U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Ruth Lorene Mathews
Ruth Lorene Mathews, 81, of Toms Creek Road, Martin, died Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2002.
Born April 13, 1920 in Franklin County, she was a daughter of the late Thomas Monroe and Lois McCall Mathews and was a life long resident of Franklin County. She was a faithful member of Toms Creek Baptist Church and the Faith Sunday School Class. She will be remembered for the column she wrote each week in The Toccoa Record for a number of years, entitled “The Toms Creek News.”
Funeral services were held Thursday, Feb. 28, at Toms Creek Baptist Church. The Revs. Wayne Marcus and Jerrell Beatty officiated. Interment was in the church cemetery.
Survivors include a brother, Thomas Lee “Tom” Mathews of Martin; a nephew, Ricky Lee Mathews of Toccoa; a niece, Wanda Kytle of Toccoa; three great-nieces, Joy Smith, Brandy Rogers and Krystal Mathews, all of Toccoa; and a number of cousins.
Pallbearers were Herman Bradley, Bobby McCall, J.D. McCall, Keith McCall, Phil Walker, Fredrick McCall, Durward Adams, Charles Herron. Honorary escort was Faith Sunday School Class.
Memorials may be made to the Toms Creek Baptist Church Building Fund.
Whitlock Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.
Vernelle Stroud
Vernelle Norton Stroud, 76, of Orlando, Fla., died Thursday, Feb. 21. 2002.
Born Nov. 14, 1925 in Habersham County, she was the daughter of the late Lawrence and Hassie Eller Norton. She had lived most of her life in Orlando. She was a member of the Daughters of the Nile at Athaliah Temple No. 114, Ladies Oriental Shrine No. 86, past matron of Pine Castle Chapter 321 and Eastern Star and American Legion Post 286 Auxiliary.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, from the graveside at Stephens Memorial Gardens. The Rev. David Ledford officiated.
Survivors include her husband, Eugene Stroud; two sisters, Mildred Norton of Royston and Dorothy Reed of Oakwood and a brother, Melvin Norton of Mt. Airy.
Acree-Davis Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Guy Seymour
Guy Henry Seymour Sr., 93, of Dewy Rose, died Monday, Feb. 18, 2002.
A native of Elbert County, he was a son of the late Elliot Aubrey and Mina Bond Seymour. He was a retired merchant and a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, serving in Europe and North Africa where he earned a Bronze Star. He was a lifelong member of Dewy Rose Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his wife, Loyce Purcell Seymour.
Funeral services were held Thursday at Hicks Funeral Home. The Rev. Gary Purvis officiated. Interment was in Dewy Rose Baptist Church Cemetery.
Survivors include a daughter, Linda Byers of Springfield, Ill.; two sons, Guy Seymour Jr., of Snellville and Walt Seymour of Athens; two sisters, Sue Turner of Elberton and Evelyn Stald of Fairless Hills, Pa. and eight grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Tony Holbert, Steve Hall, Harold Dickerson, Morris Butler, Floyd Dye and Dayton Kurtz.
Memorials may be made to Dewy Rose Baptist Church.
Hicks Funeral Home, Dewy Rose was in charge of arrangements.
This announcement courtesy of Acree-Davis Funeral Home.
Billy D. Wilson Jr.
Billy Don Wilson Jr., 48, of Bowersville, died Monday, Feb. 18, 2002.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio June 15, 1953, he was a son of Billy Don Wilson Sr. and Vivian Combs Wilson. He was self-employed in the construction industry and was of the Baptist faith.
Funeral services will be held today at 2 p.m. from the chapel of Hamby Funeral Home in Lavonia.
Survivors include his wife, Tina Swetmon Wilson; son, Billy Don Wilson III; daughter, Britany Angeline Wilson; father and step-mother, Billy Don Wilson Sr. and Jackie Wilson of Loganville; mother, Vivian Combs Wilson; brother, Mitchell Wilson of Hoschton; sisters, Barbara Wilson-Goldsmith of Louisville, Ky. and Kathy Wiechman of Hoschton; two step-brothers and one step-sister.
Hamby Funeral Home, Lavonia is in charge of arrangements.
Clarence Lonnie Day
Clarence Lonnie Day, 73, of Carnesville, died Saturday, Feb. 9, 2002.
Born Oct. 4, 1928 in Opilaka, Ala., he was the son of the late Clarence Lonnie Jr. and Dossie Mae Davis Day. He was a graduate of Georgia State University. He was an engineer for Southern Bell and had been employed 37 years before retirement. He served in the Army Airborne and also the Naval Reserves. He was a member of the Allens United Methodist Church.
Funeral services were held Monday at Allens United Methodist Church. The Rev. Merritt Waters officiated. Interment was in the church cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Katherine Coleman Day; daughter and son-in-law, Elaine and Cecil Bramlett of Greenville; one grandson, Chip Garrett of Greenville, S.C.; one sister and brother-in-law, Charles and Barbara Day McCampbell of Marietta; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jimmy and Millie Coleman of Newnan; sister-in-law, Shirley Coleman of Douglasville and several nieces and nephews.
Ginn Funeral Home, Carnesville was in charge of arrangements.
Ruby Jean Gray Van Leuven
Ruby Jean Gray Van Leuven, 45, of Carnesville, died Friday, Feb. 8, 2002.
Born Sept. 26, 1956 in Jackson County, she was the daughter of Joyce Whitsel Gray and the late George Gray. She was a homemaker and a member of the Canon Baptist Church.
Funeral services were held at the B.D. Ginn Memorial Chapel. Interment was in the Middle River Baptist Church cemetery.
Survivors include husband, David Van Leuven; mother, Joyce Whitsel Gray of Carnesville; three sons, John Christopher Slusher of Goldsboro, N.C., Matthew Keith Fields of Bowersville, Brandon James Van Leuven of Carnesville; two brothers, Randy Dale Gray of Carnesville and Ricky Dave Gray of Lavonia.
Ginn Funeral Home, Carnesville, was in charge of arrangements.
Arnold Bray
Arnold Bray, 77, of Clarkesville, died Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002.
Born at Oil City, Pa., he was the son of the late Harold and Ella Holtz Bray. He was a retired roofing contractor, a World War II veteran, was of the Lutheran faith. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Netzler Bray.
Graveside services were held Sunday, at the Yonah View Memorial Gardens, Cleveland. Pastor Schwartz officiated. Interment followed at the Yonah View Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include daughters, Becky Gilmore of Clarkesville, Janet Blanchard of Palm Bay, Fla.; sons, Arnold Bray Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla. and H. David Bray of Jensen Beach, Fla. and 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Blanche Roberts
Mary Blanche Moore Roberts, 82, of Martin, died Monday, June 10, 2002.
A native and lifelong resident of Franklin County, she was a daughter of the late Allen and Emma Harris Moore. She was a homemaker and member of Broad River Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by a son, Buddy Jim Roberts.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, June 12 from the chapel of Whitlock Mortuary. The Rev. Leon Carson officiated. Interment was in Franklin Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include her husband, Doyle Roberts; a son, William Roberts of Martin; two daughters, Mary Nell Anderson of Toccoa and Emma Hyde of Martin; a daughter-in-law, Connie Roberts of Martin; a sister, Pauline Nations of Toccoa; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Pallbearers were Howard Roberts, Hugh Bryant, Steve Adams, Chris Carson, Jayme Buffington and Carey Atkinson. Jim Roberts will serve as honorary pallbearer.
Whitlock Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.
Florence R. Murphy
Florence Rowell Murphy, 84, of Toccoa, died Tuesday, June 11, 2002.
The daughter of the late Harold U. and Anna Elizabeth Kinder, she was born, Oc. 1, 1917 in Kingstree, S.C. and lived most of her life in Toccoa. She was a member of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, The Toccoa Women’s Club and the Toccoa Eastern Star #294. She was preceded in death by her first husband, William E. Rowell, who died in 1966; by her brother, Harold Kinder and is the widow of John R. Murphy, who died in 2002.
Funeral mass will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The Father Darragh Griffith will officiate. Interment will be in Stephens Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include two sons, H. William Rowell of Alpharetta and R. Michael Rowell of Martinez; two step-sons, John L. Murphy of Atlanta and Patrick R. Murphy of Hampton, Va.; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren and a sister-in-law, Mildred Holcolm Kinder of Charleston, N.C.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1841 Clifton Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329-4049 or to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, 2250 N. Druid Hills Road, Suite 250, Atlanta, GA 30329.
Acree-Davis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Willie Rufus Brooks
Willie Rufus Brooks, 82, of Royston, died Sunday, June 9, 2002.
Born August 4, 1918 in Franklin County, he was the son of the late Omer A. and Adelide Abbott Brooks. He was a farmer and a member of the Middle River Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by a sister, Lillian Phillips.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 11 at the B.D. Ginn Memorial Chapel. The Rev. John Swanger and Barry Reese officiated. Interment was in the Middle River Baptist Church Cemetery.
Survivors include four brothers, Jewell Brooks of Greenville, S.C., Charles Brooks of Williamston, S.C., Benjamin Brooks of Mauldin, S.C. and Paul Brooks of Royston; four sisters, Ruby Willis of Travelers Rest, S.C., Sara Davison of Royston, Mary Elrod of Hull and Jeanette McCurry of Atlanta.
Ginn Funeral Home, Carnesville, was in charge of arrangements.
