Mrs. Martha Evelyn Williams Hibbard, age 87, Lyons, died Tuesday, November 30, 2004, in Huntington Beach, California, after an extended illness.

She was a native of Toombs County. She was preceded in death by her parents, Willie Williams and Lula Mae Clark Williams, her husband, Joseph Hibbard, and three brothers, Garland Williams, Albert E. Williams and Jim Paul Williams.

Survivors include three brothers and sister-in-law, Max and Jessie Williams, Debary, Florida, Gene and Myrtle Williams, Brandenton, Florida, and Dr. John L. and Doris Williams, Augusta; one sister and brother-in-law, Willie M. Williams and Gus Rice, Macon, one sister-in-law, Johnnie Williams, Jacksonville, Florida; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial services were conducted Monday, December 13, 2004, at 11:00 a.m. in the Ronnie L. Stewart Family Funeral Service Chapel of Vidalia with Rev. Henry Dowd officiating. A private interment followed in the Sharpe Cemetery.

The Advance, Vol. 107, No. 51, Wednesday, December 22, 2004, page 6A.

Mr. Charles Meeks, age 67, McBean, Georgia, died Sunday, December 19, 2004, at his residence.

He was a native of Collins. He retired after working for over 30 years as a heavy equipment operator and was a union member of Local 474. He worked as a mechanic and was a lead technician for Richmond County for the past 15 years. He was a member of Piney Grove Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Della Hughes Meeks.

Survivors include his wife, Edith Gail Meeks; one son, Jeffrey Charles Meeks, McBean; one daughter and son-in-law, Wanda M. and Henry Hutcheson, McBean; three granchildren, Jeffery Talmage Meeks, Taylor Hutcheson and Parker Hutcheson; one brother and sister-in-law, Fred and Jean Meeks, Collins; and two sisters, Virginia Purvis, Collins, and Jennette Darden, Vidalia.

Funeral services were conducted Tuesday, December 21, 2004, at 11:00 a.m. in the Poteet Funeral Home, South Chapel with Rev. Nevil Smith and Rev. Jim Carlson officiating. Interment followed in the Piney Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.

The Advance, Vol. 107, No. 51, Wednesday, December 22, 2004, page 6A.

Mrs. Katherine Harrell Peterson, age 93, Mt. Vernon, died Friday, December 17, 2004, at her home after an extended illness.

She was a native of Doerun, Georgia, moving to Tifton and later residing in Mt. Vernon. She taught at Tift County and Montgomery County schools for many years, teaching French and English at Brewton-Parker College for 21 years. She was honored by the College Alumni Association for services. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma International, treasurer of the Mt. Bernon Garden Club for 40 years and was presented a Life Membership in the Garden Club of Georgia by the club members in 1993, a member of the Mt. Bernon United Methodist Church, teaching children's Sunday School and was a member of the United Methodist Women. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. David B. Harrell, her husband, John Powell Peterson, and one brother, Dr. Edward M. Harrell.

Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, John Edward and Lynda Peterson, Smryna, and Ray M. and Sarah Peterson, Marietta; one daughter and son-in-law, Kay and Herb Jones, Rincon; eight grandhildren; 12 great-grandchildren; one sister, Margaret Fulwood, Tifton; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were conducted Sunday, December 19, 2004, at 3:00 p.m. in the Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church with Rev. David Haygood and Rev. Nita Crump-Howard officiating. Interment followed in the Mt. Vernon City Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Phillip T. Jones, John P. Peterson II, Dr. W.M. Peterson, Jr., Jamie Futch, Dr. Andrew H. Ivester, Paul D. Fulwood and Sid Couey.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 264, Mt. Vernon, GA 30445 or the Brewton-Parker College Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 197, Mt. Vernon, GA 30445.

Murchison Funeral Home of Vidalia was in charge of the arrangments.

Miss Sierra Danielle Sharpe, age 18, Soperton died Sunday, December 13, 2004.

She was a native and lifelong resident of Treutlen County. She was employed with Veratex Industries in Soperton. She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Patsy Maddox and one sister, Candi L. Sharpe.

Survivors include her mother and step-father, Ronda and Dale Brantley, Soperton; her father, Jimmy Sharpe, Sr., Vidalia; her fiancé, Charlie Landers, Soperton; two sisters, Rachel Brasington, Monticello, NY, and Amber Sharpe, Soperton, one brother, Jimmy Sharpe, Jr., Soperton, paternal grandparetns, James and Johnnie Sharpe, Soperton; and maternal grandfather, Troy Maddox, Soperton.

Funeral services were conducted Wednesday, December 15, 2004, at 1:00 p.m. in the Soperton Church of God with Rev. Paul Beasley officiating. Interment followed in Westview Cemetery, Soperton.

Pallbearers were Stevie Stapleton, Myron Whitaker, Brian Whitaker, Jerry Beasley, Joe Blair and Ricky Beny. Honorary pallbearers were Jeff Fortner, John Collins, Jeff Willis, Phil Pittman, Byron Tyson and James Harrell.

Sammons Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangments.

The Advance, Vol. 107, No. 51, Wednesday, December 22, 2004, page 6A.

Mrs. Lula G. Thigpen, age 82, Mt. Vernon, died Friday, December 17, 2004, in the Wheeler County Hospital of Glenwood after an extended illness.

She was a native of Treutlen County, residing for many years in Mt. Vernon. She was a homemaker and was Baptist by faith.

Survivrors include five daughters, Karhleen Poole, Newton, Grace Gregory, Vidalia, Mae Montford, Alamo, Earline Prickett, Soperton, and Betty Brimacombe, Dublin; two sons, Robert Thigpen, Mt. Vernon, and Billy Thigpen, Glenwood; two sisters, Geneva McDaniel, Soperton, and Elise Karge, Tarpon Springs, Florida, 24 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-granchildren.

Funeral services were conducted Sunday, December 19, 2004, at 2:00 p.m. in the Ronnie L. Stewart Family Funeral Service Chapel of Glenwood with Rev. W.R. Connell officiatiing. Interment followed in the Mt. Vernon Memorial Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Marvin Fountain, Bernard Fountain, Tony Smith, Radine Ward, Garland Gillis and Jack O' Conner.

The Advance, Vol. 107, No. 51, Wednesday, December 22, 2004, page 6A.

Mrs. Kathryn Beall Tillman, age 80, Wheeler County, died Wednesday, December 15, 2004, in the Jeff Davis Hospital.

She was a native of Jeff Davis County, residing in Wheeler many years. She was a retired school teacher formerly with the Jeff Davis County Board of Education, a member of the Sardis Baptist Church and the Adult Ladies Sunday School Class. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bea and Marie Palmer Beall, and her husband, Marvin F. Tillman.

Survivors include one daughter, Faye Rogers, Glenwood; three sisters, Lee Ferguson, Miami, Florida, Blanche Dominy, Taft, Florida, and Ruth Boutwell, Hazlehust; one brother, B.J. Beall, Hazlehurst; three grandchildren, Kay Shafer, Moyonck, N.C., Karen Hansen, Warrensburg, Mo., and Tim Rogers, Hazlehurst; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were conducted Sunday, December 19, 2004, at 3:00 p.m. in the Sardis Baptist Church in Wheeler County with Rev. Wayne Bennett an Rev. Joe Phillips officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery.

Active pallbearers were Joe Abbott, Billy Oglivie, Robert Rivers, Ben Boutwell, Gene Beall and Julian Dominy. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Sardis Baptist Adult Ladies Sunday School Class.

Wainright-Parlor Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

The Advance, Vol. 107, No. 51, Wednesday, December 22, 2004, page 6A.