Obituaries

Obituary: Melissa “Lisa” Haynes

Melissa Haynes of Athens died May 26, 2025.  The funeral service was at 1 p.m. Friday, May 30 at Cornerstone Church. Bishop David McNease was the eulogist.  Interment was in East Lawn Memorial Cemetery.

Obituary: Robert Barnett “Bob” Cunningham

Robert Barnett “Bob” Cunningham, 73, passed away peacefully at his home in Athens on Monday, May 12, 2025. He was born on Dec. 6, 1951, in Athens, to the late WT and Mary Cunningham.   Bob grew up in Lexington on his family farm.

Obituary: Linda Diane Slay Collins

Linda Diane Slay Collins, 79, a sweet and beautiful soul, went home to be with the Lord on May 30, 2025, after battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). She was born in Jacksonville, Florida, to James Carl and Marion Slay on Sept. 18, 1945.

Obituary: Johnny Frank Collins

Johnny F. Collins of Comer, died May 24, 2025. A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 29 at Piney Grove Baptist Church. Pastor Drakkar Kilpatrick was the eulogist.

Obituary: Patricia Elizabeth Ritchie

Patricia (Pat) Elizabeth Hoover Ritchie, 90, died peacefully on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Quiet Oaks Nursing Home in Crawford.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Paul Sutton Ritchie.

Obituary: Jack D. Howard

Jack D. Howard peacefully passed away at his beloved home on Sunday, May 25, 2025.  Howard was born on Sept. 28, 1934 to the late Ernest Walker Howard and Gertrude Hansford Howard in Stephens. He was a lifelong dedicated member of Salem Baptist Church.

Laurine Taylor

Laurine Taylor, of Athens, died May 14, 2025. The funeral service was at noon Saturday, May 17 at Fork Bethel Baptist Church. Pastor Perez Watson was the eulogist. Interment in the church cemetery.  Survivors include her son Bernard Taylor; niece Melanie Hopp; nephews Curtis Harper Jr.

Ernest "Scooter" Bell

Ernest “Scooter” Bell, of Crawford, died April 21, 2025.  The funeral service was at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 14 at New Bethlehem Baptist Church. Pastor Larry Clark was the eulogist. Interment in Athens Memory Gardens.

Obituary: Sarah Mae “Goosie” Smith Seigler

Sarah Mae “Goosie” Smith Seigler, 84, of Jones Ferry Road, Elberton, passed away at her home on Monday, May 5, 2025. Seigler was born Dec. 20, 1940, in Lexington to Richard Herndon Smith Sr. and Mandy Margaret King Smith.

Obituary: Linda Fay McElroy-Malcom

Linda Fay McElroy-Malcom, 84, passed away Friday, May 9, 2025. Linda was born on March 15, 1941, in Oconee County to Albert and Sarah Osborn-McElroy.