, July 20, 2014, at her residence following a brief illness.Mrs. Gallahan was born December 31, 1950, to the late Frank Augustus Anderson and Florence Moore Anderson. Mrs. Gallahan, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, was a LPN with the Cherokee County Correctional System. She also had a BA Degree in Computer Science. She was preceded in death by a sister, Frankie Calender. Survivors include two sons, Shane Russ of Hampton, Virginia, and Derek Russ of Woodstock; one sister, Joan Anderson of Douglas; her mother, Florence Moore Anderson of West…

Mrs. Irma Lee Varnedore Morgan, age 85 of Uvalda, formerly of Coffee County, passed away Tuesday evening, July 22, 2014, at the Serenity Place in Dublin, Ga., following an extended illness. Survivors include one daughter, Jean (Brian) Arnold of Uvalda; one grandson, Matt (Cindy) Corbitt of Uvalda; two great grandsons, McKenley Corbitt and Mason Corbitt, both of Uvalda; two sisters, Bonita Taft and Barbara Rowell, both of Douglas; one brother, Carl (Mary) Varnedore of Warner Robins; several nieces, nephews, friends, and other relatives. Funeral services were held Friday, July 25, 2014, at 2 p.m. at the Chapel of Ricketson Funeral…

The Coffee County Historical Society (CCHS) would like to invite everyone to attend the reopening of the Heritage Station Museum and Civil War Sesquicentennial program to honor Mr. Curtis Farrar’s donation of Civil War memorabilia to Heritage Station Museum. The program will begin Monday, August 4, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. at the museum, which is located at 219 W. Ward Street. “Coffee County Historical Society members have been busy getting the museum ready for this event,” says Carol Morgan, President of the Coffee County Historical Society. “We are currently working on developing a research area and inventorying items at…

More often than not, non-traditional students are the most common type of student found on many college campuses, including Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. Wiregrass students often remark on how beneficial it is to be in a classroom with non-traditional students, who are most often adult learners with years of work experience and previous training. These adult learners are able to share with their classmates about their experiences as they go through their academic work. They add additional real-world knowledge to academic lessons that helps others. “Wiregrass has traditionally been known for having a large population of adult learners who typically…

Mrs. Carlene White Rogers, age 69 of Axson, passed away Friday evening, July 18, 2014, at the Shady Acres Health & Rehabilitation Center following an extended illness. Mrs. Rogers was born April 16, 1945, to the late Loren White and the late Donnie Wildes White. Mrs. Rogers, a homemaker and native of Douglas and Coffee County, had lived in the Axson community for many years. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Burton Rogers, and a sister, Lorene Thompson. Survivors include one brother, Jimmy White of Lakeland, Florida; two sisters, Kathleen Sutton and Pauline Sutton, both of Axson,…