Area Obituaries

Mrs. Clarice Dubberly Swinson passed away peacefully Dec. 18 at the age of 94. She was born Sept. 7, 1931. Clarice and her 11 siblings knew the meaning of hard work, growing up on a cotton farm in southeast Georgia during the Great Depression. The hardships she experienced during childhood taught her the value of…

Mr. Jay Yawn, 65, of Hazlehurst, passed away Dec. 16 at Memorial Health Hospital in Savannah. Mr. Yawn was born June 3, 1960, in Jeff Davis County to the late Joseph Allen Yawn Sr. (JA) and Jackie Thompson Carter. He enjoyed operating heavy equipment and had a true love for farming, finding peace and purpose…

Mrs. Jeanne Myers Crawford, 90, of Lumber City, passed away Dec. 17 in North Augusta, S.C. Mrs. Jeanne was born Nov. 22, 1935, in Gulf Hammock, Fla., to the late James Charles Myers Sr. and Lucile Kitchens Myers. A lifelong resident of Lumber City, she began her career with the United States Postal Service in…

Ms. Michele Taylor, 62, of Hazlehurst, passed away Dec, 10 at Coffee Regional Medical Center in Douglas. She was born Jan. 26, 1963, in Jacksonville, Fla., to the late Wades Taylor and Bonnie Tanner Carter. For more than 30 years, she faithfully served as general manager of the Huddle House locations in Lumber City and…

Mr. Gary Brandon Porterfield, 40, of Hazlehurst, passed away Dec. 9. Brandon was born Dec. 21, 1984, in Hazlehurst to the late Gwen Hall and Gary Porterfield. He was a 2003 graduate of Jeff Davis High School. After graduation, he proudly enlisted in the United States Army, serving as an 11 Bravo Infantryman with the…

Mr. Gary Edward Yawn Sr., 74, of Baxley, passed away Dec. 10 at Community Hospice in Vidalia. Mr. Yawn was born Sept. 8, 1951, in Jacksonville, Fla., to the late Otis Edward Yawn and the late Mildred Peacock Yawn. He was a member of Asbury Church and was an electrician with CSX Railroad. Beyond his…

Ms. Sonya Johnson Gibson, 62, of Hazlehurst, passed away Dec. 7 at her residence. Ms. Gibson was born July 8, 1963, in Jeff Davis County to the late Earl Johnson and Edna Ann Newham Johnson. Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband Sherman Gibson and her sister Betty Faye Harper.…

Mrs. Bertha Mae Hill was a loving wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, a sister, and an aunt. She was born April 30, 1943, to the late Ike White and Easter White. Bertha was a hard worker. After many years of faithful employment, she retired from Hazlehurst Mills. She enjoyed sewing and going to…

Mr. Mason Pedro Morrison, 61, of Hazlehurst, passed away Dec. 4 at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah. Born June 25, 1964, in McRae to the late John B. Morrison and Barbara Jean Livingston Morrison, Pedro lived his entire life in Jeff Davis County. He worked faithfully as a master pressman for more than…

Mrs. Lynda Joyce Johnson Newell, 79, of Hazlehurst, passed away Dec. 5 at her residence under the care of Community Hospice. Mrs. Newell was born Feb. 24, 1946, in Tifton to the late Seaburn Hedgepath Johnson and the late Fanny Pearl Cooksey Johnson. She was a homemaker who loved her family and especially her grandchildren,…