Obituaries for Dec. 1, 2006
Published 10:01 pm Thursday, November 30, 2006
Dr. James Robert Belflower Jr.
MANCHESTER, England — Dr. James Robert Belflower Jr., 70, of Manchester, England, died Sunday, Nov. 19, 2006, in Manchester, England.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Dr. W. Ches Smith III will officiate with a private burial to be held at a later date. The family will receive friends immediately following the memorial service at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Dr. Belflower was born June 6, 1936, in Tifton, and was the son of James Robert Belflower Sr. and Junia Burk Belflower, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by his brother, Charles L. Belflower.
A graduate of Tifton High School, Dr. Belflower pursued an academic career, attending Abraham Baldwin College and Norman Park College and receiving his bachelor’s degree from LaGrange College. He received his master’s degree from Emory University, his doctorate from Duke University and doctor of philosophy from Oxford University in England.
Upon receiving his degree from Oxford, he became an instructor in the Department of American Studies at Manchester University. He remained a teacher and lecturer of American literature for more than 30 years until his retirement in 1995. He continued to work as guest lecturer at various conferences around Europe and the United States even after his retirement.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Tifton.
Dr. Belflower is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Caroline and Wayne Chapman of Statesboro; one aunt, Marjorie Corcoran of Decatur; several nieces and nephews, Lesli and Tom Holton of Tifton, Barbara and Kevin Hampton of Tifton, Carol and John Bland of Albany, Celia and Doug Grimes of Statesboro, Steve and Jenny Chapman of Statesboro and Bryan Chapman of Denver, Colo.; and several great-nieces and nephews, Christopher Hampton, Rebecca Hampton, Matthew Hampton, Noah Hampton and Joseph Hampton, all of Tifton, D. J. Grimes, Rachel Chapman and Sydney Chapman, all of Statesboro, and Charles Bland and Braxton Bland, both of Albany.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Organ Fund at the First Baptist Church Tifton, 404 Love Ave., Tifton, GA 31794.
Sign the online guest registry at www.bowen-donaldson.com.
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.
Flora Elizabeth McAloon
DECATUR — Flora Elizabeth Steed Paulk McAloon, 94, of Decatur, died peacefully Monday, Nov. 20, 2006, at the VistaCare Hospice in Wesley Woods of Emory University.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, in the Brushy Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Ocilla. The Rev. J. Hoffman Harris, senior minister emeritus of Briarlake Baptist Church in Decatur, will officiate.
Flora was born Jan. 15, 1912, in Ocilla. She was preceded in death by husbands Marvin W. Paulk, James A. Moore and Ernest A. McAloon; daughter Elizabeth Rebecca Paulk Wells; grandchildren Richard D. and Dena P. Wells; and siblings, Hazel Steed, Jane Steed, James and Basil Steed.
For many years she worked as legal secretary to the state of Georgia’s assistant attorney general and then as administrative secretary to the dean of engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. After retiring in 1974, she continued to be very active with volunteer work and traveling.
A founder of Briarlake Baptist Church in 1958, she served as superintendent of the Junior Sunday School Department and taught a class for young married ladies.
Flora also was a founder of the Oak Grove AARP Chapter, serving as vice president for three terms, writing and presenting the chapter’s 10-year history, with others launching DeKalb County’s Life Enrichment Services and serving as a director. She accepted Jesus Christ as Savior at the age of nine and was baptized in an alligator-infested lake in Florida. Flora was well known for her elegance, charm, beauty, intelligence and humor, qualities she radiated even in her last days.
She is survived by sons and daughter-in-laws, M. Donovan and Keturah W. Paulk of Highlands, N.C., Ira H. and Janet T. Paulk of Decatur and son-in law William D. Wells of Tucker; grandchildren, Melanie S., David C., Daniel S., Kevin D., Philip W., Michael S., and Julie M. “Jules” Paulk, Elizabeth Rebecca “Becky” Wells Mericle, Anne Neal Cranz, “J” Neal III, and families, including 13 great-grandchildren; and siblings, Paschal H. Steed and spouse Bettie of Oxford, Ala., and Fairrah Steed Bracy of Pooler.
In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions to Brushy Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, Ocilla, or the American Cancer Society.
Paulk Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ruth Powell Linder
MOULTRIE — Ruth Powell Linder, 94, of Moultrie, died Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2006, at her home.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Trinity Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Westview Cemetery. The Rev. Michael Helms will officiate. Visitation is at the residence at 1180 Fifth St. S.W.
Martin Stark, Bert Linder, Bobby Lenihan, T.J. Rauls, Frank Rauls, Fred Powell, Bill Linder and Al Nobles will serve as casketbearers.
Mrs. Linder was born May 28, 1912, in Omega. She was the daughter of Sallie Hester Powell and Frank Powell, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Nelson Linder; her brother, Glenn Powell; and a sister, Irene Powell Rauls.
Mrs. Linder was a retired educator and partner in the Linder family farming and cattle operation. She was a member of Trinity Baptist Church and a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, the Federated Guild and the Retired Teacher’s Association.
Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Janice Linder of Norman Park; her daughter and son-in-law, Lee Linder and Joseph Stark of Tampa, Fla.; three grandchildren, Martin Linder Stark, Beth Linder and Bert Linder; and three great-grandchildren, Linder Stark, Isabel Stark and Eden Stark.
Memorials may be made to Trinity Baptist Church.
Cobb Funeral Chapel, Moultrie, is in charge of arrangements.
David ‘Luke’ Pitts
TIFTON — David “Luke” Pitts, 88, of Tifton, died Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006, at his residence.
Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Lawrence Cemetery. The Rev. Chris Ramsey will officiate. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 tonight at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
David Hill, Alex Hill, Kevin Thomas, Charles Thomas, Tim Hill and Chuck Hill will serve as pallbearers.
Mr. Pitts was born Nov. 3, 1918, in Turner County. He was the son of Clayton Bailey Pitts and Lucy Dell Pitts, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by a brother.
He was a retired caretaker for Westside Baptist Church in Ashburn where he was a member.
Survivors include a daughters, Juanita Gray of Tifton; three grandsons, Dewayne Hill, Tim Hill and Chuck Hill, and three great-grandchildren, Emilea Hill, David Hill and Alex Hill.
Sign the online guest registry at www.bowen-donaldson.com.
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.