Phyllis Jenkins Barrow, 89, died peacefully in her home on November 30, 2009, after a lengthy illness.
    The embodiment of the true Southern lady, Phyllis Barrow’s life was anything but typical.  In addition to being the devoted wife and mother of an extended family, she was also a veteran, university professor, community activist, and political leader.  Most of all, she was noted for her intelligence, dignity, and empathy for the needs and concerns of others.
    A native of Athens, Phyllis Parker Jenkins was the daughter of John Wilkinson Jenkins and Ruth Parker Jenkins, both of whom worked for the University of Georgia.  She was among the last generation of faculty children to actually live and play on the old campus of the University as a child.
    She was also among the last students to attend the Lucy Cobb Institute as a young girl, graduating from Athens High School at the age of 15.  At 19, she became the first woman to earn a bachelor of science in commerce degree from the University of Georgia (she would have graduated at age 18, had it not been for a bout of malaria she contracted in south Georgia).   She later earned her master’s degree in history, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Mortar Board, Beta Gamma Sigma, and Delta Kappa Gamma.
    During the Second World War, she answered President Roosevelt’s call to service when she became the first University of Georgia graduate to enlist in the Women’s Army Corps.  She was in the second class of women to graduate from the WAC Officer Candidate School and served in the Pentagon.  At war’s end she left the service with the rank of Captain, the same rank as her fiancée, James Barrow, also of Athens.

Gary Hudson, an American abstract painter, died of heart failure at the Veterans’ Memorial Hospital Spinal Cord Unit in Augusta on Dec. 1, 2009. He was 73. He is survived by his loving wife, Christie Youngman Hudson; his sister Gail Hudson McCarthy; his stepson, Shaun Ferro; and his many friends in the art world.

Gary Van Voorhees Hudson was born on Jan. 21, 1936 in Auburn, New York. His father and mother were Howard Henry Hudson and Joyce Voorhees Hudson of Elmira, New York. After completing high school Mr. Hudson entered the United States Marine Corps in 1955. While serving in the Marines he was critically injured in an accident which resulted in his being a paraplegic. He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 1956.

Mr. Hudson’s creative spirit, which found expression even while he was a youngster, led him to become a painter, a profession he embraced for the remainder of his life. Hudson migrated to New York City after his release from the hospital where he began the long process of becoming a painter. He studied at the New York School of Social Research and soaked up the cultural world of the city--art, music, and literature. This education through exposure continued as he moved back and forth between the creative communities of California and New York. Then he was off to Europe for a period with Paris being the last place before he returned to the United States in the early 1960s.

Gertrude Moon Brown, 76, of Madison died Monday, December 7, 2009. She was born January 8, 1933 in Morgan County to the late Walter and Corrine Humphries Moon. On July 3, 1949 she married Robert “Bobby” Brown. They made their home in Morgan County. Mrs. Brown worked along side her husband in the business they founded, Georgia Sleep Shop and Brown’s Custom Furniture & Upholstery. She was a very talented painter and pianist. She was an interior designer and enjoyed writing. She authored two books. She also enjoyed working in her flowers and spending time with her family.

Mrs. Brown is survived by her husband of 60 years, Bobby Brown; two sons, Steve Brown and Beverly and Randy Brown and Angie; grandchildren, Wesley Brown and Joy, Libby Whitaker and Blake, Chris Brown and Tina, Amanda Brown and Rob Brown; great-grandchildren Ethan Brown, Taylor Whitaker, Nick Brown, Emma Brown and Blakely Whitaker; and two sisters, Christine Vaughan and Mary Cheeves. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Mary Jean Brown and a sister, Marjorie Combs.

Funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, December 9 in the Chapel at A. E. Carter Funeral Home. Interment was in Madison Memorial Park.

A.E. Carter Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Karen Martz Evans, 38, of Madison, formerly of Conyers, died Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

She is survived by her husband, Michael F. Evans of Madison; daughters, Madison Hope Evans and Ashley Nicole Evans, a son, Michael Alex Evans; parents, Dallas and Brenda Martz of Madison, sister and brother-in-law, Cristy and Kelly Cargile, Denver, North Carolina; grandmother, Gladys Hogan of Conyers, niece, Mackenzie Cargile and nephew, Austin Cargile.
Mrs. Evans was a member of Centennial Baptist Church, a graduate of Auburn University and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.

Funeral services were held Sunday, December 6 at 2 p.m. at Centennial Baptist Church with Pastor Wilburn Hill and Pastor Reese Sanders officiating. Interment was at the church cemetery.

Contributions may be made to the Karen Evans Children’s Fund c/o United Bank, 256 North Main Street, Madison, GA 30650 in memory of Karen Evans. Condolences may be submitted on-line at www.scotward.com. Scot Ward Funeral Services – Harry White Chapel  in Conyers was in charge of arrangements.

In celebration of the life of Mary Gordon Nelams, a memorial service will be held at Madison Christian Church, located at 1871 Atlanta Highway, Madison, on Friday, December 11 beginning at 5 p.m. 

She rests peacefully with her beloved Nathan Crabtree. Mary will be dearly missed by her father, Jim Gordon, and her two sons, Tim Jones and Nick Shiflett, and her extended family of friends. We will always remember her.

Friends are welcome at 5 p.m. to pay their respects and the service will begin at 7 p.m. with light refreshments afterwards.
Thank you for your prayers.

Mr. Thurmond was preceded in death by his parents Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Duard Thurmond of Madison.  He is survived by; Martha Louise Ponder Thurmond, his childhood  sweetheart who he married in 1962, their one son, William Peter Ponder Thurmond and wife Tracie of Nashville, and three grandchildren; Sarah Frances Thurmond, William Peter Ponder Thurmond, Jr., and Donald Wakefield Thurmond; his brother, Gerald Thurmond of Houston, TX; and his sister Elizabeth of Athens.

Mr. Thurmond is a graduate of the University of Georgia where he earned both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Doctor of Jurisprudence. He earned a Masters degree in taxation from Emory University School of Law, and a graduate degree from the ABA National Trust School at Northwestern University. Mr. Thurmond was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army’s Quarter Master Corps from the University of Georgia’s Reserve Officer Training Corps.  He served two years active duty at Fort Lee Virginia’s Quarter Master Corps headquarters serving as Foreign Liaison Officer and left active service as a First Lieutenant. He received awards for distinguished service from the U.S. Army.