Jacqueline Gale Pollard Strickland, 75, of Summerville, died Friday, August 30 at 6:14 a.m. A lifelong resident of Summerville and a descendant of several pioneer families who settled in Chattooga County by the mid-1840s, Mrs. Strickland was born at home on October 2, 1937, the daughter of the late Roy David and Emma Belle Ashworth Pollard. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Wayne Strickland—to whom she was married on Christmas Eve in 1958; grandson, David Lee Paul Strickland; and a brother, Rudy David Pollard. She showed great courage in the battle she waged with Alzheimer’s disease, complications of which eventually claimed her life. Mrs. Strickland was a 1955 graduate of Summerville High School and a 1957 graduate of the McKenzie Business College in Chattanooga. She was retired from North Georgia Home Health and had previously enjoyed working for many years with Juanita and Frank Prince as bookkeeper at Summerville’s Western Auto Store. She was a member and longtime treasurer of the West Summerville Baptist Church and a charter member of the Chattooga County Historical Society. She was a member of the John Story Cleghorn Chapter #1273 of the U.D.C and had previously served as registrar of the Chickamauga Chapter. She loved to learn, was an avid reader (particularly Biblical commentaries and American history) and an outstanding cook. She was a devoted mother who took particular pride in her children’s academic and extracurricular achievements. In later years, she delighted in her grandchildren and the children of her two nieces, Melissa Wade and Melanie Hubbard. Survivors include three sons and a daughter-in-law: Steven Wayne Strickland of Marietta; David Paul and Dawn Robertson Strickland of Woodstock; Jeffery Neil Strickland of Summerville; sister and brother-in-law, Maribelle P. and Sidney W. Wade of Newnan; seven grandchildren: Lucas David (Blakeley) Strickland, Brittany Nicole Smith, Anna Lee Strickland, Hayden Paul Strickland, Jeffery Taylor Strickland, Rebecca Nicole Strickland and Tiffany Leah Strickland; two sisters-in-law: Patricia S. (Larry) Walker of Columbus and Carol Forrest Strickland of Coosa; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. A funeral service is planned for Monday, September 2, at 2:00 p.m. in the West Summerville Baptist Church with the Rev. Lavonne Humphrey and the Rev. William Harris officiating. Burial will follow in the family lot at Summerville Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Steven, David, Jeffery, Lucas, Hayden and Taylor Strickland, as well as Andrew Hubbard, Jon Atteberry, Stanley Pierce, Joseph Bachelor and Robert L. Luallen. Honorary pallbearers will be members and former members of the Ladies’ Sunday School Class of the West Summerville Baptist Church, members of the John Story Cleghorn Chapter #1273 of the U.D.C., and the devoted staff of the Memory Care Unit of Oak View Health and Rehabilitation Center. The family will receive friends at the Earle Rainwater Funeral Home from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 1.

MRS. POLLY WRIGHT, age 78, of Summerville, Georgia passed away Friday, August 23, 2013, in a Rome hospital. Born on October 17, 1934 in Trion, Georgia , was a daughter of the late Grady Lee and Bessie Walker Nunn. She was a devoted Mother, the wife of Rev. Billy Wright, a Charter member of Living Waters Ministries, and was associated with Wright Sanitation for many years. She was predeceased by a daughter the late Judy Wright Pilcher on November 22, 1991, grandson-the late Zachary Wright on February 24, 1986, and a sister-the late Dorothy Barnes. Surviving are Husband-Rev. Billy Wright; daughter-Gwendolyn Joy and Tim McKee of Summerville; sons-Phillip Hugh and Denise Wright of Menlo and Billy Michael Wright of Summerville and former daughter-in-law Lori Wright; ten Grandchildren and twelve Great Grandchildren; sisters-Barbara Steele of Tallapoosa and Lillian Nunn Wallin of LaFayette; several Nieces and Nephews also survive. Funeral services will be held Monday, August 26th, at 4:30 P.M. from the Living Waters Ministries with Pastor Billy Wright, Steve Helms, and Dale Willingham officiating, interment in the Family plot of West Hill Cemetery. Active Pallbearers-Billy Teems, Bobby Teems, Lakelin Pilcher, Isaac Wright, Tim McKee, and Dewayne Clark; Honorary Pallbearers-Walter Morgan, Kenneth Burrage, John Stewart, Michael Kirk, Brent Hughes, Frank Abernathy, Malcolm Wright, and Tony Wright. The Family will receive friends at the Funeral Home, Sunday from 4 until 6 P.M.; She will also be in state at the Church , Monday from 2 P.M. til the hour of service. Earle Rainwater Funeral Home in charge.

Thelma Ruth Cooper Sprayberry, 93, of 55 Stockade Road (formerly of Allen Street), Summerville, Ga., passed away on Aug. 16, 2013. A native of Summerville, Mrs. Sprayberry was born on July 1, 1920, the only child of Charles Obed Cooper and Annie Lee Bridges Cooper. She was preceded in death by her husband, Julius Edward Sprayberry, in 1989, and her elder son, Charles Edward (Eddy) Sprayberry, in 2012. She is survived by her son Phillip Kent Sprayberry of Clifton, N.J.; her daughter-in-law, Melinda Graham Sprayberry of Decatur, Ala.; several cousins, nieces and nephews, great- and great-great-nieces and -nephews; and many friends. Mrs. Sprayberry was born in a house on Montgomery Street in South Summerville. She graduated from Summerville High School in 1937 and spoke fondly of playing on the girls’ basketball team. She was married to Julius Edward Sprayberry of Hall’s Valley on Sept. 7, 1941, in Walker County, and the couple built a house on Allen Street in the Bellah subdivision, where she lived for 70 years. She lived her entire life in Summerville except for two years in Boise, Idaho, where her husband was stationed during World War II. In the late 1930s and much of the 1940s, Mrs. Sprayberry was a certified beautician at Perry’s Beauty Shop, Myrtle’s Beauty Shop, Turner’s Beauty Shop and in Boise, but she chose to stay home when the couple had children. She was an active and faithful member of the Church of Christ and attended the South Commerce Street congregation since it was formed in 1941. Mrs. Sprayberry was a loving, caring lady whose most fulfilling work took place in and around the home, where she was concerned with the needs of her family and others. She was also a caregiver to numerous ladies at church and in the community. She was especially known for her baking, sewing and love of flowers. Through the years, she won many ribbons at the Chattooga County Fair in needlecrafts, baking and ceramics. Hers was a life of service: to her God, her family, her church and those in need. Even after moving into assisted living at the Suites at Oakview, she continued to send greeting cards, as she was able, to recognize birthdays and to cheer those who were ill and comfort those who had lost loved ones. A graveside service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Green Hills Memory Gardens with Ken Parker and Edwin Parks officiating. Earle Rainwater Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Honorary pallbearers will be men from the South Commerce Street Church of Christ. Active pallbearers will be Tony Johnson, Earl Kinsey, Frank Sentell, Wilburn Shepherd, Benny Sprayberry and Neal Warren. Visitation will be Monday evening at Earle Rainwater Funeral Home from 6 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to “Preaching the Gospel with James Watkins” at www.gbntv.org or Gospel Broadcasting Network, P.O. Box 23604, Chattanooga, TN 37422.

MRS. VERDIE LEE CALLAN MORRIS, born October 6, 1920, an honorable daughter of Robert T. and Rosie Lee Mobbs Callan and loving wife of Jessie Glenn Morris passed away Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at her home in the Pennville Community of Summerville, Georgia. Verdie was a child of God and member of Pennville First Baptist Church where she was a Sunday School teacher. She retired from Best Manufacturing Company of Menlo. Not only was she a loving wife and mother, but an accomplished seamstress, fine crafter, an artist, carver, gardener and homemaker, a beloved friend and neighbor who will be greatly missed. Verdie was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a sister, Beulah Callan Hawkins, three brothers: Roy A. Callan, Fred Callan and Robert Callan, Jr., a Great Grandson Easton Barrett Morris and son-in-law Utah Rice. She is survived by four children: J. V. Morris (Betty), Martha Ann Morris Jones (Ben), Betty Lee Morris Rice and Joyce Sue Morris Hix (Jimmy), nine Grandchildren, eleven Great Grandchildren, several nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral services will be held Friday, August 16, 2013 at 2:00 P.M. from the J. D. Hill Memorial Chapel of Earle Rainwater Funeral Home with Rev. Billy Dempsey officiating, interment in Green Hills Memory Gardens. Active Pallbearers will be Grand Sons and Great Grand Sons. Honorary Pallbearers will be Lois Bearden and Mary Jones. Visitation will at the Funeral Home Friday from 12:30 P.M. until the hour of service. The flowers are appreciated of memorial contributions be made to Gideon Bibles, Pennville First Baptist Church or Solomor Hospice. Earle Rainwater Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

MR. JESSIE LEE FOUNTAIN, age 72, of Summerville, Georgia passed away Monday, August 12, 2013. Born in Chattooga County, on March 28, 1941, a son of the late Jesse Eugene Fountain and Joann Ledford Hunter, Mr. Fountain was retired from Mt. Vernon Mills and was Church of God Holiness by faith. He was preceded in death by three sisters: Sue Youngblood, Sybil Miller and Charlotte McGuire. Mr. Fountain is survived by his wife Geneva Siffles Fountain; Daughters and sons-in-law: Darlene and Phillip Bruce and Patricia and Troy Tapp; Son and daughter-in-law Tony Lee, Sr. and Penny Fountain, all of Summerville. Brother: Junior Hunter, Six Grandchildren, Two Great Grandchildren, several nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral services will be held Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 1:00 P.M. from the J. D. Hill Memorial Chapel of Earle Rainwater Funeral Home with Minister Blake Ferguson officiating, entombment in Green Hills Memory Gardens. Active pallbearers will be Grandsons: Richard Tapp, Ricky Tapp, Tony Fountain, Jr., Brandon Fountain, Jason Brown and David Tapp. Visitation will be Wednesday evening from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. at the Funeral Home. The family requests no flowers and suggests memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society. Earle Rainwater Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

MRS. LILLIE WILLOUGHBY WOOTEN, age 96, of Orchard Hill Road-Summerville, Georgia passed away Sunday, August 4, 2013, at her residence. Mrs. Wooten was born in Etowah County, Alabama on July 9, 1917 to the late Will and Mattie McDow Willoughby. Mrs. Wooten was a charter member of West Berryton Faith Temple and attended the Lyerly First Baptist Church; she was retired from the sewing department of Best Mfg. Company. She was preceded in death by her husband, of 76 years, William Rother Wooten on March 1, 2013, daughter-the late Carolyn Helton, sons, the late Truman Wooten, the late Buddy Wooten, and the late Billy Fane Wooten, and grandson-the late Todd Helton. Surviving are daughter and son-in-law-Diane and Larry Hunter of Summerville; brother-Roy Willoughby of Ohio; eight Grandchildren, eleven Great Grandchildren, three Great Great Grandchildren; several Nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral services will be held Monday, August 5th, at 3:00 P.M. from the J. D. Hill Memorial Chapel of Earle Rainwater Funeral Home, with Dr. James Baird officiating, interment in Summerville Cemetery, active pallbearers Larry Hunter, Jeff Ramsey, Tony Wooten, Barry Peppers, Chris Wooten, and Greg Comer. The Family will receive friends Monday from 1:00 P.M. until the hour of service at the Funeral Home. Earle Rainwater Funeral Home in charge of arrangements,