Albany Area Obituaries

Carol Kay Randle Lee

ALBANY — Carol Kay Randle Lee, of 919 Ninth Ave., died Sunday August 24, 2008 at her residence. Funeral services Thursday 11 a.m. at Porterfield Memorial United Methodist Church. Interment will follow in Floral Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Mathews Funeral Home.

Mathews Funeral Home
Albany 229/435-5657

Patricia A. Seadrow

ALBANY — Patricia A. Seadrow, 59, of 207 Arbor Ct, Albany, died on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at her residence. Funeral service will be at 12 noon Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at St. Mary Baptist Church with interment to follow at Riverside Cemetery.

J.L. Litman Funeral Home
Albany 229/430-8800

Arthur C. Searles, Jr

ALBANY — Funeral services for Arthur C. Searles, Jr. will be Tuesday, August 26, 2008 2 PM at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Albany, Rev James Bush will officiate. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery.

Arthur C. Searles, Jr. was the second child born to the late Mr. A. C. Searles and Mrs. Virginia Sweatt Searles on August 3, 1944. Reared in Albany, Georgia, Art was educated in the Dougherty County School System. At the age of 16, he went to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, as an early admission student. After two years at Morehouse, Art joined the U. S. Army and served three years as an Airborne Paratrooper in France, Germany and Southeast Asia. Upon returning home, he decided to continue his education and attended Morehouse and Georgia State University in Atlanta.

While attending college he began working as the first Black claims adjuster in the Southeast Region. After ten years of adjusting claims, Art entered the sales end of the insurance business and established an insurance agency that was consistently in the top ten sales performers nationwide for the company he represented. Art’s father, Mr. A. C. Searles, Sr., became editor and publisher of the Albany Southwest Georgian in 1938. Art grew up learning the newspaper business “at his father’s knee.” Calling on that knowledge, Art, with two partners, founded The Champion newspaper in DeKalb County, Georgia. The Champion is now the only Black newspaper in Georgia that is the legal organ for a county.

When his father’s health began to fail during the mid-90s, Art began traveling between Atlanta and Albany to help his father with the family business. In 1996, Art took over the operation of The Albany Southwest Georgian. After taking over the newspaper he increased advertising and circulation of the newspaper. His opinion column, “I Said It,” is read and discussed throughout Georgia. Having a natural concern for his community, Art was co-founder of the “Get Out the Vote Campaign” in 1999. This campaign was established to encourage all people to vote in every election. In 2001, he offered himself as a the for the Dougherty County Commission, District 5, and won handily. He was reelected for that position in 2004 and 2008.

He was Chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee, a member of the Finance Committee and Public Safety Committee for that Board. He was also a member of the Board of Directors for the Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center where he was Co-Chair of the Economic Development Committee, a member of the Executive Committee, Audit Committee and Nomination Committee. As a member of the Board of Commissioners for the past seven years, Art established a reputation as a voice of reason with his colleagues. He was able to form coalitions and obtain a consensus on many difficult issues. Always active in the community, Art spoke at every available occasion to area youth. His message was always the same: ”The opportunities are there, be all you can be and be a contributing part of your community.”

Art not only influenced the community, he significantly influenced his family as well. To cherish his memory he leaves behind his wife, Giselle Searles of Albany; three daughters, Latise Egeston (Brian) and Jasmine Searles, both Atlanta, Georgia, and Mila Searles of Albany; one grandson, Zachary Arthur Egeston of Atlanta; a sister, Dicena Searles of Albany; two brothers, Thomas Searles (Teresa) of Albany and Christopher Searles of Atlanta; several nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives. He also leaves behind a beloved community of people who he loved dearly and who truly loved him.

In lieu of flowers, make donations to Rise and Shine Youth Program 619 Mercer Avenue Albany, Georgia 31701. The remains of Mr. Searles will be in the church from 1 PM until the funeral hour.

Elliott Funeral Home
Albany 229/436-3553

Margaret Dyer Smith

ALBANY — Mrs. Margaret Dyer Smith, died Monday, August 25, 2008. Funeral arrangements to be announced.

Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors
Albany 229/883-4152

Southwest Georgia Obituaries

Mollie Grace Newsome Davis

BIANBRIDGE — Mollie Grace Newsome Davis, 91, of Bainbridge, GA, passed away Monday, August 18, 2008 at Bainbridge Health Care. The funeral service was at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 21, 2008 at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Vada, GA, with Rev. Conrad Salter officiating. Interment will follow at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family received friends on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Ivey Funeral Home. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com. Memorials may be made to Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 5008 Vada Rd., Climax, GA 39834.

Mrs. Davis was born October 28, 1916 in Decatur County, GA, the daughter of Homer Lee Newsome and Livonia Ray Newsome. She was the retired owner of Davis Grocery and a member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Ellis Davis, and a daughter, Olive Wacaser.

Survivors include her daughter, Betty Cross of Climax, GA; 5 grandchildren, Pamela Cross, Beverly W. Wilson, Rene’ Cross, Davis Wacaser, and Rhonda C. Jarrett; 4 great-grandchildren; and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

Ivey Funeral Home
Bainbridge 229/246-3232

Richard L. Fenner

BAINBRIDGE — Richard L. Fenner, 78, of Bainbridge, GA, passed away Saturday, August 23, 2008 at his residence.

The memorial service will be at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, August 31, 2008 at Harvest Assembly of God Church.

Ivey Funeral Home
Bainbridge 229/246-3232

David A Flowers

BAINBRIDGE — Mr. David A Flowers, 37, of 202 M.L.K. Street, Climax died on August 25, 2008. Funeral arrangements will be announced.

Bruton Mortuary
Bainbridge 229/246-6042

Otis Hurst

BAINBRIDGE — Otis Hurst, 84, of Edison died on August 23, 2008 at Miller County Hospital. Funeral arrangements will be announced.

Collins Funeral Home
Edison 229/835-2422

Edmund Peterson

BAINBRIDGE — Edmund Peterson, 71, of Miller County died on Saturday, August 23, 2008. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church with interment in the Church Cemetery.

Visitation was held on Monday, August 25, 2008 at the family home at 32 Martin Lane, Colquitt.

Cox - Ware Funeral Home
Bainbridge 229/246-4411