WAYCROSS — Mary Jeanette Melton Hersey passed away Wednesday, October 12, 2022.
Jeanette was born in Waycross on July 13, 1946, the youngest of 10 children born to Aaron and Minnie Melton. She was preceded in death by her father Aaron Madison Melton, a veteran of WWI, her mother Minni Muriel Pittman Melton, her siblings Ruby Clinnie Melton Thrift (Brantley Thrift), Fleming Jesse Melton, Pearl Melton Tatum (James E. Tatum), Minnie Lucille Melton Haynes (James L. Haynes), Mitchell Melton, Cecil Melton, Linzy D. Melton (Bonnie Melton/Lavette Melton), Ralph Eugene Melton, and Nella Faye Melton Morgan (John Morgan).
Jeanette is survived by her husband of 52 years Curtis Hersey of Waycross; a daughter, Amanda Leah Waters of Waycross (Toby Howell); two sons Curtis Laverne Hersey of Folkston, Ga., and Benjamin Lance Hersey (wife Kandice) of Blackshear; five grandchildren Joshua Aaron Hersey of Waycross, Rachel Minnet Howell, Tobi Renee Howell, Colton Benjamin Hersey, and Ian Nicholas Hersey, all of Blackshear; a great grandchild, Leigha Lachelle Hersey; a niece who is considered a daughter, Luci Haynes of Waycross; and four sisters-in-laws Geneva Melton and Francis Melton of Waycross, Mary Melton of Kingsland, Ga., and Mary Bagley of Bickley, Ga; brother-in-law Artie Hersey Jr. of Bickley; numerous nieces and nephews, and a neighborhood of friends and acquaintances who were like family.
Jeanette was a lifelong resident of Waycross and Ware County. She was an honor student throughout her time in the Ware County School system. She attended Braganza Elementary, Gilchrist Park Elementary, she then attended Ware County Junior high (currently Wacona), she ultimately graduated from Ware County High School on Gorman Road in 1964. It was that year that she purchased her first new car, a 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang. The Mustang became the preferred means of travel for Jeanette and her cousins, who would head to Daytona Beach, Fla., nearly each weekend, after Sunday service.
Jeanette was employed during high school from the age of 14 at Haynes Grocery on Washington Avenue. She went to work shortly after high school at Clarks (currently Kroger) in Waycross. It was there where she caught the eye of Curtis Hersey. Jeanette would later seek employment at Cauley’s Meat Packing on Albany Avenue. She was now a fellow employee of Curtis, and the two would marry in May of 1970. Jeannette would go back and forth between Haynes Grocery and Cauley’s Meat Packing in the 1970s and ’80s. She was a bookkeeper for both businesses as well as a clerk. Jeanette is well known as the clerk at the cultural center of Gilchrist Park, which was Haynes Grocery. During her employment at the little store, she formed family like bonds with hundreds of people in the community.
Jeanette was a longtime member of Bible Heritage Pentecostal Holiness Church. She began attending church there in 1951 and joined the membership shortly thereafter. She was very involved in the church and was eager to use her gifts to further God’s Kingdom. Jeanette’s faithfulness in tithing was evident in how she could stretch a dollar and could continually give to the ministry above what was required.
Jeanette began working with the youth of Bible Heritage in 1983, through the Bible Quiz Team. She spent countless hours pouring the Word of God into the youth that passed through Bible Heritage Church. She always felt that everyone could memorize scripture that would be a guide later in life. The children under her guidance represented Bible Heritage exceptionally well. The junior teams (ages 8-12) were consistently conference champions for the Sunshine Conference from 1983 to 2017. Her junior age groups were only defeated one time for the Sunshine Conference Championship. The senior teams (13-19) also had great success competing on the national level nearly every year from 1984 to 2017 and winning a national championship in 2017.
Jeanette would weekly use her own van and shuttle children to and from church events. If a child showed up, she made sure they were accepted and cared for while she was with them. She furnished her groups with meals and snacks every time they met without taking any donations from anyone. Jeanette was recognized by the Sunshine Conference for her dedicated service to the youth of Bible Heritage Church in 2016 when she was awarded the “Nolan Davis Youth Impact Award.” The nomination for this award came from a former pastor of hers, Donnie Thomas. Members of the Bible Heritage Bible Quiz Teams from over the years were acting as honorary pall bearers at her funeral.
Jeannette not only served the children of Bible Heritage, but she used her talent as a shrewd business woman to financially right the ship in tough times. Jeanette served as the Secretary and Treasurer for the Women Ministries of Bible Heritage, then as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Sunday School Department. She ultimately would wind up taking over as the church treasurer in 1989 a position which she filled until 2012, when an illness would force her to retire from the position. She always felt that she had a gift with numbers and wanted to use her talents for the Lord.
In addition to her obligations to the church, Jeanette was a devoted mother to her children. She would spend countless hours after work with the Ware County Band Boosters while both her sons were in high school. She attended every football game, competition, and concert of her children. Once her children became adults, Jeanette would become a mainstay at Charlton County football games. She and Curtis would cross the state of Georgia nearly every Friday night supporting Curt and the Charlton County Band of Pride.
Jeanette was a silent warrior. She battled with cancer for many years with know one having a clue. She began her battle with the disease in 1997 and kept it hidden until 2012. She self-diagnosed her own cancer and was able to tell the doctors exactly what she had when she finally sought treatment. She was a fierce advocate for her children and grandchildren. Despite her decline in health, she would still make it to concerts and other events in her children and grandchildren’s lives.
A funeral service was held at 4 p.m., Tuesday at Bible Heritage Church. Burial followed in Swamp Road Baptist Church Cemetery. The family received friends Monday evening at the Miles-Odum Funeral Home. The family also visited with friends at at the church before the service.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.milesodumfuneralhome.com.
