Ernest Lee Smith, 81, of Social Circle died peacefully at his home on October 4, 2009. Mr. Smith was born October 27, 1927 in Chattanooga, Oklahoma to Jesse Smith and Thelma Lee Smith. He attended St. James Catholic Church. Mr. Smith was retired from the National Weather Service as a meteorologist and hydrologist. Since retiring he enjoyed golfing and was usually busy with a project around his house.

Mr. Smith is survived by his wife, Betty Tendall Smith and their children, Janis Smith and Steven Smith; two grandchildren, Bernadette Johnson and Daniel Johnson. A daughter, Dianna Smith, preceded Mr. Smith in death.
A graveside service was held Wednesday, October 7 at Madison Memorial Park.
A.E. Carter Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Edgar J. (Jud) Crowley, 79, of Buckhead died Sunday, October 4, 2009. He was born in Watkinsville on August 10, 1930 to Roy Billups Rowley and Lila Pool Rowley. He graduated from Oconee County High School and after serving in the United States Air Force for four years earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the University of Georgia.
Mr. Crowley worked for The Boeing Company in Florida and California as a test engineer and manager on various aerospace projects, including the Apollo program, Minuteman missile, B1 bomber and F-22 fighter before retiring in Marietta in 1994.

He was preceded in death by his first wife M. Lorraine Witt Crowley and his brother Roy James (Jimmy) Crowley.  He is survived by his second wife Mary Sue Forehand Pruitt Crowley; his children and step-children, Edgar J. Crowley Jr., Judi Pestka, Jayne Haleluk, Roy (Bill) Crowley, Glenn Pruitt, Rhonda Wilkinson; his grandchildren, Jud Wilson and Alex Haleluk, Bonnie, Christina, Danielle and Stephanie Pestka; E. J. and Jacob Crowley, Amanda and Erin Crowley, Kristopher and Morgann Pruitt and a brother, Andrew Pool Crowley.

The family received friends at A. E. Carter Funeral Home in Madison on Saturday night, October 10. A private memorial will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to Georgia Sheriff’s Youth Home, P, O, Box 1000, Stockbridge, GA 30281.
A.E. Carter Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Betty Ann Miller Tharp, 76, of Madison, died Thursday, October 1, 2009 at Saint Joseph’s East Georgia in Greensboro. Born in Chautauqua County, New York on August 5, 1933, she was the daughter of the late George Lacelle Miller and Lillian Orilla Loucks Miller. She attended Westfield Academy in New York. She married Jessie Tharp on September 17, 1960 and they had just celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary. They moved to Greene County in the spring of 1993 from Loganville. She was a homemaker and a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Kennesaw. Betty enjoyed crocheting, knitting, sewing, making clothes and fishing. Most of all she enjoyed the time she spent with her family and grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, Jessie Tharp of Madison, she is survived by a daughter, Becky Bryan and husband Len of Madison; two sons, Richard Lavern Graham and wife Mary Lou of Buford, and Bobby Tharp and wife Betty of Dacula, a sister, Clara Alford of Westfield, NY; six grandchildren, Amy Graham, Michael Graham, Timothy Tharp, Chris Tharp, Sami Bryan and Terri Bryan; nine great grandchildren, Mitchell Graham, Ashton Graham, Jayden Graham, Karen Long, Michelle Long, Emily Long, Kari Tharp, Ashton Tharp and Kenneth Tharp; and a number of other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her siblings, William "Billy" Miller, George Miller, Donna Miller Liggett and Alice Miller Aikens.

Graveside services were held Saturday, October 3, at 3 p.m. at the Buckhead Cemetery with Rev. Wayne Ghann officiating.
McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA, (706) 453-2626, was in charge of arrangements. Visit us at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register.

Howard Watson Timms, 81,died Wednesday September 30, 2009.  For a little over a year he had lived in Eatonton.  He and his wife, Peggy, had moved to Eatonton from Madison, after spending most of their lives in the greater Atlanta area.
He was born in Atlanta, May 22, 1928, to Howard W. Timms, Sr. and Lillian Elliott Timms.  He was preceded in death by his parents and his older brothers, Louie George and Ira George.

Mr. Timms enjoyed a long and full life.  He loved people, and was active with his church, family and friends.  He enjoyed many interests over the years.  His career was in pharmacecutical sales.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Peggy Heath Timms; his daughter Sandy Bishop, son Scott A. Timms (Karen), and four grandchildren: Allison and Martin Bishop, and Matthew and Andrew Timms.
The memorial service was held Saturday at Madison Presbyterian Church.

Margaret Hanson Richardson, 85, of Rutledge, died on September 28, 2009.  She was born in Morgan County on August 10, 1924 to the late Leonard Hanson and the late Lena Mae Peters Hanson.  She was preceded in death by her daughter, Rhonda E. Richardson.

She is survived by her husband, William Junior Richardson; daughter and son-in-law, Paula and Roger Harrison of Social Circle; sisters and brothers-in-law, Dorothy and Jack Dillard of Snellville, Ruby and Edwin Little of High Shoals, Christine and George Brown of Rutledge, Frances Little of Rutledge; brothers and sister-in-law, Ronald and Jackie Hanson of Rutledge, John William Hanson of Rutledge; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, September 30, at 2:00 p.m. at Ebenezer Baptist Church with the Rev. Don Malcom officiating.  Interment followed at Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Ebenezer Baptist Church, 3861 Ebenezer Church Road, Social Circle, GA 30025.

Meadows Funeral Home, Inc. was in charge of arrangements.

Greetings from Union Springs Baptist Church and we are off to a great start with the new time change. We will be in the new church sooner than you may imagine. The great vision of our wonderful pastor Robert L. Terrell Jr. is leading us to higher and higher levels in Christ Jesus.

Hats off to the Nursing Home Ministry for consistently bringing the Word and great joy to the members and staff at Madison Health and Rehabilitation. Evangelist Stokes, Sis. Rebecca Hubbard and Sis. Willie Ann Johnson do a tremendous job heading this and all feedback tells of blessed and uplifted souls. Thank God for you ladies and all the others that take time every third Saturday for this mission.

On Sunday our own Minister Kathy Hubbard traveled to Mount Vernon Baptist Church to speak at their Women’s Day Program. Several members of the Springs went to support her and I know that all there were blessed by the Word that went forth. Also on Thursday, Oct. 3, Sister Toni Terrell will speak at Triumph Church in Monroe as a part of their three night revival. Please plan to attend and hear a message from the Lord.

To Jalen, Shaunice, Aris, Precious and Shanquarius, job well done. These are our Chanters of God’s Word and they did wonderfully as they gave their answers to 10 specific questions about Jesus. Also, kudos to their leader Sister Jamie Baker who is also the church secretary. Thanks Jamie for your devotion to doing the work of the church and also for making me smile last Wednesday night at Bible Study.