Mrs. Rachel Ozella Dillard, age 81, of Summerville, GA died Friday, October

9, 2015 at Redmond Regional Medical Center.

Mrs. Dillard was born September 4, 1934 in Little Sand Mtn., GA, the daughter

of the late Zera Monique “Buck” Cooper and Martha Evelyn Bohannon Cooper.

She was a retired lab technician.  Mrs. Dillard was a member of Summerville

First Baptist Church.  Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by

her husband, Norman Lee Dillard.

Mrs. Dillard is survived by two daughters, Sandra Ford and Gwenith Battles;

three grandchildren , Corey Hunter, Janet Battles, and Lamar and Lacey Battles;

granddaughter-in-law, Tiffany Romine; and nine great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p. m. on Monday, October 12, 2015 at

Summerville First Baptist Church.  Dr. David Hunter and Dr. Paul Mason

will officiate, with burial to follow in Little Sand Mtn. Cemetery.  Active

pallbearers will be Corey Hunter, Lamar Battles, Gage Reece, Brandon

Battles, Coby Battles, Austin Battles, Bradley Hunter.  Honorary pallbearers will

be all members of the Dorcus Sunday School Class, Redmond Family Care

Employees, and all personal friends.

Mrs. Dillard will be in state at Mason Funeral Home and the family will receive

friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p. m. on Sunday.   Mrs. Dillard will also lie in state at the church from 12:00 until the service hour.

Mason Funeral Home is directing.

Harold Milton Skates, 88, of LaFayette, passed away on October 5, 2015, at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga following an extended illness.   

Harold was born February 7, 1927, in the Halls Valley community of southern Walker County.  He was preceded in death by his parents James Harvey Skates and Grace Dover Skates along with two brothers, Luther Skates and Roland Skates.  Harold served his country in the United States Army at the end of World War II as a guard for German prisoners of war.  Soon after returning home, he married Edna Louise Pegg and began farming.  Later he became a carpenter, building houses and owning his own lumber and hardware business.  In his later years, he built swings, cedar chests, and cabinets for many people throughout Walker and surrounding counties.

Mr. Skates was an active member of Waterville Baptist Church in LaFayette, Georgia, where he served as a deacon for many years. 

 He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Louise Skates, and seven children, Gene and Jean Skates of LaFayette, Georgia; Glenn and Idalia Skates of Houston, Texas; Danny and Debbie Skates of Ringgold, Georgia; Mickey and Billie Skates of LaFayette, Georgia; Rickey and Gayla Skates of Cypress, Texas; Freda and James Buffington of Palatka, Florida; and Teresa and BJ Holliday of Douglas, Georgia; fourteen grandchildren, many great –grandchildren, and several great-great grandchildren.  Mr. Skates is also survived by three sisters, Evelyn Jackson, and Lula Avenell Gamble of LaFayette, Georgia, and Janice Hartline from Calhoun, Georgia. 

 Visitation for Harold Skates will be held at Wallis- Wilbanks in LaFayette, Georgia, on Thursday October 8, 2015 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.  The funeral service for Mr. Skates will be Friday, October 9, 2015, at Waterville Baptist Church on Hwy. 151 South at 11:00 a.m. and will be conducted by Rev. Sam Barrett.  Interment will be at LaFayette Memory Gardens.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Waterville Baptist Church 11815 Highway 151, Trion, GA 30753.

Arrangements by Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home, LaFayette.

Mr. Roy Deloss Mitchell, age 78, of Gaylesville, AL, died Tuesday, October 6, 2015, at his residence.

Mr. Mitchell was born October 21, 1936, in Jamestown, AL, son of the late Doyle Deloss and Bertha Ingle Mitchell.  He was a member of the Faith Baptist Church, and prior to his retirement, was employed with Inland Container.  He was also a veteran of the United States Army.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia E. Mitchell; brother, Donald Mitchell; sister, Ester Lynn Thompson; and a grandson, Payton Mitchell.

Mr. Mitchell is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Gregory D. and Cindy Mitchell; brother and sister-in-law, J. W. and Linda Mitchell; sisters and brother-in-law, Evelyn Burleson, Betty Sue and D. C. Sanford; and a grandchild, Hayden Mitchell.

Funeral services for Mr. Mitchell will be held at 2:00 P.M. (E.S.T.) Thursday, October 8, 2015, from the Faith Baptist Church with Rev. Stanley Koonce officiating.  Interment will follow in the Faith Baptist Church Cemetery.  Pallbearers will be Billy Mitchell, Tracey Mitchell, Michael Thompson, Kerry Crane, Noah Dean, and Darrell Mitchell.

Mr. Mitchell will be in state at Faith Baptist Church and the family will receive friends from 1:00 P.M. (E.S.T.) until the hour of service on Thursday.

Mason Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Mr. Roy Deloss Mitchell who died on Tuesday.

MR. SIDNEY A. “BUDDY” LANIER, SR., age 81, of Summerville, Georgia passed away Friday morning, October 2, 2015,  at his residence.  A native of Chattooga County, he was born to the late Wallace C. and Martha Kellett Lanier on August 6, 1934.  He was a graduate of the Summerville High School Class of 1952 and a member of the Summerville High State Champion basketball team.  Mr. Lanier was a member of the Summerville Fire Department, with 25 years of service retiring from the City of Summerville in 1992.  He was preceded in death by a sister, the late Barbara Lanier McGraw.

        Surviving are wife, Dora Ann Lanier; daughter and son-in-law, Joanna and Steve Lively; sons & daughters-in-law, Sidney A., Jr. and Suzann Lanier, Stephen and Ginger Lanier, and Scott and Missy Lanier; granddaughters, Alexandra Sandeford, Laci Lanier, Alanna Lanier, grandsons, Drew Lanier, Brett Lively, Patrick Lively, Sid Lanier III, Wade Lanier, Scotty Lively; brother and sister-in-law, Michael and Brenda Lanier. Several Nieces and 1 Nephew also survive.

The funeral services will be held Sunday, October 4, at 3 p.m. from the J.D. Hill Memorial Chapel of Earle Rainwater Funeral Home with Rev. Greg King officiating, Interment will be in the Summerville Cemetery. Active Pallbearers will be grandsons, Honorary Pallbearers will be Active and Retired members of the Summerville Fire Department and Billie Joe Lee.  The Family will receive friends Sunday from 1:00 P.M. until the hour of service, at the Funeral Home.

   Dennis Cain Ayers, age 46 of Summerville, GA passed away Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at is residence.

Mr. Ayers was born in Rome, Georgia on September 10, 1969, son of James Edward Ayers and Betty Jean Atkins Ayers. He was self-employed in carpentry and construction industry. He loved to fish, hunt arrowheads and do anything outdoors. Mr. Ayers was an uplifting person and always made people smile.

Mr. Ayers is survived by his sons, Spencer Ayers, Cody Ayers, and Jonathan Key; father and mother, James and Betty Ayers; brothers, David Ayers, Danny Ayers, Doug Ayers, Terry Ayers, and Stanley Ayers; grandchildren, Ariah Ayers, Ryland Hughes-Ayers, and Hunter Ayers; and good friend, LaWayne Price.

Funeral services will be conducted Sunday, October 4, 2015 at 2:00 P.M. in the Petitt Chapel of the Coffman Funeral Home.  Interment will follow in the Johnson Cemetery.  

Pallbearers will include Spencer Ayers, LaWayne Price, and Thomas Hulse.

Mr. Ayers will be in state at the Coffman Funeral Home where the family will receive friends Sunday from 12:00 Noon until the funeral hour.     

Infant Kamlyn Olivia Brown, of Rock Spring, GA, passed away Monday, September 28, 2015, at Parkridge East Hospital in Chattanooga, TN. 

She was preceded in death by her great-grandparents, Ben and Minnie Locklear, Olin Brown, Jr.; and an aunt, Amy Elizabeth Farrar. 

Kamlyn is survived by her parents, Casey and Kelsey Brown; grandparents, Gary and Karen Brown, Tim and Edith Dendy; great-grandparents, Lucy Lee Brown, Larry and Marie Dendy, Raymond and Faye Winters; aunts and uncles, Heather and Kevin Studdard, Chris and Brandi Mosley, Kirk and Stacy Farrar, Chase Dendy and Ashley Willingham, and Jim and Amanda Brooks; cousins, Sarah Brooke Kelehear, Zoe and Bode Brooks, Riley Studdard, Jenna Mosley, and Linkin Farrar. 

Funeral services for Kamlyn will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday, October 2, 2015, from the Mason Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Tom Russell officiating.  Interment will follow in the West Hill Cemetery.  Active pallbearers will be Chris Mosley, Kirk Farrar, Chase Dendy, Jim Brooks, Kevin Studdard, and Linkin Farrar.  Honorary pallbearers will be Jenna Mosley and Riley Studdard. 

There will be a gathering of family and friends at Mason Funeral Home from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. Thursday, October 1, 2015. 

Mason Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Infant Kamlyn Olivia Brown who passed away on Monday.

MRS. BETTY JANE McNEIL, age 80, of Marietta, formerly of Menlo, Georgia passed away Tuesday, September 29, 2015, morning in Marietta.  A native of Campbellton, Georgia, She was born to the late William Hollis and Sarah Hammett Lee on January 19, 1935.  Mrs. McNeil a devoted wife and mother was preceded in death by her husband, the late Rev. J. B. McNeil, Sr. on February 23, 2012.

Surviving are daughters & spouses, Nanci & Steve Hicks and Sarah & Steve Widincamp; sons & spouses, Britt & Melody McNeil and Lee & Jane McBNeil; sisters, Irene Sauls and Mary Lynn Oxford; grandchildren, Kevin, Matthew, James, Kirsten, Anna, Rebekah, and Nathan McNeil, Atticus and Annie Hicks, Susanna and Luke Brantley, and Mary Ellen Widincamp; great grandchildren, Kendal McNeil and Corbin Hicks; several Nieces and Nephews.

Memorial service will be held Friday, October 2nd, at 2:00 P.M. from the Campbellton United Methodist Church with Rev. Zueon Smith officiating; private interment in Campbellton United Methodist Church Cemetery.  Pallbearers will be Grandchildren.  The Family will receive friends Thursday from 5 until 7 P.M. at Earle Rainwater Funeral Home.  The Family request in lieu of flowers contributions be made to the Alzheimer Association. Earle Rainwater Funeral Home in charge of arrangements for Mrs. Betty Jane McNeil

Mrs. Polly Wayne Plunkett, age 67, of LaFayette, GA, died Wednesday, September 16, 2015, at Hutcheson Medical Center. 

Mrs. Plunkett was born June 28, 1948, in Fort Payne, AL, daughter of the late Glen and Alfie Barnett Parker.  Prior to her retirement, she was employed with Synthetic.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Lawrence Paul Nations; sisters, Dolly Hilburn, Opal Dutton, Ruby Gladden, and Frances Reese; and a brother, Orville Parker. 

Mrs. Plunkett is survived by her sons, Junior Nations and Lee Plunkett; a brother, Floyd Parker; sisters, Willie Mae Parker, Carrie Allmon, and Elsie Sanders; 2 grandchildren; and 2 step-grandchildren. 

Graveside and interment services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, September 20, 2015, from the Macedonia Cemetery with Rev. Billy Dempsey officiating.  Pallbearers will be Brandon Carlton, John Campbell, and T. J. Campbell. 

Mrs. Plunkett will be in state at Mason Funeral Home and the family will receive friends from 12:00 Noon until the hour of service on Sunday. 

Mason Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Mrs. Polly Wayne Plunkett who died on Wednesday.