Area Obituaries

Mr. Gene Moeykens, 79, of Hazlehurst, passed away June 7 at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. Mr. Gene was born Oct. 24, 1946, in Madison, Wisc., to the late Ernest and Anne Moeykens, but had made Hazlehurst his home since 1987, when he came to work for Alco Controls. He was a proud veteran of…

Mr. Grant Joshua “Josh” Brinkley I, age 54, of Hazlehurst, passed away May 28 at his residence. Josh was born Jan. 3, 1972, in Jesup. He was owner and operator of GJB Trucking and had a trade in carpentry. He was preceded in death by his father Gary Brinkley, uncle Terry Brinkley and niece Hannah…

Mr. Berney Jack “B.J.” Hand, 76, of Hazlehurst, passed away June 7 at his home under the care of Coastal Hospice. He made medical history being the longest surviving LVAD patient and the second person to ever receive one. He was born July 25, 1949, in Hazlehurst to the late Julius Berney Hand and Alma…

Ms. Barbara Ann Cobb Hulett, 69, of Lumber City, passed away June 7 at her residence. Ms. Hulett was born July 23, 1956, in Savannah to the late Clayton Cobb and Ernestine Douglas. She was formerly employed by the Dollar Store of Lumber City and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day…

Mr. Charles William Mabey Jr., 77, of Hazlehurst, passed away May 24 at Meadows Rehab in Vidalia under the care of Affinis Hospice. Mr. Mabey was born June 5, 1948, in Hawthorne, N.J. He had a career in law enforcement and retired from CCA Federal Prison. He was preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy…

Mrs. Kathy (Luke) Smith, 67, of Hazlehurst, passed away June 2 at HCA Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla., while under hospice care. She was surrounded by her family during this time. Kathy June (Luke) Smith was born in Freeport, Texas, Sept. 12, 1958, to the late Ronald Charles Luke and Betty Jo Easterling. Kathy attended…

Ms. Gewanda Bryant, 83, of Hazlehurst, passed away May 31 at Glenwood Healthcare under the care of Community Hospice. Gewanda was born Aug. 2, 1942, in Jacksonville, Fla., to the late John Cecil Walls and Mary Allene Cox Atkinson. Gewanda loved Jesus with all her heart. She enjoyed going to church, reading her Bible, and…

Mrs. Barbara Ann Durrance, 76, of Hazlehurst, passed away May 26 at her residence. Mrs. Durrance was born June 7, 1949, in Alma to the late Lawton Miller and Emma Sims Miller. She attended Free Them Ministries and loved crocheting and doing word search puzzles. She also enjoyed buying lottery tickets. She was preceded in…

Mrs. Jackie Fowler, 90, of Hazlehurst, passed away May 25 at Community Hospice in Vidalia. She was born Feb. 29, 1936, in Soperton to the late Emmitt Milton Simons and Susie McNeal Simons. Jackie was devoted to her family, and nothing brought her more joy than time spent together — especially with her grandchildren. She…

Mrs. Tera Mae Hosmer, 86, of Hazlehurst, passed away May 27 at her home, under the care of Coastal Hospice and surrounded by her family. She was born Oct. 25, 1939, in Hazlehurst to the late Colon D. Jones and Lois Googe Jones. Tera grew up on her family farm, a place that remains in…