One was serving the community he loved during the most devastating storms of our lifetimes. Two were students at Patterson Elementary who died tragically within 24 hours of each other. Several were business and community leaders.
All of them were among Pierce County’s 25 best known citizens who passed away in 2024.
Among the notable deaths this year:
• Frank Aspinwall, 87, passed away Dec. 26, 2023. He was 87.
Aspinwall most recently owned the Oak Plaza Restaurant but was known as a true entrepeneur. His first job was as a press operator for The Blackshear Times and he also served as the Justice of the Peace for Pierce County for many years.
He owned and operated several businesses in the community such as the Grove Hill Restaurant, the Satilla Package Store, The Blackshear Bowl, Aspinwall Mobile Home Park and Aspinwall Bail Bonds.
• Lea Barnard, 95, passed away Friday, Dec. 29, 2023.
Barnard owned and operated House of Beauty by Lea for over 40 years.
She was active in the community in many capacities including the Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, as president of the Lakeview Ladies Golf Association and the Red Hat Society.
Editor’s note: Apsinwall and Barnard are included in the 2024 notable deaths since they passed away after the 2023 tribute was published.
• John Rodney “Coach Rocket” Townsend Sr., 78, passed away Friday, Februrary 9, 2024.
Coach Rocket and his wife, Anne, were partners at Waycross Dance and Gymnastics. The business had many local students in Pierce County.
Coach Rocket’s dancers were known as “The Rocket Stars” and performed at Georgia Southern, Florida State and Valdosta State Universities, South Georgia State College, Atlanta Hawks half-time shows and at the Disney World Performing Arts Exhibition.
Each year The Rocket Stars would hold a fundraiser for The ALS Association in memory of his friend and well known local golfer David Wall.
• Susie Sapp, 70, died Sunday, Feb. 11. Sapp had been the office secretary at Pierce County High School for almost two decades before retiring in 2016.
• Ken Beck Sr., passed away Friday, April 5. He was 77.
Beck was a long-time volunteer with the Friends of the Library and frequent contributor to The Blackshear Times. He served as secretary of the Friends of the Pierce County Library and frequently wrote letters to the editor in The Times.
• Hadleigh Lee passed away April 21 on her 9th birthday from injuries she sustained in a car accident after she and her family were struck by an alleged drunk driver.
Lee was a third grader at Midway Elementary.
She was passionate about gymnastics as a member of the dance team at Southeastern Elite (SEE) and she loved horses.
• James Stewart Jr., 93, died April 16, 2024. He was 93.
Stewart was chairman of the board of his family’s company, Stewart Candy Company, for 65 years.
The company is located in southwestern Pierce County near the Pierce-Ware County line.
In addition to the family business, Stewart was a chairman of the board for Commercial Bank, Waycross Bank and Trust and WB&T Bankshares and a director for The Guardian Bank and Southwood School.
• Hazel Justice, 96, died April 19. She was a former Pierce County clerk in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In addition to her service in Pierce County, she also served as a bookkeeper in Ware County and also worked in the private sector for Dell Industries and Jim Brown Air Conditioning.
• Norene Smith Bowen, 79, died May 8.
She was a former owner of the Oak Plaza Restaurant in Blackshear.
Bowen was also active in local politics, helping her late husband, former county chairman Mitch Bowen.
• Caroline Dowling, 11, died May 18, of injuries she received in an ATV accident.
Dowling was a fifth grade student at Patterson Elementary.
Dowling was known for her academic accomplishments as well as her athletic talents. She was an A/B honor roll student and was the recipient of multiple school awards including highest achievement in reading, highest average in social studies, PBIS award, PE award and the young authors winner in 2022.
She was an active participant at the Pierce County Recreation Department where she played basketball and softball and enjoyed being a pitcher. She was honored to make the Pierce County Middle School softball team for next school year.
She was a member of the National League of Junior Cotillions St. Illa Chapter.
• Logan Sharpe, 7, died May 19, after being struck by a vehicle on Tyre Bridge Road in Patterson.
Sharpe was a first grade student at Patterson Elementary.
He loved to read, loved giving big hugs and especially loved everything Spider Man related.
• Charlie Strickland, 68, died July 2 from injuries sustained in a traffic accident.
Strickland was a retired boilermaker and was a member of a prominent Pierce County family. He was the father of Pierce County Magistrate Judge-elect Shelly Herndon and brother of the late Sheriff and County Commissioner Noah Strickland.
• Joseph Lawton “Joe” Youmans, 45, passed away Tuesday, August 20.
Youmans had numerous business interests in Pierce County and the surrounding area, including owning Anytime Fitness on Main Street, Blackshear and Average Joe’s Pawn Shop, Average Joe’s Car Wash and Dealz Outlet, all on U.S. Highway 84, Blackshear. He also owned Anytime Fitness in Alma.
• Kathryn Joyner Greene, 80, passed away Monday, August 26.
Greene was known as the greeter at the front door of Pearson-Dial Funeral Home as a greeter.
She had also worked as a secretary for many local attorneys and for the late Judge Ben Smith.
Greene was active at Blackshear First Baptist Church and with the Pierce County Food Pantry and local disaster relief efforts.
• Lil DuPont, 87, died August 30. She worked as secretary at Pierce County High School, Pierce County Junior High School and Pierce County Middle School.
In addition to her 20 year career with Pierce County Schools, she had worked as a substitute teacher. She enjoyed being a poll worker for the Pierce County Elections Board and a volunteer at the area blood drives for the American Red Cross.
• Susan Pritchard Douglas, 72, passed away Sept. 14.
She was a long-time educator and cofounder of the Big Z Yard Sale.
Douglas taught for many years at Grady Street Elementary and Blackshear Elementary.
Along with her close friends, Pam Walker and Glenna Strickland, she was a co-founder of the Big Z Warehouse Sale.
She was active at the First Baptist Church of Blackshear, where she participated in many ministries including serving on mission trips to Haiti and Honduras.
She was also a dog lover and she and her late husband, Roger, raised cocker spaniels.
• The Rev. Lori Howell-Miller, 58, passed away Thursday, Sept. 18.
The Rev. Howell-Miller served as manager of the Pierce County Library from 2013-2014. She is remembered as a manager who did a great job for library patrons.
The Rev. Howell-Miller was an educator in Ware and Clinch Counties and later went into the ministry.
• Ellen McLeod Ratliff Highsmith Adams, 99, passed away Sept. 24.
Adams was the widow of the late Mayor Harry G. Adams who served as Blackshear’s mayor for a decade.
She was also active in the community as a volunteer for “Meals on Wheels” and was the last surviving member of the Blackshear Supper Club founded in 1960. She was retired from Peoples Bank (now The First Bank).
She served in the U.S. Navy as a member of the “singing platoon” entertaining troops in World War II.
• Jeffrey Carswell “Jeff” Strickland, 68, died Sept 25. He was a patriot, former American Legion Commander and Marine Corps veteran.
Strickland was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and was a retired First Lieutenant. He was retired from the Federal Prison System as FCI Jesup.
Strickland was the commander of the local American Legion post for a few years and helped to organize events for Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
Strickland also enjoyed physical fitness, being outdoors, rooting for the Georgia Bulldogs and enjoyed riding his Harley with his buddies.
• Sue Steedley, 87, died Sept. 26. Steedley was the co-owner of The Plantation —Wedding and Formal Wear and The Sassy Fox clothing store in Blackshear. She also worked for Inez Raulerson at The Dakki Shop.
She also enjoyed singing and playing the piano. She and her sister, Ann, sang at numerous weddings and funerals over the years.
• Leon Davis, 69, died in the line of duty as Hurricane Helene raged through Pierce County early Friday morning, September 27, 2024.
He was a veteran firefighter with over 30 years of service.
He retired as fire chief at Ware State Prison and then devoted his time serving as Blackshear’s assistant city fire chief.
• Teresa Hipps, 64, died Sept. 30. She was a former advertising representative for several area newspapers, including The Blackshear Times.
• “Buddy” Floyd, 87, passed away Nov. 1.
He was well-known for his gardening skills and his talent on the harmonica and was a member of the Pierce County Senior Center.
He enjoyed music and playing his harmonica and helped with the garden at the center, tending the watermelons this past summer.
• Kim Rowell, 61, passed away November 7.
Known for her affable personality, Rowell served as deputy clerk under current Clerk of Court Thomas Sauls. She worked in the clerk’s office until failing health led her to step down.
• Josie-Tatum (JieLun) Mattox Carlson, 21, died Nov. 12, in Gainesville, from injuries received in a traffic accident.
Carlson was well-known and wellliked locally. She was the valedicatorian and the homecoming queen of her senior class at Pierce County High School in 2021.
The oldest of four children adopted from China by Robbie (Scott) Beahan and the late Stan Mattox, Carlson had recently married her high school sweetheart, Ethan, and had recently moved to Sautee-Nacoochee in the northeast Georgia mountains.
Barnard
Townsend
Beck
Lee
Dowling
Sharpe
Youmans
DuPont
Douglas
Howell-Miller
Adams
Davis
Rowell
Carlson
