Author: Submitted

Mr. Donnie Lavoy Phillips, Sr., age 67, passed away at his residence Saturday, July 12, 2014, following an extended illness. Mr. Phillips was born in Douglas August 29, 1946, to the late Claude Wesley Phillips, Sr. and Myrtice Chaney Phillips. He is survived by his wife, Marion Partin Phillips of Douglas; one daughter, Donna Phillips Motamedi of Brunswick; three grandchildren, Isabella Ahra Motamedi and Phillip Keon Motamedi of Sugar Hill and Savannah Collins of Savannah; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Donnie Lavoy Phillips, Jr.; two sisters, Betty Merritt and Murrell Story; two…

Lloyd George Newbern, Jr., age 55 of Douglas, passed away Thursday, July 10, 2014, at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. Newbern was born April 13, 1959, in Homerville to Mary Edith Stewart Andrews and the late Lloyd George Newbern, Sr. Survivors include his mother, Mary Andrews of Douglas; three sisters, Lynda Newbern of Douglas, Lisa Strickland Faulkner of Douglas, and Gloria Hutzler of Jacksonville, FL; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Lloyd George Newbern, Sr. Visitation will be held Friday, July 11, 2014, from 6 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will…

The Quality of Life Task Force wants to encourage the residents of the city to keep their neighborhoods clean and up to code in compliance with the ordinances of the City of Douglas. The task force will perform a sweep of the southeast side of Douglas, looking for eyesores in neighborhoods on Thursday, July 24, during the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The Quality of Life Task Force was formed to concentrate on city code violations such as overgrown grass, trash containers not being removed from right of way, animal control issues, leaf and limb piles contaminated with…

Robyn Elizabeth Fussell, age 24 of Broxton, passed away Tuesday, July 8, 2014, at her residence following a brief illness. Ms. Fussell was born September 20, 1989, in Savannah to Troy Gregory Fussell and Nanette Mann Quinn. Survivors include her mother and stepfather, Nanette Mann and Lee Quinn of Broxton; father, Greg Fussell of Ambrose; two sisters, Paige Fussell of Broxton and Hollie Leigh Anne Fussell Stabler of Douglas; fiancé, Jeremy Rish of Douglas; son, Rylan Lee Rish of Douglas; grandparents, J. Lee (Jeffery) Quinn of Broxton, Troy and Juanelle Fussell of Ambrose, and Pete and Brenda Mann of Surrency,…

The Douglas Stingrays swim team finished their district meet Monday as champions for the eleventh consecutive year. The team will be taking 60 swimmers to the state meet July 18 and 19 in Tifton to compete in multiple events.

Matthew Jerald Guthrie, age 30 of Dublin, passed away Sunday, July 6, 2014. Matthew was born November 3, 1983, in Douglas. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Douglas and a former firefighter with the City of Douglas. Currently, he resided in Dublin, and was employed as a correctional officer with the Treutlen PDC. Matthew was also a member of the Laurens County Sportsman Club. Survivors include his wife, Amanda B. Guthrie of Dublin; parents, Jerald and Peggy Guthrie of Douglas; sisters, Christy (Guy) Smith and Jeanie Levan, both of Florida; mother-in-law, Teresa Barron of Dublin; father-in-law,…

Lou Annie McKinnon Tanner, age 91 of Douglas, passed away Saturday, July 5, 2014, at Shady Acres Health and Rehabilitation Center following an extended illness. Mrs. Tanner was born December 2, 1922, in Douglas to the late Dennis McKinnon and Annie Gillispie McKinnon. Survivors include her daughter, Mary Tanner Bowen of Douglas; stepson, William D. Tanner of Moore, SC; grandson, Samuel Mark Bowen of Douglas; brother, Henry Lloyd McKinnon of Douglas; sister, Mozelle Fish of Douglas; special niece, Donna O’Berry of Blackshear, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dewey Tanner; infant son, McCoy…

Mr. Mathew Franklin Hayes, age 26 of Douglas, passed away suddenly Thursday, July 3, 2014, at his residence following a brief illness. He was born September 15, 1987, to Franklin D. Hayes and Angie Hinton Hayes. Mr. Hayes, a native of Atlanta, had lived in the Douglas area most of his life. He was a certified welder by trade. Mr. Hayes was a member of the First Methodist Church. Survivors include his parents, Franklin D. and Angie Hinton Hayes of Douglas; two sisters, Lauren Hayes of Jacksonville, Florida and Caitlin Hayes of Atlanta; paternal grandmother, Margaret Hayes of Douglas; maternal…

V. Vernon Eckleberry, President and CEO of Guiding Star Cinema, LLC, states there are still some cast and crew opportunities open for upcoming production of The Last Pedestrian, which is scheduled to be filmed in Douglas July 24-26. The film centers on a corrupt mayor and his city council as they seek to rescue their town from bankruptcy by obtaining a government grant for the purpose of studying and improving pedestrian safety. In order to qualify for the grant, however, their city must have a higher than normal rate of pedestrian deaths among other cities being considered for the grant.…

Commander Ricky McIver is a native of Wray, Georgia, and graduated from Broxton High School in 1981. He enlisted into the U.S. Navy in April, 1981, in the delayed entry program and was subsequently selected for promotion to Chief Petty Officer in 1991. In 1993, he applied and was selected for a commission via the Navy’s Limited Duty Officer Program as a surface communications specialist. In 2008, Commander McIver laterally transferred to the Information Professional Community. During his time in the Navy, Commander McIver successfully completed numerous operational and shore tours and, along the way, achieved significant education milestones. Commander…