Obituaries

George Webster Lee

George Webster Lee, age 91, of Mountain City, passed away on Nov. 15, 2022. George was born the son of the late Leon Lee and the late Maybell Rayfield Lee on April 21, 1931. He grew up in Vincent, Ala.

Ron Emerson Rich

Ron Emerson Rich, age 87, of Clayton, Ga., passed away on Sept. 20, 2022. Ron was born on April 14, 1935, to the late Walter Emerson Rich and the late Hildegard L. Boeshaar Rich in Milwaukee, Wis. Ron moved to Rabun County in 1977. He was a Christian and a member of the Clayton Methodist Church.

James Cresley Pollard

James Cresley Pollard, age 72 of Clayton passed away on Sept. 5, 2022. Cresley was born the son of the late Essie Mae Hooper Lee and the late James Willie Pollard on Aug. 11, 1950. Cresley loved music, especially playing guitar which he excelled at in his youth.

Janice (Jill) Smith Welch

Janice (Jill) Smith Welch, 86, peacefully passed into eternity Friday morning, Sept. 2. An amazing woman with many God-given talents, she raised four children with grace, sending each to post-secondary education. Born Feb. 8, 1936, to Fred and Jeanette Kaiser in Buffalo, N.Y.

Shirley Leavens

Shirley Leavens at 84 years old passed away on Aug. 27, 2022 in Cumming. She was predeceased by her father, Charles Sanford; her mother, Nora Sanford; and her husband, John Leavens, Sr.

Timothy Ross Kilby

Timothy Ross Kilby, age 61, of Clayton passed away on Sept. 2, 2022. Timothy was born the son of the late Carl Jackson Kilby and the late Dorothy Leona Williams Kilby Vickers on Aug. 25, 1961. In his professional life, he operated heavy equipment for the Rabun County Road Department.

JB Smith

JB Smith age 87, of the Persimmon Community passed away Aug. 27, 2022. He was the son of the late Chester Franklin Smith Sr., and Inez Mulligan Smith. He was also preceded in death by one sister Beatrice Player; four brothers W.C. Smith, Ernest Smith, Carl Smith and Billy Smith.

Hannah Diane Cheek

Hannah Diane Cheek, age 36 of Clayton, Ga., passed away Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Ga. Hannah was born March 21, 1986, in Gainesville, Ga. In her professional career, she had worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Floyd Junior Bramblett

Floyd Junior Bramblett, age 90, of Clayton, Ga. passed away on Aug. 23, 2022. Floyd was the son of the late Walter Bramblett and the late Ina Free Bramblett. He served in the United States Army, and worked at Burlington Industries. He was a Christian and a member of Battle Branch Baptist Church.

Dr. Lamar Lafayette Fleming

Dr. Lamar Lafayette Fleming of Augusta, Ga.; Atlanta, Ga.; and Greenville, S.C., passed away on Aug. 14, 2022, in Greenville, S.C. His passing is a result of his struggle with COVID and Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Fleming was born January 21, 1939, in Augusta, Georgia, where he spent his childhood.