Strickland Funeral Home - Lavonia Chapel

08/21/2026

Barbara Kendall

Barbara Ann Kendall, age 75, of Lavonia, passed away on Friday, August 21, 2026, at her home surrounded by her family.

Born on May 17, 1951, she was the daughter of the late Charles O. Mitchell and Alice M. Gill Mitchell. She attended nursing school and was a Licensed Practical Nurse. Before retirement she worked as a Special Ed Teacher Aide for Franklin County Schools. She enjoyed reading and going to the local library. Most of all she loved spending time with her family.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years: James Alan Kendall; son and daughter-in-law: Jason C. & Kristina Kendall; daughters and sons-in-law: Laura & Tom Spaeth and Sarah & Bradley Chastain; grandchildren: Kane, Evelyn (Kevin), Erin, Rylee, & Chase: great granddaughter: Bianca; and brother: Charles Mitchell.

Mrs. Kendall’s request was to be cremated, and no services are planned at this time. In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to Lavonia Carnegie Library 28 Hartwell Road Lavonia, GA 30553

Strickland Funeral Home of Lavonia is in charge of the arrangements. To sign the online guest register please visit stricklandfh.com.

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08/21/2026

View Wayne Whitworth's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

08/19/2026

Tyler Williams

Jay Tyler Williams, age 61, of Martin, passed away on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at his home.

Born April 8, 1965, in Seneca, SC, he was the son of Sonja Marlene Wooten and the late Opal Allen Williams. He was a self-employed plumber by trade and loved gardening, fishing, and nature. He enjoyed his work as an artist. He also treasured his time spent with his dogs, always taking them on rides and outdoor adventures. He would often call the birds by mocking their calls, and they would always call back to him.

He is survived by his mother: Sonja Marlene Wooten; brothers: Barry Williams and Mark Williams (Coleena); several nieces and nephews also survive. In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his sister: Rene Nichols.

The family will have a visitation to receive friends and family on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the funeral home from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. At other times the family will be at the home.

Strickland Funeral Home of Lavonia is in charge of the arrangements. To sign the online guest register please visit stricklandfh.com.

View Tyler Williams's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

08/18/2026

Donnie Odom

Donnie Odom, age 93, of Lavonia, passed away on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at Hart Care Center in Hartwell.

Born on June 25, 1933, in Soperton, GA, he was the son of the late Richard Anderson Odom and Leila Amerson Odom. Before retirement he worked in management at Cox Chevrolet and owned and operated Donnie Odom Cars and Trucks. Mr. Odom was a veteran of the US Navy. He enjoyed boating, fishing, and golfing. He was a member of Poplar Springs Baptist Church and West Bradenton Baptist Church.

He is survived by his wife: Anna Marie Mussi Odom; daughters & sons-in-law: Debi & Butch Howey and Dena & Charles Ogle; son: John Ogle; 7 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild; In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a grandson: John Howey and a brother & sister-in-law: Herbert & Eleanor Odom.

Mr. Odom’s request is to be cremated, and the family will have a memorial service at a later date. In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to Poplar Springs Baptist Church 67 Poplar Springs Church Road Lavonia, GA 30553.

Strickland Funeral Home of Lavonia is in charge of the arrangements.

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08/17/2026

Phillip "Phil" Campbell

Phillip Timothy “Phil” Campbell, age 68, of Canon, passed away on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at AnMed Medical Center in Anderson.

Born on September 8, 1957, he was the son of the late Carlton and Barbara Mealor Campbell. Before retirement he drove a bus for Franklin County Schools. He was a member of Bowman Church of God.

He is survived by his wife: Melisa S. “Lisa” Hambrick Campbell; sons: Dakota Campbell, Harley Campbell, (Katie) & Charlie Campbell, (Shirley); grandchildren: Ella Jane Campbell, John Carter Campbell, & Carlton Campbell; brother: Steve Campbell, (Tammie); and nephew: Jeff Campbell.

Mr. Campbell’s request was to be cremated and no services are planned at this time.

Strickland Funeral Home of Lavonia is in charge of the arrangements.

View Phillip "Phil" Campbell's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

08/15/2026

John Marr

John Morgan Marr, age 67, of Lavonia, Georgia, passed away Thursday, August 13, 2026, at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital.

Mr. Marr was born February 14, 1959, in Nebraska, the son of Louis Peter Marr and Kathleen Marr. He was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and attended The Pointe Church, he was a veteran of the United States Navy. Mr. Marr was a member of Christian Motorcycle Association. He worked with Celebrate Recovery with various local churches.

John enjoyed spending time outdoors, especially riding motorcycles and fishing. Above all, he treasured time spent with his family and those closest to him.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Morgan and Katy Marr; daughter and son-in-law, Bianca and Andrew Kline; grandchildren, Sophia Marr, Rowan Marr, Orson Marr, Mallory Marr, and Oliver Kline; brother and sister-in-law, Dave and Mary Lynn Marr; and sister, Elizabeth Carter.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Bruce Marr.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the funeral home chapel. The family will receive friends on Thursday beginning at 12:00 p.m. A private burial will be held at Gray Hill Cemetery in Commerce.

In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to Lavonia First Baptist Church P. O. Box 47 Lavonia, GA 30553 for Celebrate Recovery in memory of John Marr.

Strickland Funeral Home of Lavonia is in charge of the arrangements.

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08/04/2026

Sharon Philpot

Sharon Jean Deaver Philpot, age 71, of Lavonia, passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

Born on August 25, 1954, in Denver, Colorado, she was the daughter of the late Walter Deaver and the late Flora Lu (Saylor) Lilly. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. Sharon retired from AutoZone, where she had worked as an order selector.

Sharon found great enjoyment in crafting, painting, drawing, and a variety of artistic hobbies. Her happiest moments were often spent with her grandchildren, who delighted in dressing her up, fixing her hair, and doing her makeup. Those playful afternoons became treasured memories that reflected the close bond she shared with them. She was of the Christian faith.

She is survived by her husband, Larry Philpot of Lavonia; her son, C.J. Philpot; her brother, Dwayne Deaver; her sister, Crystal Troxler; and her cherished grandchildren, Tayllor Philpot, McKinze Philpot, and Herschal Philpot. She also leaves behind numerous extended family members and dear friends who will forever treasure her memory.

The graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at Franklin Memorial Gardens - North with Rev. Courtney Umbehant officiating. In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests that donations be made, in Sharon’s memory to the Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter.

Strickland Funeral Home of Lavonia is in charge of the arrangements. To sign the online guest register please visit stricklandfh.com.

View Sharon Philpot's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

07/28/2026

Clayton E. Bowers

Clayton E. Bowers, age 91, of Martin, passed away Sunday, July 26, 2026 at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital. Born on November 16, 1934, in Greeneville, Tennessee, he was the son of the late Eunice Clayton Bowers and Lily Goins Bowers.

After high school, Clayton proudly served in the United States Army. He was a member of Clark's Creek Baptist Church and a member of the Lavonia Moose Lodge.

Clayton was a man who loved his family. Spending time with them was his greatest joy. He didn’t miss a ballgame, hog show, cattle show or family get together. These times were always filled with love and laughter. He loved having the great grandchildren around so he could sit back and watch their shenanigans and laugh. As he got older and was less able to travel to the kids’ ballgames, he had to be sent play by play of what they were doing so he didn’t miss a thing. The Georgia Bulldogs were his favorite team and his favorite saying was, “Go Dawgs!” For many years he enjoyed tailgating with family and friends and traveling to Florida for the Georgia/Florida game and eating good food with good friends.

He enjoyed growing chickens for Fieldale Farms for 38 years in addition to working on appliances until he was 90 years old. There has never been an appliance made that he couldn’t fix. He was always friendly and kind to people, he genuinely cared about everyone. It was evident in his words and actions. Clayton was an avid gardener who took great pride in sharing the bounty that he always grew. Clayton never missed a chance to go on an adventure with friends and family, whether it was rafting, fishing or driving kids around on the Kubota. He loved life and lived it to the fullest.

In addition to his parents, Clayton was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Teresa Bowers; his sisters, Betty Jo Payne and Easter Parker; his parents-in-law, Curt and Geneva Pitts; and his brother-in-law, Ty Cawthon.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Pitts Bowers of Martin; his children, Rhonda Walker (Mack) of Hoschton, Robert Bowers (Suzanne) of Sugar Land, Texas, Don Bowers of Toccoa, and Robbin Partain of Martin; his grandchildren, Tanda Evans, Brooke Farmer, Jessica Abbott, Josh Brown, Tara O'Conner, Julia Sosebee, Erin Abbott, John Sosebee, Dylan Dominey, Luke Dominey, Stephen Bowers, Justus Bowers, and Judah Bowers; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; numerous nieces and nephews; his brother, Lloyd "Hoot" Bowers (Nancy); his sister-in-law, Peggy Pitts Cawthon; and his special friends, Joan and Lamar London.

Funeral services for Mr. Bowers will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Clarks Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Jerrell Beatty and the Rev. Joey Stewart officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in the Pitts Family Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, July 31, 2026.

Strickland Funeral Home of Lavonia is in charge of the arrangements Online condolences and words of comfort may be shared with the family by visiting www.stricklandfh.com.

View Clayton E. Bowers's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

07/20/2026

Thelma "Mable" Williams (Courtesy)

Thelma “Mable” Gordon Williams went to be with her heavenly Father on July 17, 2026, she was 93 years old. Mable had been a much loved resident of Fellowship Home’s Elms Memory Care in Valdosta, Georgia since October of 2024. Her family was by her side during her last few days and grateful for the care from Hospice of South Georgia during her stay at Fellowship and in her final hours.

Born in March of 1933, Mable grew up in Good Hope, Georgia. She graduated from Monroe High School in 1950. As a young woman she went to work for the local cotton mill. She soon moved from her hometown to the growing city of Atlanta and began working for Retail Credit, now known as Equifax.

She lived and worked in Atlanta for several years and was a member of First Baptist Church of Atlanta. It was at First Baptist that she met Loyd as they were leaving the balcony after a Sunday morning service. They were married at Braswell Baptist Church in May of 1965 and celebrated a total of 58 years of marriage.

The couple moved to Gwinnett County in the late 1960’s, their daughter was born, and Mable became a full-time homemaker. The new family of three joined the church that was just a “hop, a skip, and a jump” from their residence - Glover Baptist Church. Mable served faithfully at Glover as the 2nd Grade Sunday School teacher for many years. She always encouraged her young students to memorize scripture and to learn the books of the Bible. After the closing of Glover, Mable and Loyd were charter members of Rock Bridge Baptist Church.

Mable was a woman of prayer and faithfully prayed for her daughter and granddaughters. She was a dedicated mom and grandmother and will always be remembered for her layer cake with fudge icing. Later in life, Mable decided to get her real estate license and for a brief time was a realtor at Bob Wood Realty.

Mable was preceded in death by her husband, Loyd, in April of 2024. She was also preceded in death by her father, Armenious Felton Gordon; her mother, Drucilla Garrison Gordon; her oldest brother, Donald Gordon and youngest brother, Frank Gordon. Her younger sister, Marel Gordon Burrell is still living. Mable is survived by her daughter, Beth Williams Ford, wife of Jeff Ford. She is also survived by her two granddaughters, Mackenzie Ford Norman, wife of Caleb Norman and by Megan Ford. She also has many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at Bill Head Funeral Home, Tucker Chapel on Tuesday, July 21. Visitation will be from 10 AM - 11 AM and the service will be at 11 AM. Dr. Greg Cruce will officiate. A graveside service will be held on Tuesday July 21st, 2026 at 3:00pm at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Lavonia, Georgia where Mable will be laid to rest with her beloved husband Loyd.

Online condolences may be left at www.BillHead Funeral Home.com

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07/20/2026

Harold Holcomb, Jr.

Harold C. Holcomb, Jr., age 77, beloved husband and father, passed away at his home on July 19, 2026. He was born September 1, 1948, in Atlanta, GA, to Harold and Louise Holcomb. He was the youngest of three boys and two girls.

After he graduated South Cobb High School in 1966, Harold joined the United States Marine Corps and faithfully served his country for three years, including eighteen months in Vietnam. Upon completion of his military service, Harold started work at Atlantic Steel Company where he worked until his retirement thirty years later.

During his time at the Atlantic Steel Company, he met and married the love of his life, Deanna. She brought, along with her, three little boys and Harold loved and cherished those boys as his own. He loved watching them grow and attended all baseball and football games. Harold was a kid at heart and was always ready for an adventure, whether it was four-wheeling, fishing, camping, or getting into shenanigans at his home.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Louise Holcomb; his sisters, Pat Goodman and Pamela Beall; and his brother, Donald Holcomb.

He is survived by his wife of forty-seven years, Deanna Holcomb; his son, Blake (Mandy) Holcomb; son, Michael (Angie) Priest; son, Brandon Priest; and brother, Roland Holcomb. He is also survived by several grandchildren, nephews, and Atlantic Steel brothers.

Harold was cremated in accordance with his request. In lieu of flowers please send a donation to Rabun Paws 4 Life, 261 Boon Creek Road, Tiger, GA 30576.

Strickland Funeral Home of Lavonia is in charge of the arrangements. To sign the online guest register please visit stricklandfh.com.

View Harold Holcomb, Jr.'s obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.