Albany Area Obituaries

Cornelius Alexander Durden

ALBANY — Cornelius Alexander Durden, 22, of 2509 College Park Ln., died Sunday, September 21, 2008 at Houston, TX.

Funeral services will be held 3 p.m. Tuesday at Eureka Missionary Baptist Church, with Dr. Bill Edge Sr., officiate.

Born on February 19, 1986 in Atlanta, GA, Mr. Durden was a chef and a member of Eureka Missionary Church. He received his education at Fulton and Dougherty County Public School System, attended Albany Technical College (Culinary Arts). He graduated from Paul Hall of Maritime Training, and Harry Lundeburg School of Seamanship, Piney Point, MD.

Survivors include Zharia, Nikkolas, Mateo; mother, Maria Sheppard Durden of Albany; father, Steve (Qumita) Durden of Elba, AL; sister, Michelle Sheppard of Warner Robins; brothers, Steve Durden Jr., Mario Durden and Devin Durden, all of Atlanta; grandparents, Minnie J. Granberry of Albany; Antoino and Esther Velasquez of St. Thomas US Virgin Island; Ernest and Odessa Durden of Atlanta; aunts, Cornelia (Willie) Smith of Albany, Angela (Rev. Timothy) Bennett of Marimar, FL; uncles, Peter Velasquez of West Berlin, Germany, Richard Velasquez of St. Thomas US Virgin Island, Lewis Hood, Jerome Durden, and Tirruss Durden, all of Atlanta; special brother and friend, Wynton Corbett of Houston, TX; mentor and friend, Anthony “Toney” Jefferson; many cousins, other relatives and friends.

Elliott Funeral Home
Albany 229/436-3553

Johnny Lee Harrold

ALBANY — Johnny Lee Harrold, 62, of 1317 Avalon, died Saturday, September 27, 2008. Funeral arrangements to be announced.

Meadows Funeral Home
Albany 229/439-2262

Eliza S. Boney-Jackson

ALBANY — Eliza S. Boney- Jackson, 90, of 1802 Spruce Ln., died Saturday, September 27, 2008 at Palmyra Medical Centers. Funeral arrangements to be announced.

Meadows Funeral Home
Albany 229/439-2262

Buford E. Kennedy

SYLVESTER — Buford E. Kennedy, 74, of Oakfield, died Sunday, September 28, 2008 at Crisp Regional Medical Center in Cordele. Funeral arrangements to be announced.

Banks Funeral Home
Sylvester 229/776-2055

Patricia Connell Mathis

ALBANY — Patricia Connell Mathis, 67, of Albany, GA died Friday, September 26, 2008. Funeral services will be held today (Monday, September 29, 2008) at 12:00 P.M. at the chapel of Lovein Funeral Home, Nashville, GA. The Rev. Andy Goode will officiate. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service. Interment will follow at West View Cemetery.

A native of Berrien County, GA, Mrs. Mathis had resided in Albany, GA since 1964 moving from Hawkinsville, GA and was a 1959 graduate of Warner Robins High School.

She retired in 1995 and was the owner of Mighty Rooter Plumbing Company in Albany, GA for 17 years. Mrs. Mathis was a member of the Loyal Order of The Moose #1285, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and a member of Byne Memorial Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her mother, Montez Connell.

Survivors include four sons and their wives, Tony and Cynde Mathis of Orange Park, FL, Craig S. and Candi Mathis of Leesburg, GA, Jason and Misty Mathis of Albany and Rusty and Leigh Mathis of Leesburg; her father, Ellis Connell of Nashville, GA; a sister and her husband, Penny and Roy Ray, Jr. of Nashville, GA; and eight grandchildren, Melanie and Brandon Culbreth of Jacksonville, FL, Shannon Mathis of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Miranda Mathis and Kaitlis, both of Leesburg, GA, Christopher and Tracy Fox of Kanoi Bay, HA, Hunter Mathis and Madison Mathis, both of Albany, GA and Brandi Crosby of Philadelphia, PA; and one great-grandchild, Olivia Culbreth of Jacksonville, FL.

Those desiring may make donations Albany Community Hospice, 2332 Lake Park Dr., Albany, GA 31707 or Ronald McDonald House Charities of West Georgia, Inc.1959 Hamilton Road, Columbus, GA 31904.

To sign our online registry or to send condolences to the family, you may visit Mathews’ website at www.mathewsfuneralhome.com.

Mathews Funeral Home
Albany 229/435-5657

J. Len Taylor

DAWSON — J. Len Taylor, 84, of Dawson, died Sunday, September 28, 2008 at Palmyra Nursing Home, Albany. Funeral arrangements to be announced.

Ward Funeral Home
Dawson 229/995-5853

Clarence Morris Walker

ALBANY — Clarence Morris Walker, of 400 Old Pretoria Rd., died Saturday, September 27, 2008 at his residence.

Graveside funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday at Riverside Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. Daniel Simmons will officiate.

Born on September 27, 1948 in Ware County, Mr. Walker was a retired civil service worker. He received his education at Colquitt County School System.

Survivors include a devoted wife of 55 years, Juanita Thomas Walker; three daughters, Pamela L. Walker of Albany, Jacqueline (Frederick) Bailey, of Marietta, and Stephanie T. Walker of Albany; one son, Calvin Morris Walker; two grandsons, Courtney and Eric Bailey, of Marietta; one granddaughter, Tiffany N. Walker of Nashville, TN.

Visitation will be held today (Monday) at Elliott Funeral Home Chapel from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m.

Elliott Funeral Home
Albany 229/436-3553

Billy Edward Williams

ALBANY — Billy Edward Williams, 52, of 105 Gardner St., Sylvester, died Sunday, September 28, 2008 at his residence. Funeral arrangements to be announced.

Meadows Funeral Home
Albany 229/439-2262

Southwest Georgia Obituaries

Elsie McQuoirk Coody Dunn

EASTMAN, GA — Elsie McQuoirk Coody Dunn, died Saturday, September 27, 2008 at the Heart of Georgia Nursing Home.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30 at Lakeside Baptist Church in Albany.

Ms. Dunn was a member of Lakeside Baptist Church, a retired nurse of 35 years, a member of Women of the Moose, Eastern Star, and a retired employee of Lee County Library.

She is survived by daughter, Edith Elaine Braswell; son, William Glenn Coody both of Eastman; sister, Joyceline Hicks of Lawrenceville, GA; brother, Alton McGuoirk of Hardwick, GA; six grandchildren, 12 great- grandchildren, and two great- great-grandchildren.

Hardy-Towns Funeral Home
Eastman 478/374-2727

Waver V. Fountain

COLQUITT — Waver V. Fountain, 64, of Colquitt, died Sunday, September 28, 2008 at her daughter’s residence. Funeral arrangements to be announced.

Williams’ Mortuary
Colquitt 229/758-5011

Albert L. Robinson

TIFTON — Albert L. Robinson, 54, of Adel, died Saturday, September 27, 2008 at Memorial Hospital in Adel. Funeral arrangements to be announced.

Southview Mortuary
Adel 229/387-7046

Zane Gray Shoaf

INVERNESS, FL — Zane Gray Shoaf, of Inverness Golf and Country Club, Inverness, FL, died on Friday, September 26, 2008.

Son of the late Charles and Nellie Gray Shoaf, Zane was born in Greensburg, PA, on October 22, 1929.

He lived in Youngwood, PA, and graduated from Youngwood High School and Pen Technical Institute, Pittsburgh, PA. He lived in Norfolk, VA, from 1949 and moved back to Pennsylvanian, in 1958.

On February 7, 1959, Zane and Roberta Krempasky were married and made their home in Youngwood, PA. While living in Youngwood, Zane was a member of the Westinghouse Chorus singing at local nursing homes and hospitals. He was a member of the Youngwood Volunteer Fire Department.

Zane was a professional long distance truck driver for many years before working for Lutz Trucking as a local driver. He also worked for Youngwood DME Corp. After accepting a job with the federal government in 1973, he moved to Stratford, NJ, to begin working as an Equipment Specialist for the United States Marine Corps. He was transferred to the Marine Corps Supply Activity in Albany, GA, in 1975 and retired in July 1979.

After retirement and while living in Georgia, Zane worked for Blaylock Machinery & Equipment Co. in both Albany and Atlanta, GA, Chehaw Wild Animal Park, Bally Amusements, and owned arcade games and billiard tables with locations in Albany. He also traveled with James E. Strates and O.C. Buck Amusement Shows with his live steam locomotive ride. Zane also worked as a pyrotechnician for Zambelli Fireworks International of New Castle, PA.

He moved to Inverness, FL, in April 1996, Zane had his private pilots license and enjoyed flying his Cessna 170 and was in the process of building a J3 Kitten. He also enjoyed boating, steam locomotives, American Flyer Electric Trains and belonged to the SHARE Club at Citrus Memorial Hospital.

He is survived by his wife, Roberta Shoaf of Inverness; and brothers, Myron Shoaf of Ruffsdale, PA, and Dean Shoaf of Latrobe, PA. Two brothers, Nevin and Lynn are deceased. He is also survived by four nephews and five nieces.

Zane will be laid to rest in Beam’s Cemetery, Jenner Township, Somerset County, Gray, PA, on Saturday, October 4, 2008.

Heinz Funeral Home
Inverness, FL 352/341-1288

Angelia Deborah Woods

DONALSONVILLE — Angelia Deborah “Debbie” Woods, 54, of Dothan, AL, died Friday, September 26, 2008. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. on Tuesday at the chapel of Evans-Skipper Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Friendship Cemetery. Visitation will be held today (Monday) from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Evans-Skipper Funeral Home
Donalsonville 229/524-2789