Mrs. Kate Self, age 103, of Cleveland, passed away Wednesday, August 8, 2018.

Mrs. Self was born on July 4, 1915, in Union County, to the late George and Ida Mae Crumley Dyer.  She was a homemaker and member of Salem Methodist Church.  Mrs. Self was preceded in death by husband, Hugh Self; brothers, Buford Dyer, Will Dyer, Irvin Dyer, and Lee Dyer; and sisters, Ruth Arrington and Mary Lou Collins.

Survivors include sister, Elease Duckworth, Gainesville; brother in law, Doyle Collins, Gainesville; sisters-in-law, Wilonell Dyer and Obie Dyer; 9 nieces, 7 nephews, 37 great-nieces and nephews, 50 great-great-nieces and nephews, and 15 great-great-great-nieces and nephews.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11 A.M. Friday, August 10 from The Chapel at Barrett Funeral Home.  The Rev. Jeff Lovell will officiate.  Interment will follow in Gateway Memory Park.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 P.M. Thursday, August 9, 2018 at the funeral home.

Online condolences may be made at barrettfh.com.

Janie Louise Martin, age 78 of Cleveland, passed away Friday, July 13, 2018.

Mrs. Martin was born in White County to the late Aaron Westmoreland and Marie Price Westmoreland. Louise was a homemaker and a member of Mt. View Baptist Church. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her grandson, Kegan Martin and brothers, Tommy Westmoreland, Julian Westmoreland, James Westmoreland, and Julius Westmoreland.

Survivors include her husband, Royce Martin, Cleveland; son and daughter-in-law, Tim and Karen Martin, Cleveland; daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Don Burnham, Ridgeland, MS; brothers, Robert Westmoreland, Toccoa; Jewell Westmoreland, Cleveland; sister, Janette Turner, Gainesville; grandchildren, Josh Taylor, Megan LaPree, Kassie Martin, Rev. Austin Baker, Rev. Andy Baker, Ben Baker; great grandchildren, Ava Baker, Ella Baker, Drew Baker, James Baker, Braxton Taylor and Brooks Taylor.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 AM Monday, July 16, 2018 at The Chapel of Barrett Funeral Home. The Rev. Austin Baker, the Rev. Andy Baker and the Rev. Dave Fortner will officiate. Interment will follow at Gateway Memory Park with the Rev. Kevin Woody officiating.

The family will receive friends from 4-7 PM Sunday at the funeral home.

Vicki Jo Thomas, age 61 of Cleveland, passed away on Saturday, July 7, 2018.

Ms. Thomas was born on February 17, 1957.  She was a machine operator and was a member of St. John’s Baptist Church. She graduated from Sugar Hill High School and was preceded in death by her father, Tommy Posten; mother and step-father, Idelle and Sam Helton; sister, Cathey Green.

Survivors include her sons and daughters-in-law, William Mosier and Bridget Jones, Cleveland; Nakia and Kayla Wood, Dawsonville; daughter and son-in-law, Alecia Mathis and Riley Hall, Clarkesville; daughter and son-in-law, Carrie and Taylor Engram, Canton; numerous grandchildren also survive.

A Home Going service is scheduled for 2:00 PM Monday, July 16, 2018 at St. John’s Baptist Church.

To share a memory or to leave a condolence, please visit www.barrettfh.com

Anthony “Tony” James Clifton, age 58 of Cleveland, passed away Tuesday, June 19, 2018.

Mr. Clifton was born October 14, 1959 in Savannah, GA. Tony was retired Project Manager with the Honeywell Company and was a Veteran of the United States Navy. He was preceded in death by his step-father, Ray Layton.

Survivors include his wife of almost 29 years, Teresa Clifton, Cleveland; daughter, Nicole Clifton, Cleveland; mother, Kathryn Layton, Richmond Hill, GA; father and step-mother, Carroll and Carole Clifton, Savannah; brother, Gene Clifton, Savannah; sister and brother-in-law, Jane and Tony Moye, Savannah; brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Renee Clifton, Reidsville, GA; step sisters, Rhonda Bedell, Andrea Lanier, numerous extended family also survive.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 PM Saturday, June 23, 2018 at The Chapel of Barrett Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Yonah View Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends from 12-2 PM Saturday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to a charity of your choice.

Barbara Jones Hiers, daughter of Ezekiel Candler Jones and Ruth Post Jones, passed away peacefully on June 6 at age 86.  Barbara and her husband of almost 66 years, James B. Hiers, Jr., have been proud residents of Cleveland, Georgia since 1992.  One of five sisters, Barbara fiercely loved her “sisterhood” members – Ruth, Bette, Sara and Patsy.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, and sisters Ruth Knutsen, Bette Eberhard, and Sara Davis.

Barbara was born in West Palm Beach on July 30, 1931, as “Sister Number Four” in the loving five-sister ensemble.   As Vice President and Freight Engineer with Central of Georgia Railroad, Barbara’s father was often transferred to various railroad hub cities throughout the Southeast.  Since they always had each other, Barbara and her sisters made the absolute best of their unique itinerant experience of being raised in West Palm Beach, Tampa, Jacksonville, New Orleans and Macon.

One of Barbara’s most exciting memories was living on Apricot Street (now known as Walmsley Street) in New Orleans during the time of World War II.  On a day she never forgot, 10-year old Barbara and her older sisters – Ruth, Bette and Sara – were enjoying a movie in New Orleans early on a Sunday afternoon in December 1941 when the film was abruptly halted for an unbelievable announcement: Pearl Harbor had been bombed, and all military personnel in the theatre were to immediately report to their bases.  Like the majority of Americans during those scary times, the Jones family would spend the next four years of their lives in New Orleans huddled around the family radio at night, anxiously listening to war news from abroad.

The Jones family eventually left New Orleans for Macon.  Barbara often remarked how much the close-knit Jones family enjoyed living on Briarcliff Road in Macon.  She especially enjoyed her “alone” times with her father, affectionately known to family members as “Big Daddy”, during their morning drives to school.

Barbara graduated from Miller High School, an all-girls school, in Macon in 1949.  She attended Mercer University for her freshman and sophomore years, where she pledged Alpha Delta Pi sorority.  It was during a chaperoned Alpha Delta Pi summer trip for fraternities and sororities to Saint Simons Island that Barbara fell head over heels in love with the man who would become her future husband for over six decades.

The two had so much fun on their first encounter together, Jim insisted Barbara break her already arranged Saturday night date with someone else and go out with him instead.  When the poor fellow asked why she was breaking their date, Barbara blurted out, “Because I’m in love, that’s why!”

Barbara and Jim were married on her 21^st birthday at the First Christian Church in Decatur.  The newlyweds began their lives together in Memphis (where the heat and humidity were so intense in the summer, they would often go the movies just to enjoy the air conditioning), before returning to Decatur.  Barbara and Jim purchased their first home on Wayland Circle in Brookhaven in 1953.  With so many young couples and children moving into the neighborhood, the 1950’s were a special time on Wayland Circle.  Barbara and Jim developed deep life-long friendships with many of the Wayland Circle families.

Wayland Circle was the first of many homes for Barbara and her family.  Jim entered the legal profession in 1958, and later became a founding partner in the law firm Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers (now with over 140 lawyers).  The Hiers family was blessed to live in many fine homes in the Druid Hills, Buckhead, North Springs and Midtown areas of Atlanta.  Of all the Atlanta area homes the family lived in over the years, Barbara’s all-time favorite residence was their home on Lullwater Road near the Emory University campus.

Family meant the world to Barbara, and she took great pride and joy in her three children – Bo, Jan and Chris – as well as her three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.  All held an extra special place in Barbara’s heart.

Known to family and friends as “Big B”, she loved their time in Cleveland, and was especially proud of their residence – a beautiful Victorian home, built in 1906, with a stunningly picturesque view of Mt. Yonah.  The home originally sat near the town square in Cleveland, but was moved shortly before Big B and Jim purchased the home.  The home is now known as the Miller-Dixon-Hiers home.

The First Presbyterian Church in Cleveland has always been an integral part of Big B and Jim’s life in Cleveland.  They are charter members of the church, with Jim serving as Clerk of the Session for over 20 years.  Barbara was instrumental in bringing the Stephen Ministries program to First Presbyterian Church.  With her caring personality and terrific listening skills, she was a natural as a Stephens Minister.  She also proudly sang in the First Presbyterian choir, along with her daughter, Jan, and big sister, Sara.

Big B was known to all who intimately knew her as an incredibly caring, fun-loving, unselfish and kind person.  To know her was to love her.  Even when she knew her medical condition was terminal and her body was ravaged with disease, her only real concern was how you were doing.  Big B’s little sister Patsy described her beloved big sister this way:  “The most loving, non-judgmental, honest and funniest friend in the world…who happens to be my sister!”

Barbara is survived by her husband of 65 years, James B. Hiers, Jr., children James. B. Hiers III (Dianne), Janet Hiers Baker (Teddy), and Christopher Candler Hiers (Beth); sister Patricia Jones Smith; grandchildren Matthew Christopher Hiers, Catherine Leigh Loggins and Melissa Hiers Brady; great grandchildren Audrey Leigh Hildebran, Joel Lawrence Hildebran, Kate Walsh Loggins and Fletcher Andrew Hiers.

The memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Cleveland on Thursday, June 14 at 1:00 p.m., followed by a reception and visitation with family in the Hutcheson Fellowship Hall until 3:30 p.m.  Officiating the service will be Rev. Dr. Gary Bagley, Rev. Dr. Roe Callaway, and Rev. Jeff Hutcheson, Ph.D.

Donations in Barbara’s memory may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Cleveland, 147 N. Main Street, Cleveland, GA 30528.

To share a memory or leave a condolence please visit www.barrettfh.com.

Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland.

Ima Jean Vaughn Sutton, age 77 of Cornelia, passed away on Wednesday, May 9, 2018.

Survivors include her children, Dianne Christopherson of Sautee GA;  Keith Lawson of Cornelia, GA and Denise Serkedakis of Smyrna, GA.  Her grandchildren, include Nick Serkedakis of Cheyenne WY; Maggie Serkedakis of Vinings, GA Cara Christopherson of Sautee, GA and Dylan Lawson of Kings Mountain, NC.  Her great grandchildren include, Noah Jean Cook, Aedan and Emma Serkedakis.  Ms. Sutton was preceded in death by her loving son, Michael Adam Sutton.

Memorial services are scheduled for 2:00 PM Saturday, June 9, 2018 at The Chapel of Barrett Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 12-2 PM Saturday, June 9, 2018 at the funeral home.  This will be a joint memorial service with her son Michael Adam Sutton who passed away on January 23, 2016. The family encourages everyone to share this message’s with Mike’s friends.

To share a memory, or to leave a condolence, please visit www.barrettfh.com

J.D. Coker, age 92 of Demorest, passed away on Monday, May 21, 2018.

Mr. Coker was born on July 31, 1925, in White County, to the late Steve and Martha Allison Coker.  He was retired from the Georgia Forestry Commission and was a member of Return Baptist Church.  J.D. was a veteran of the United States Army.

Survivors include his wife, Maeonia Brock Coker, Demorest; son, Phillip Coker, Cleveland; daughters, Kathy Davis and Linda King, both of Cleveland; sisters, Willie Mae Stover and Mary Lou David; grandchildren, Tink Thomas, Chris Coker, Kimberly Coker, Brandon Blackburn, Kyle Blackburn, Kaylin King; great grandchildren, Shelby Thompson, Jesse Thomas, Shane Willis, Keerah Sims, K.J. Sims, Kamhern Sims; great-great grandchild, Raven Willis

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 P.M. Thursday, May 24, 2018 at Return Baptist Church.  Mr. Coker will lie in state 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.  The Rev. Anthony Shore and the Rev. Donald Grizzle will officiate. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5-8 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to Return Baptist Church.

Gregory Loyd Nix, age 51 of Cleveland, passed away on May 9, 2018.

Greg was born on May 3, 1967, in Stephens County, to Loyd “Junior” and Myra Smith Nix.  Greg enjoyed working as a videographer and being behind the camera.  He formerly worked for Channel 18, a government channel in Gainesville before becoming disabled due to health reasons. Greg was a member of Gethsemane Baptist Church in Cornelia where he taught Sunday School. Greg will be remembered as a man of God, who loved his family and always maintained a good attitude and quick wit, even in the midst of adversity.

Survivors include his wife, Heather Burch Nix, Cleveland; daughters, Sarah Nix and Allie Beth Nix, both of Cleveland; parents, Junior and Myra Nix, Demorest; sister and brother-in-law, Deborah and Greg Brock, Baldwin; brother and sister-in-law, Jonathan and Chastity Nix, Gainesville; grandmother, Lilly Mae Savage Nix; mother-in-law and father-in-law, O.C. and Geneva Burch, Cleveland; a number of nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles also survive.

Funeral services are scheduled for 5:00 P.M. Friday, May 11, 2018 at the Chapel of Barrett Funeral Home.  The Rev. Shannon Irvin and the Rev. Donald Grizzle will officiate.  Interment will follow at Yonah View Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends from 2-4 & 6-8 P.M. Thursday at the funeral home.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to the Shepherd Spinal Center – 2020 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30309.

To share a memory, or to leave a condolence, please visit www.barrettfh.com

Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland in charge of arrangements (706)865-3101

Marlene Ann Vanorsdale, age 82 of Cleveland, passed away on April 21, 2018.

Ms. Vanorsdale was born on February 16, 1936, in Danbury, Connecticut, to the late Chester and Frances Muhlig Webb. She worked as a secretary and was a member of Loudsville United Methodist Church. Marlene was preceded in death by her husband, John Vanorsdale.

Survivors include her son, Richard Vanorsdale, Jacksonville, FL; daughter, Debra Frank, San Carlos, California; granddaughter, Arielle Frank, San Carlos, California.

Burial was held at Loudsville United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Online condolences can be made to the family at www.barrettfh.com

Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland

Anthony Kevin Butler age 44 of Gainesville, passed away Tuesday, April 10, 2018.

Mr. Butler was born May 11, 1974 in Hall County to Dorothy Thomas Butler and the late Powell Butler. Anthony was self-employed and attended Trinity Full Gospel Fellowship Church.

Survivors include his mother, Dorothy Butler, Gainesville; brother, Michael Butler, Gainesville; uncle, Richard Butler, Gainesville and the Roy William Adams III family of Cornelia.

Funeral services are scheduled for 3:00 PM Sunday, April 15, 2018 at Trinity Full Gospel Fellowship Church. The Rev. Dennis Taylor will officiate. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 1-3 PM Sunday at the church prior to the funeral service.

To share a memory of Mr. Butler or to send a condolence, please visit www.barrettfh.com

Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland in charge of arrangements.

Cleveland Funeral Home announces that Freddie Leon Harris age 68 of Cleveland, Georgia passed away on April 19, 2018.

He is survived by his wife Sylvia Harris; Son and daughter in law, Derek(Christie) Harris; Daughter and son in law, Chenoa (James) Maples; Sister, Glenda Courson and 4 grandchildren.

It was Mr. Harris wishes were to be cremated and no services are planned at this time. However, in memory of Freddie please feel free to make a memorial donation to The Pulmonary Fibrosis Association @   https://pulmonaryfibrosis.donorpages.com/Tribute/LeonHarris

Walter Gary Ravan, age 72, of Dahlonega passed away on March 24, 2018 following an extended illness.  Gary was a long time resident of Lumpkin County.

Gary is preceded in death by his parents Jim and Nannie Ravan, brothers, Clyde, Oscar, Earl, Morris and Bobby,  and sisters Carrie and Betty.

Gary is survived by daughter Wendy Simmons of Gainesville and daughter and son-in-law Kelly and Kevin Boortz of Springdale, Arkansas, six grandchildren: Graham Simmons and wife Hayden, Victoria and Olivia Simmons and Candler, Gracie and Mattie Boortz, sister Frances Rider of Cleveland and sister and brother-in-law Marjorie, Bobby Canup of Sautee, and dear friends Tony (Shug) Hawkins and Oscar Buchanan.  He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Niece Kretrena Rider Stancil was his childhood friend and a loving caregiver during his illness.  Monica Walker was a friend to him and assisted Kretrena with his care; we will be forever grateful.

Walter Gary Ravan was born on November 24, 1945 in Dahlonega, Georgia to Jim and Nannie Ravan.  He served his country in the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged in 1974.  He was a truck driver and later owned a trucking company.

His hobby was riding his Harley and had many friends who shared his passion.  He also made many friendships with Veterans through the years.

Visitation will be held at Cleveland Funeral Home (formally Alexander Funeral Home) on Tuesday, March 27 from 2 P.M. – 7 P.M.   The funeral service will follow the visitation, starting a 7 P.M. in the Chapel of Cleveland Funeral Home with Rev. Lyman Caldwell officiating. Interment will be held on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia.
Cleveland Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
2721 Hwy. 129 S. Cleveland Ga 30528   706.865.1500

Sonia Marie Gooch Whitmire, age 47, of Clarkesville, passed away Sunday, March 25, 2018.

Mrs. Whitmire was a loving mother of four who enjoyed life to the fullest. Her deepest passion was the love and devotion she dedicated to her 9 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her loving grandparents, Radean and Bernice Gooch, Edith Langston, and Jesse Churchwell. Mrs. Whitmire was a member of Shoal Creek Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband, Raymond Whitmire; daughters and sons-in-law, Jessica and Mark Bouldin, and Andi and Jon Via; daughters, Kimberly Garrett and Amber Simpson; mother, Rebecca Yearwood; father, Earl Gooch; grandchildren, Ty Westmoreland, Bryson Norris, Khloe Bouldin, Jaxon Suttles, Grayson Betts, Zeke Wade, Charlie Via, Karley Via, and Kaylee Via; brothers and sisters-in-law, William and Katie Gooch and Alan and Stephanie Smith; and brother, Scott Gooch.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2 PM Tuesday, March 27, 2018 from the Chapel at Barrett Funeral Home. Rev. LeRoy Gooch will officiate. Interment will follow at Shoal Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 pm Monday, March 26, 2018 at the funeral home.

Condolences may be made online at barrettfh.com.

Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland.