Mr. Doyle Ray Nixon, age 49, of Summerville, GA, died Thursday, June 4, 2015, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Mr. Nixon was born December 14, 1965, in Rome, GA, son of Gordon and the late Patricia Nixon.  He was a truck driver, and was preceded in death by his mother.

Mr. Nixon is survived by his daughters, Tiffany Nixon, April Nixon, and Patricia Nixon; his father, Gordon Nixon; brothers, Donnie Nixon and Danny Nixon; sisters, Mandy Castrejon and Sandra Kelly; and 12 grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mr. Nixon will be held at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, June 7, 2015, from the Mason Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Michael Davenport officiating.  Interment will follow in the AMI Cemetery.  Active pallbearers will be Anthony Moss, Paul Carter, Simon Carter, D. J. Nixon, Daniel Rich, and Eugene Kelly. Honorary pallbearers will be grandchildren, Maddison Jones, Abbegaile Ingle, Clayton Alexander, Hunter Moss, Adan Moss, Dymon Shelton, Mark Shelton, Lukus Shelton, Allen Leonard, Heaven Leonard, Dawson Leonard, and Destiney Ann Hope Carter.

Mr. Nixon will be in state at Mason Funeral Home and the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. Saturday, June 6, 2015.

Mason Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Mr. Doyle Ray Nixon who died on Thursday. 

MS. JOYCE SPARKS BLACKMON, age 73, of Ringgold, Georgia formerly of Chattooga County, Georgia passed away Wednesday, June 4, 2015, in a Rome hospital. A native of Hamilton County, Tennessee, She was born to the late Howard and Gladys Harvey Morgan on September 16, 1941. She was retired from the State of Georgia Mental Health Agency, having worked with children having substance abuse difficulties for 30 years, prior to this she was a cosmetologist in Chattooga County, Georgia. Ms. Blackmon was preceded in death by a brother the late Gene Morgan.

Surviving are daughters, Teresa Darlene Lanier of Ringgold, Kathy Corbitt and Sheila Hill both of Warner Robbins; grandchildren, Jason Cash, Joseph Palmer, Eddie Helms, Ashley Blackmon, Michelle Helms, Emily Palmer; Eleven Great Grandchildren; sister, Vivian Morgan; several Nieces and Nephews.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, June 7th, at 3:00 P.M. from the J. D. Hill Memorial Chapel of Earle Rainwater Funeral Home, with Pastor David Smith and Mrs. Connie Witt officiating, private interment will follow. Active Pallbearers Jason Cash, Joseph Palmer, Eddie Helms, Kendel Baker, Grady Loveless, and Kenny Hollingsworth; Honorary Pallbearers Marsha Farrow, Ann Duncan, Jon Payne, and Pat Hollingsworth. The Family will receive friends Sunday, at the Funeral Home, from two o’clock until the hour of service.

Earle Rainwater Funeral Home in charge of arrangements for Mrs. Joyce Sparks Blackmon.

MR. RUFUS JOHNSON – Age 76, Of Summerville, Georgia passed away Friday, May 29, 2015 at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth V. Brandon, father, Lovette Johnson, stepmother, Surlina Johnson, and stepfather, Andrew Brandon.

He is survived by his wife, Annie Mae Shropshire Johnson; son, Frank O. (Angela) Johnson of Cartersville, Georgia; daughter, Audrey W. (Horace) Wooten of Summerville and Demetria L. (Maurice) Chaney of Trion, Georgia; grandchildren, Derris Green, Amanda Wooten, Emanuel Wooten, Novicia Adams, Jaseric, Nativiya Chaney, Ariel, and Piper Johnson; great grandchildren, Audrina Green and Kiasia Wooten; sisters, Hazel (Mark) Price and Mary B. Daniels; brother, Joe Henry (Emma) Burse; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.

Funeral Service will be held Thursday, June 4, 2015 at 3:00 P.M. at West Fifth Street Church of Christ with Brother John Lewis and Brother J,J, Bankston officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 1:00 P.M. until the funeral hour. Please share your thoughts and memoires of Rufus Johnson atwww.willisfuneralhomedalton.com. Arrangements by Willis Funeral Home, Inc., Dalton, Georgia.

MRS. MARTHA WOFFORD STRICKLAND, age 74, of Cooper Heights Road, Summerville, Georgia, passed away Friday, May 29, 2015, evening in a Rome hospital. A native Chattooga Countian, She was born to the late Leroy and Ethel Denton Wofford on November 9, 1941. Mrs. Strickland was a member of Menlo First Baptist Church.

Surviving are husband, Jerry Strickland; son, Kevin Baker of Summerville; grandchildren, Blake Baker, Hailey Baker, and Kyle Baker; brother, Glenn “Buddy” Wofford of Ball Ground, GA.; niece, Marsha Farrow of Summerville; nephew, Dale Tucker of Gore Community.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, June 2nd, @ 1:30 P.M. from the J. D. Hill Memorial Chapel of Earle Rainwater Funeral Home with Rev. Billy Dempsey officiating, interment in Ami Cemetery, active pallbearers Thomas Waller, Brett Waller, Barry Williams, Joshua Jennings. The Family will receive friends Monday evening from 6 until 8 P.M. @ the Funeral Home.

Earle Rainwater Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Miscal was born in Trion, Georgia on February 7, 1940, daughter of the late Allen Richard Brown and Lorene Elizabeth Truitt. She moved to Miami, Florida as a child and was a graduate of Edison High School in Miami. She worked at Lerner’s Dress Shop during her high school years. In the early 1970’s, Mrs. Miscal worked as medical transcriptionist at North Shore Hospital in Miami and retired from Cohen and Ager Construction Company prior to returning to live in Trion. After returning to Chattooga County, She worked with Armstrong’s BBQ and later retired from the Town of Trion after 15 years of service. Mrs. Miscal was a member of the Ridgeway Baptist Church and loved to read, work puzzles and trivia books and pickling. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brother, Jasper Allen Brown.

Mrs. Miscal is survived by her husband, Dan Miscal; children, James Patrick Jack, Carlinda Starr Callihan, and Elizabeth Hope Burch; brothers, Alvin Franklin Brown, Earl Clifton Brown and Richard David Brown; sisters, Janet Deloris Scott and Deborah Ann Bessette; Grandchildren, Heather Ray, Ireland Burch, Gracie Burch, Trinity Burch, Matthew Jack, Dakota Christmas and Cherish Christmas; great grandchildren, Tucker Ray, Anna Lee Ray and Dani Pearl Ray; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services for Mrs. Miscal will be held Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 2:00 P.M. in the Ridgeway Baptist Church with Rev. Clay Powell officiating. Interment will follow in the Brown Family Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Curtis Ray, Hunter Scott, Dakota Christmas, Matthew Jack, Davie Brown, Jr., Edd Burch and Daniel Scott.

Mrs. Miscal will be in state at the Coffman Funeral Home and the Family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 5 until 8 P.M.

Mrs. Miscal will also lie in state at the Ridgeway Baptist Church on Wednesday from 1:00 P.M. until the funeral hour.

The family respectfully asks that in lieu of flowers, to please make memorial contributions to the American Heart Association or to the American Cancer Society.

Coffman Funeral Home, Petitt Chapel is honored to be serving the family of Mrs. Carlinda Sue Brown Miscal.

MR. CHARLES MEREDITH TUTTON, JR., age 83, of Goodwin Drive, Summerville, Georgia passed away Saturday, May 30, 2015, at his residence. He was a son of the late C. M. Tutton, Sr. and the late Ola H. Herring Tutton. Mr. Tutton was a Veteran of Korea serving in the U. S. Navy, a member of American Legion Post #129, V.F.W. Post #6688, and a member of Chattooga Lodge #704 F & AM. He was a partner in the former Tutton Auto Parts Company. Mr. Tutton was preceded in death by his wife, the late Toni Woods Tutton on August 22, 2014.

Surviving are sons-Charles Randall Tutton of New Zeland and William Meredith “Bill” Tutton of Summerville; grandchildren, Nicholas Tutton and Natalie Tutton; sister, Martha Ballenger of Summerville.

Funeral service will be held Wednesday, June 3, 2015, at 1:00 P.M. from Graveside in Lyerly Cemertery with Mr. Sam Finster officiating. The Family request no flowers and suggest contributions to the Hope Rebirth Homeless Shelter #50 Eleanor Avenue, Summerville, Georgia.

Earle Rainwater Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
		

MRS. VESTA MARIE GRINDSTAFF, age 87, of Longhollow Road, Trion, Georgia passed away Sunday, May 31, 2015, from injuries received in an automobile accident, near Trion. She was born to, the late Grover Cleveland and Mary Meisenhelter Gould, on December 28, 1927 in Joplin, Missouri. Ms. Vesta was a retired medical records technician for Ozark Mental Health, and a member of Summerville First United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, the late James A. Grindstaff, Jr., two Sisters, and three Brothers.

Survivors include son & spouse, Jim and Patti Grindstaff of Trion; grandsons and spouses, James IV & Melissa Grindstaff and Jada Ryan & Cheryl Grindstaff; great grandchildren, Jackson, Nolen, Allison, and Wyatt Grindstaff; several Nieces and Nephews also survive. 

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, June 3rd, at 3:00 P.M. from the Summerville First United Methodist Church with Pastor Mike Pinson officiating, interment in Pine Knoll Cemetery. Active Pallbearers Sheriff Mark Schrader, Chief Jason Kellett, Commissioner Jason Winters, Ricky Hughes, Honorary Pallbearers, the Triangle Sunday School Class of Summerville First United Methodist Church. Visitation will be Wednesday from 2:00 P. M. until the hour of service at the Church. 

Earle Rainwater Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

		

Mr. Rufus Johnson, age 76 of Summerville, passed away Friday, May 29, 2015 at Floyd Medical Center in Rome.  Survivors and funeral arrangements will be announced later by Willis Funeral Home, Inc. in Dalton.