‘Project Runway’ fashion designer Knight dies at 39

Mrs. Carelene Morris Griffin, age 70 of Rome passed away Thursday evening, Oct. 19, 2017.

Mrs. Griffin was born Feb. 16, 1947 in Rockmart, daughter of the late James Floyd “Shorty” Morris and the late Martha Grace Mosley Morris.

She was a homemaker and a member of the Canaanland Baptist Church of Rome. Mrs. Griffin had a great love of family and dedication to church and bible study. She enjoyed crocheting, having won many ribbons for her handiwork.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Harvey Morris; and a great-grandson, Kyle Griffin.

Survivors included her husband, Rev. LaMahta Griffin of Rome to whom she was married Aug. 23, 1993; son, Phillip Blissitt of Rockmart; three daughters and sons-inlaw, Leighanna and Terry Mann of Rome, Donna Nell and Jeff Cook of Rockmart and Joan and Carlos Cubis of Raleigh, North Carolina; three brothers, Larry Morris and his wife Susan and Donald Morris and his wife Robin all of Rockmart and Keith Morris of Nashville, Tenn.; seven grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren also survived.

A celebration of life for Mrs. Morris was held on Tuesday evening, Oct. 24, 2017, at 7 p.m. in the chapel of the Freeman Harris Funeral Home with Rev. LaMahta Griffin officiating.

Grandsons served as honorary pallbearers: Casey Childers, Chris Childers, Eddie Baker and Randy Cook.

Those wishing to do so may make memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association, North Georgia Regional Office, 922 East Morris Street, Dalton, Ga., 30721 or donate online at www.alz.org in memory of Mrs. Griffin.

Please visit www.freemanharrisfunerals.com to extend personal condolences to the family by signing the online guestbook.

Freeman Harris Funeral Home was in charge of the memorial services for Mrs. Carelene Morris Griffin.

Mrs. Dondra L. Wooldridge, age 53, of Cedartown, passed away Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017.

She was born in Cartersville on March 30, 1964, daughter of Donald Lewis Sr. and Robbie Jenkins McCollum.

Mrs. Wooldridge graduated from Cass High School in 1982. She moved to Cedartown 23 years ago and was a member of Valley View Baptist Church.

She is preceded in death by her father and grandparents.

Mrs. Wooldridge is survived by her husband, Roger Wooldridge to whom she married January 9, 1995; her children: Tim Jarrett, Bree Martin, Amanda Barrera, Corey Deaton and Zack Pope; mother: Robbie McCollum; brother: Donald Lewis Jr. and her two cherished grand pups also survive.

The family will be having a memorial service to remember and celebrate her life at a later date.

The Smith and Miller Funeral Home of Cedartown is honored to serve the family of Mrs. Dondra Wooldridge.

Mr. Marvin S. Cheatwood, age 72 of Cedartown, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017.

He was born on Sept. 19, 1945 in Felton, the son of the late Ralph Cheatwood Sr. and Genia McKibben Cheatwood.

Mr. Cheatwood is survived by his wife, Mrs. Diane Tillery Cheat- wood; daughter and son-in-law, Angie Robinson and Tracy; son and daughter-in-law, Keith Cheatwood and Nikki; six grandchildren, Dalton Robinson, Colby Robinson, Logan Bright, Maddison Hamrick, Brandon Cheatwood and Bryson Cheatwood; three great-grandchildren, Rylan Bright, Harper Bright and Maddley Bryant and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Cheatwood is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Louise Wood and Pauline Cheatwood and brothers, Ralph Cheatwood Jr. and John Franklin Cheatwood.

In keeping with Mr. Cheatwood’s wishes’ he was cremated. A memorial service for Mr. Marvin S. Cheatwood was conducted on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, at 6 p.m. in the chapel of the Gammage Funeral Home with Rev. Tom Ward and Rev. Richard Brannon officiating.

The family of Mr. Cheatwood received family and friends on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, prior to the memorial service hour at the Gammage Funeral Home.

The family has respectfully requested that flowers are to be omitted and memorial donations can be made to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Toy Express Program, 1676 Rockmart Highway, Cedartown, Ga., 30125.

Messages of condolence can be made to the family by visiting our website and signing the online guestbook at gammagefh.com.

The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home handled the arrangements for Mr. Marvin S. Cheatwood.

Mrs. Carrie Lee Tibbetts Williams, age 100, of Rockmart passed away Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, in a Rome medical center.

She was born in Rockmart on Feb. 19, 1917 a daughter of John Thomas Tibbitts and Nettie Virginia Cooper Tibbitts. Mrs. Williams had lived all of her life in Polk County and was a member of the County Line Baptist Church.

She was a retired beautician having owned and operated Beauty Rama styling salon for many years.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Thomas Williams; by a daughter, Janie Sue Carden and by three sons: Jerry Douglas Williams, Charles Ray Williams and Ralph Boyd Williams and a great grandson, Courtney Heath.

Survivors include a son, Richard Williams, Rockmart and a daughter, Virginnia English, Milledgeville; nine grandchildren, twenty two great grandchildren and numerous great great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, at 2 p.m. in the chapel of the Alvis Miller and Son Funeral Home with Rev. David Warriner officiating.

Interment followed in the County Line Baptist Church Cemetery.

Pallbearers included: James Raughton, Larry Huckaby, Lee Tinney, Ricky Tinney, Russ Hayes and Todd Carlton.

To leave condolences for the family or to sign the online guest book, visit alvismillerfuneralhome.com.

The Alvis Miller and Son Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements for the funeral of Mrs. Carrie Lee Tibbetts Williams.

Mr. David Carl McCurry, age 60, of Dalton, and who had lived most of his life in Cedartown, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017.

He was born on July 8, 1957 in Cedartown, and was nearly a lifetime member of the Second Baptist Church where he accepted Christ in 1972 through the minis- try of Rev. Roop Caswell.

Mr. McCurry graduated from Cedartown High School in 1975 and lived a full life serving his Lord and Savior. He enjoyed attending Highland Rivers in Cedartown and attended Cross Plains Center in Dalton.

He had great support from Denise Wallace and Jenny Johnson.

Since 2014, Mr. McCurry had lived with his beloved caretaker and dear friend, Lisa Ranelli and her sister, Claudia Ranelli and her daughter, Jill Kittel and niece, Dawn Sledge.

Mr. McCurry’s best friends were David Long and Charlene Hicks. He was a devout Christian and shared God’s ministry and had an amazing knowledge of the Bible.

When family and friends had a crisis, they would ask him to pray. Mr. McCurry would also speak of his Lord at his school and churches. He loved and supported his pastors and recently met his childhood pastor Dr. Jerry Vines.

Mr. McCurry’s favorite evangelist were Dr. Billy Graham and Charles Hagee. His hobbies included travel, fishing, and listening to gospel music and especially Johnny Cash.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl Robert McCurry and Arville Beck McCurry of Cedartown.

Mr. McCurry is survived by his uncle and aunt, James and Martha McCurry of Cedartown; cousins, Steve and Teresa Astin of Silver Creek and Robin and Jacqueline Astin and Darryl Astin of Cedartown. Paul Beck Jr., Pam Holland, Beth Beck, Bobby Beck all of Cedartown and Wallace Beck of Gainesville.

A Celebration of Mr. McCurry’s life was conducted on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 19, 2017, at 3 p.m. with the visitation beginning at 1:30 p.m. from the Chapel of the Lester C. Litesey Funeral Home with Rev. Robert Wright and Rev. Bill Heaton officiating.

Interment followed in the Greenwood Cemetery.

The following served as pallbearers: Shawn Beck Astin, Alex Astin and Alden Astin and Mr. McCurry’s family and friends. Mr. McCurry’s classmates at the Cross Plains Center in Dalton served as honorary pallbearers.

For personal condolences and to sign the online guestbook, please visit liteseyfh.com.

The Lester C. Litesey Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements for Mr. David Carl McCurry.

Mr. Gregory Dean Scott, age 56 of Rockmart passed away Monday, Oct. 16, 2017.

Mr. Scott was born March 28, 1961 in Marietta, son of the late William Lee Scott and Billie Jeane Hooper Scott.

He was a graduate of the Campbell High School of Smyrna and a veteran of the United States Air Force. Mr. Scott worked as an electrician and loved his animals, never letting a stray remain a stray. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, William Thomas Scott.

Survivors included a sister, Karen Scott Tatz and her husband Roger of Dallas who he considered a special friend.

No memorial services are planned at this time.

Please visit www.freemanharrisfunerals.com to extend personal condolences to the family by signing the online guestbook.

Freeman Harris Funeral Home was in charge of the memorial arrangements for Mr. Gregory Dean Scott.

OBITUARIES

Georgia fashion designer Mychael Knight, who was a finalist on the popular TV competition show “Project Runway,” has died at age 39.

Knight died outside Atlanta surrounded by family and friends, said friend Jerris Madison, the editor and photographer of Obvious Magazine, a fashion, lifestyle and cultural publication.

An official cause of death has not been released, but Knight had extensively shared his five-year struggles with irritable bowel syndrome, writing in nowdeleted Facebook posts that he suffered chronic abdominal pain, a “leaky gut,” extreme fatigue and exhaustion.

“He was innovative, unapologetic, kind and giving,” Madison said of Knight. “He made sure that anybody who was in his core circle, his family, his friends, didn’t have to want for anything. He was just an amazing man.”

Knight appeared on Season 3 of “Project Runway,” which aired on Bravo, finishing fourth that year. He returned for “Project Runway AllStars,” finishing eighth on the show that now airs on the Lifetime network.

“We are saddened to hear about the passing of a member of the Project Runway family,” said Lifetime spokeswoman Dee Perez in a statement. “It’s a loss of a great talent and we wish his family peace and solace during this difficult time.”

Knight spent his childhood in Montgomery, Alabama, but graduated from high school in New York in 1996. Later that same year, he began college at Georgia Southern University. In 2001, he earned a bachelor’s degree in apparel design and merchandising.

After completing his undergraduate studies, Knight broke into the fashion industry in Atlanta by working as an intern at Wilbourn Exclusives in 2001 before becoming a fashion stylist in the music industry in 2002.

In 2006, Knight became a contestant for “Project Runway,” and went on to win that season’s fan favorite award. The next year, he introduced his label, Mychael Knight, on BET’s “Rip the Runway” and he designed a line of custom tees for Starbucks.

In 2008, Knight launched Kitty & Dick, his lingerie label for men and women, and his unisex fragrance, MajK.