Two were barbers on Main Street, one was a former EMS director and one was a former Army Ranger. One was a nationally renowned musician and another was chief executive officer of a national restaurant and cereal chain. One was the candy lady. Several were pastors and several were business and community leaders.
All of them were among Pierce County’s 27 best known citizens who passed away in 2025.
Among the notable deaths this year:
• Patterson community leader John Phillips passed away Dec. 30, 2024. He was 54. (Phillips died after the 2024 list had been completed and was included in the January, 2025 edition)
Phillips was a dedicated volunteer to his adopted hometown and served with the Patterson Volunteer Fire Department and and as a volunteer coach for the old Patterson Recreation Department.
• David Culpepper, long-time auto mechanics teacher at the high school and wellknown local resident, passed away January 15. He was 91.
Culpepper had a long and varied career, including military service, working as a mechanic for Eastern Airlines in New York and at the Tampa (FL) Fire Department and for the Ford motor Company.
He was well-known locally as the auto mechanic teacher at Pierce County High School and was the owner of a restored 1953 Chevy which was the subject of a feature story in The Times several years ago.
• Thomas Edward “Eddie” Echols, 81, long-time coowner of Echo Enterprises of Patterson, passed away January 18.
Echols was a long-time businessman in Patterson and his Echo Enterprises Construction Company specialized in building bridges and site preparation for the replanting of timber for paper companies around the Okefenokee Swamp as well as across Georgia, Florida and North and South Carolina, but also as far away as New Mexico.
• Mark Walker, a long-time paramedic with the Pierce County Emergency Medical Service (EMS), passed away January 28. He was 66.
Walker worked for Pierce County EMS for several years and also served as director of Ware County EMS for a time and served as a paramedic with Bacon County EMS.
• Olis Davis, barber and long-time fixture on Main Street in Blackshear, passed away February 1. He was 74.
Known as “Big O”, Davis kept generations of gentlemen “looking good in the neighborhood.”
Davis was a second generation barber on Main Street in the shop once owned by his father, Hobert. Olis took over the business in 1984 and operated it until ill health led to his retirement in 2019.
Throughout his career, however, Davis could be found in his shop decorated with Georgia memorabilia, cutting hair, holding court, telling tales and keeping up with community happenings. He also annually hosted a Main Street Christmas party for the community.
• Thomas Woodrow “Tommy” Foster, former Patterson barber, passed away January 26. He was 77.
Foster ran the barbershop on Main Street in Patterson for several years before going to work in maintenance at Julie Hat Company in Patterson and later Waycross College (now South Georgia State College).
• Huey P. Davis Sr., founder and long-time host of the 4th of July barbeque and Judge Stephen Jackson Judicial Seminar in the Forks of the Hurricane, died Feb. 6. He was 87.
The annual 4th of July barbeque along the banks of the Little Hurricane Creek drew a who’s who of public officials over the years, ranging from the late former Governor Lester Maddox through former Governor Nathan Deal and including U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss and the late Johnny Isakson, U.S. Representative Jack Kingston, former State Senator Greg Goggans and former State Representatives Tommy Smith, Hinson Mosley, Mark Williams and Chad Nimmer.
The annual event ended in 2013 as Davis’ health began to fail.
The venue also served as the annual location of the Judge Stephen Jackson Judicial Training Seminar for the Waycross Judicial Circuit every fall.
• Tom Bragg Sr., long-time community leader and retired Army Ranger and Master Sergeant, passed away February 27. He was 86.
Bragg overcame dyslexia to serve a distinguished 24-year career in the U.S. Army Rangers. He served two tours in Vietnam and later was a recruiter.
During his time in the service, he once performed a Ranger demonstration for the late President John F. Kennedy.
Bragg was a published author of a memoir entitled Nankipooh Ranger.
After his service in the Army, Bragg later retired from a civilian career as a locomotive engineer with the CSX Railroad.
After retirement, Bragg was active in the community serving as chairman of the Pierce County Board of Elections and as president of the Blackshear Rotary Club. Bragg spearheaded the club’s flag display program.
He was honored locally as the “Citizen of the Year” in 2016.
• Chief Danny Christmas, head of Ware County Public Schools Police, a Pierce County resident and former county commission candidate, passed away March 11. He was 52.
Christmas was a veteran law enforcement officer, having served the public for 32 years mainly as the police chief of Ware County Schools and with the Ware County Sheriff’s Office.
He was a resident of Hacklebarney and made an unsuccessful run for county commissioner for District 1
last year.
• The Rev. Johnny B. Gipson, former long-time pastor in Patterson, passed away April 2. He was 87.
The Rev. Gipson served for almost two decades as pastor of the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Patterson and is remembered as a “good and faithful servant of The Lord.”
• Cleve Henderson, long-time farmer, passed away April 23. He was two days shy of his 82nd birthday.
Henderson farmed in Pierce County for more than six decades and was recognized as Pierce County’s Farmer of the Year in 2016.
He was one of the founding members of Prime Produce, an organization aimed at promoting local agriculture.
• Sarah Moore, former Main Street business owner and devoted pastor’s wife, passed away May 14, at Harborview Satilla in Waycross. She was 86.
Moore was the long-time operator of Moore’s Fashions on Main Street and was a devoted pastor’s wife, supporting her husband, the late Rev. Herman Moore, in his ministry. The Moores also farmed together.
• Well-known local farmer Bronze Clifford “Rusty” Youmans Jr. passed away June 5, at the age of 71.
Youmans was a lifelong farmer, growing many different crops over the years including owning a dairy farm and growing cucumbers for the national Mt. Olive pickles brand. He was honored as Pierce County’s Farmer of the Year in 1998.
• Aaron Jackson “Cotton” Durrance, former foreman of water and sewer for Blackshear Public Works, passed away June 20. He was 77.
Durrance was a familiar face around Blackshear as he administered the city’s water and sewer services.
• James Spivey, former director of the Pierce County Emergency Medical Service died July 3. He was 68.
Spivey served as EMS director for six years from 2013-2019.
He dedicated 33 years as an EMT, Paramedic and EMS Director with the majority of his career in Pierce County. He also served in Glynn and Brantley Counties.
• The Rev. Glenn Rainey, former pastor of Patterson United Methodist Church, passed away June 25. He was 77.
The Rev. Rainey served the Patterson United Methodist Church and was known as “a servant leader who loved the Lord and served the Lord by helping others in any way he could.”
• Larry Murray, a former Pierce Countian who was a major influence on folk, country and pop music from the 1960s-1980s, died May 16, in Van Nuys, CA. He was 88.
Murray was born in Waycross, but was raised by his grandmother and later an aunt. He moved to Blackshear where he lived in the Marion Hotel on Central Avenue and graduated from Blackshear High School in 1955.
Murray became a music coordinator and writer for network TV programs including “The Roger Miller Show” and “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.” He also worked as joke writer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” and “Hee Haw.” He moved to Nashville in 1969 to work for “The Johnny Cash Show.”
Murray produced and wrote music recorded by Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, Johnny Cash, the Flying Burrito Brothers, David Allan Coe, Ricky Nelson, Percy Sledge, Olivia Newton-John, the Dillards, the Walker Brothers, Marty Stuart, John Denver, Roger McGuinn and Tom Petty.
• Charles Daniels Sr., Retired Chief Petty Officer in the Navy and civic leader, passed away Aug. 22. He was 87.
Daniels Sr. served with distinction in the U.S. Navy for 24 years, retiring at the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
After his retirement, Daniels served his community on the Pierce County Planning Commission.
He also was active with the Pierce County Senior Center and was a longtime member of the Scott Chapel United Methodist Church.
• Margie Wallace is remembered as “the Candy Lady”, for her community service and for her tireless efforts to build the Pierce County Library.
Wallace, 88, of Blackshear, passed away Aug. 28.
Wallace was well-known in the community as she served on the Pierce County Library Board and the Pierce County Chamber Board, was a member of the Red Hat Society and was a faithful member of First Baptist Church and its JOY group.
Wallace worked tirelessly during her stint as library board chairperson to make sure the Pierce County Library on College Avenue was built and would be something the community could be proud of.
She was also known as “the Candy Lady” at First Baptist and noted for her big smile and friendliness.
• Long-time Patterson businessman and former Mayor Ed Hyers is remembered for his devotion to God, his family and his community. Hyers, 93, passed away Sept. 7.
He partnered with his father in the Patterson Milling Company and was passionate about farming. Hyers
He was a past Young Farmer of the Year in Pierce County.
He served as mayor of Patterson and at the time of his election in 1962 was the youngest mayor in Georgia at the time. He later served a term on the Pierce County Board of Education.
• Mike Johnson, well-known local insurance agent and musician, passed away October 5. He was 71.
Johnson was an independent insurance agent in Blackshear, focusing on life and health insurance and annuities.
A self-taught musician, he enjoyed performing for weddings, birthdays and other special events as part of the Michael J & Roger D Band, The Second Chance Band from Jesup and many others, focusing on beach music, oldie-goldies and rock music.
• Joe R. Lee, former Pierce Countian who rose up the ranks as Red Lobster co-founder and first Darden Restaurants CEO, died October 12. He was 85.
Lee grew up in Pierce County and was a 1958 graduate and president of his senior class at Blackshear High School. He worked in restaurants to pay his college tuition and in 1967 was hired as the manager of a new place in Lakeland, FL, called Red Lobster. He hit it off with founder Bill Darden and became part of the concept’s ownership group. Darden was once the owner of The Green Frog Restaurant in Waycross and Lee worked for him there when he was in high school.
Lee never forgot where he came from and toward the end of his career sponsored Pierce County’s annual Teacher of the Year recognition and even took time to speak to career classes at Pierce County High School.
Darden has more than 2,100 restaurants across 10 full-service brands, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen.
• Leon “Buddy” Tuten Jr., owner of Tuten and Son Trim Shop, passed away Nov. 14. He was 77.
Tuten began working for his dad at Tuten Trim Shop during summers and holidays throughout his youth and later became a partner and the business changed to Tuten & Son Trim Shop. He became the sole owner in 1982.
• Shirley Clough, businesswoman and matriarch of the local Clough Pecan Company, passed away Nov. 10. She was 74.
Clough and her family owned and operated Clough Pecan Company in Blackshear for several decades. She was the chief financial officer of the company and was a member of the Georgia Pecan Growers Association.
• James Roberson, local businessman and former owner of Roberson Abattoir and Sunshine Foods, passed away Nov. 29. He was 88.
Roberson was born and died on the same farm he lived on all of his life.
Roberson was known for his work ethic and started Roberson Abattoir in the 1960s, which he owned and operated for 40 years. He would later open and operate the Sunshine Foods and ran Roberson Hay Farm.
He began his working career on the farm at the age of seven, later sold produce and fish, worked at Pierce Trading Company and Wall’s Grocery before opening his own business.
He was one of the founders of Southside Volunteer Fire Department where he served as fire chief.
• Pastor David White, former pastor of Mershon Baptist Church, passed away Dec. 11. He was 67.
Pastor White served Mershon Baptist Church and also ministered at many churches in Georgia, Florida and Indiana in the Assembly of God, Southern Baptist and Methodist faiths.
He also taught at Crossroads Christian Academy.
• Cheryl Lott, educator, civic leader and former Times staffer, passed away Dec. 13. She was 74.
Lott worked at Blackshear High School and at the Waycross Board of Education before retiring after 21 years with Southeast Georgia Rehabilitation, where she taught preemployment skills to students with special needs.
Lott was active in the community and worked as a staffer at The Times, assisted at Rainge Memorial Chapel and offered her time and talents to many causes and events, including as a soloist.
