Author: Submitted

Dr. Cecil Benjamin “Benny” Gaskins, age 75, of Willacoochee, GA passed away on Tuesday, December 23, 2014, at his residence following an extended illness. Dr. Gaskins was born on October 20, 1939, in Pearson, GA to the late Cecil Moate Gaskins and Daisy Roxanne Brooker Gaskins. Survivors include: his wife, La Wanna Gaskins of Willacoochee, GA; two sons, Lyle (Wendy) Gaskins of Willacoochee, GA and Chris (Allison) Gaskins of Austin, TX; daughter, Donna (John) Whitlow of LaGrange, GA; five grandchildren, Taylor Gaskins, Jennifer Whitlow, John H. Whitlow, Logan Gaskins, and Landon Gaskins; brother, Jimmy E. Gaskins of Willacoochee, GA; two…

The 88th Annual Chamber Event will take place Thursday, January 22, at the Central Square Gym beginning at 6:30 p.m. The evening will include dinner, an awards ceremony to honor local businesses, and the changing of the chairman of the chamber. Sponsorship and ticket information for the event is listed below. DIAMOND SPONSOR $1,500 Includes top billing on event promotional materials, company logo on event program & event video, two premier seats at speaker’s dinner table, and twelve tickets to event (private reserved tables) PLATINUM SPONSOR $1,000 Includes company logo on event program & event video and eight tickets to…

Enoch Johns, age 93, of Wray, GA passed away on Saturday, December 20, 2014, at Macon Medical Center following a brief illness. Mr. Johns was born on January 12, 1921, in Dodge County, GA to the late John A Johns and Needie Pitts Johns. Survivors include: his son, Clyde Johns of Warner Robbins, GA; four grandchildren, Wendy (Shelly) Simmons, Kelli (Jimmy) Simons, Tim Johns and Clint (Sara) Johns; ten great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 23, 2014 from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, December 23,…

Betty Jean Ward, age 72, of Douglas, GA passed away on Sunday, December 21, 2014, at Coffee Regional Medical Center following an extended illness. Mrs. Ward was born on October 16, 1942, in Pearson, GA to the late Henry McClendon and Blanche Wright McClendon. Survivors include: her husband, Johnny Franklin Ward of Douglas, GA; son, Mike Merchant of Douglas, GA; two stepdaughters, Frankie Ward of Broxton, GA and Shirley Martin of West Green, GA; grandson, Rand Michael Merchant of Lubbock, TX; granddaughter, Carissa Brooke Merchant of Cocoa Beach, FL; brother, William McClendon of Douglas, GA; sister, Patricia Fussell of Douglas,…

Malklean “Mac” Byrd Atkinson, age 83, of Broxton, GA passed away on Monday, December 22, 2014, at her residence following an extended illness. Mrs. Atkinson was born on July 5, 1931 in Broxton, GA to the late Robert Elmo Byrd and Phoebe Deen Byrd. Survivors include: her husband, Carl Atkinson of Broxton, GA; three sons, Steve (Lola) Atkinson, David (Angie) Atkinson both of Broxton, GA, and Jimmy (Tracie) Atkinson of Port St. Lucie, FL; daughter, Gayle (John) Ball of Lexington, SC; sister, Cathy (Jack) Powell of Dawson, GA; eight grandchildren, Clay Collier, Pia C. Morris, Kristin Atkinson, Tiffany Fletcher, Logan…

Mr. Larry Abbott, age 63, of Douglas, GA passed away on Thursday, December 18, 2014 at Emory Hospital, Atlanta, GA following an extended illness. Mr. Abbott was born on May 15, 1951 in Thomasville, GA to the late David Charles Abbott and Lorene Prince Abbott Smith. He is survived by his wife, Sharon R. Abbott of Douglas, GA; two daughters, Lindsey P. Abbott of Douglas, GA; and Paula A (DeRan) Kight of Cape Carteret, NC; two grandsons: Reuben Abbott Kight and Lyndon Prince Abbott; four brothers: Bernie Roberson of West VA; Jay Smith of Thomasville, GA; Jim Abbott of Pennsacola,…

Dorothy Harper, age 85, of Ambrose, GA passed away on Thursday, December 18, 2014, at Coffee Regional Medical Center following an extended illness. Mrs. Harper was born on November 13, 1929, in Colquitt, GA to the late Nathan Harper and Lola Thompson Harper. Survivors include: her husband, Gerald Mitchell Harper of Ambrose, GA; brother, Donnie (Sue) Harper of Douglas, GA; three sisters, Margie Solomon of Douglas, GA; Joanne (Eugene) Ridley of Dalton, GA, and Carolyn Hutcheson (Companion Roy Bland) of Douglas, GA; mother-in-law, Ludell Harper of Douglas, GA; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her…

Jeremy Anderson, Miguel Angel Contreras and L’Kala Wilson recently received certificates at graduation exercises for the 274th and 275th sessions of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) Regional Police Academy at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. The basic mandate course, which is required to be a peace officer in Georgia, is an 11-week course that teaches the fundamentals of law enforcement which includes, among other courses , firearms, emergency vehicle operations course and Georgia criminal/ traffic laws. The GPSTC regularly holds multi-week intensive training sessions designed to acquaint officers with state-of-the-art law enforcement techniques. The academy operates in cooperation with…

Broadcast South Managing Partner John Higgs congratulates Brenda Simpson of Jamestown Drive in Douglas on winning Broadcast South’s Christmas Cash Giveaway in 2014. Brenda registered at Wendy’s in Douglas and, as a result, won a whopping $2,000 for Christmas. Congratulations to Brenda Simpson of Douglas, the 2014 winner of the Christmas Cash Giveaway.