By Monaray Powers

On Saturday, June 14, approximately 150 family and friends of Martha Jo Paxson joined together to celebrate her 80th birthday. The festive occasion was held in Watkinsville. Jimmy Paxson started the celebration by welcoming everyone to this special occasion. All 18 of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren showed “Mama Jo” their love with a special presentation of her. Steve Strahan, son-in-law, read Proverbs 31 describing the life of a virtuous woman. Phil Paxson honored his mother with a poem he had written for her entitled, “Ode to Mama Jo.” Phil and his daughters, Jennifer Peters, Emily and Lindsey Paxson, presented this as a song. The party was given by her children, Jimmy and Pansy Paxson, Phil and Karen Paxson, Kathy and Steve Strahan, Karen and George Beckham and Gena and Sean Christian.
Christie Lawson and Jamie Hood were married this past Saturday on Driftwood Beach in Jekyll Island. Attending from Madison were Colin, Jamie and Cole Campbell, Elizabeth, Thad and John Lawson, Roy and Terry Smith, Dave, Kathleen and Ivey Miller, Steve, Julie and Annie Speyer, Jeff Davis and Ron Mastrogiovanni.
Kayla Nicole Warren and James Steven Johnson were married Saturday, June 21 at 5 p.m. in a beautiful garden ceremony held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Todd Grantham in Fitzgerald. She is the daughter of Dusty and Lynn Adams, formerly of Rutledge. Among those attending the wedding from here were Lee and Glenda Nelms, grandparents of the bride, Peter and Robin Benkoski, Becky Snowden, Monaray Powers, Chad Eaton and Amanda Greenway.