State targets failing schools again
Mrs. Lynn Cantrell Smith, age 86 of Marietta, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017.
She was born on March 13, 1930 in Cedartown, the daughter of the late Roy T. and Cora Dollar Cantrell.
Mrs. Smith is survived by her daughters, Deborah Vollmer, Kathy Lovinggood (Steve) and Regina Prewett (Fred); son, Kyle Smith; grandchildren, Stephen Lovinggood (Jessica), Mickey Lovinggood, Spenser Vollmer, Derrick Prewett (Marquita), Tevin Prewett and Ian Prewett and great-grandchildren, Liam Lovinggood, Austin Prewett and Cayden Prewett.
Mrs. Smith is preceded in death by her parents; husband, James A. Smith; two sisters and five brothers.
The funeral arrangements for Mrs. Lynn Cantrell Smith were conducted on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 at in the Gammage Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Robert Boatner officiating. Interment will follow in the Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family of Mrs. Smith received family and friends on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 from prior to the funeral hour at the Gammage Funeral Home.
The family has respectfully requested that flowers are to be omitted and donations can be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, Fla., 33131.
The following gentlemen served as pallbearers: Stephen Lovinggood, Mickey Lovinggood, Spenser Vollmer, Karl Vollmer, Brian Crowell and Patrick Jenkins. Honorary pallbearers were Derrick Prewett, Tevin Prewett and Ian Prewett.
Messages of condolence can be made to the family by signing the online guestbook at gammagefh.com.
The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home handled the arrangements for Mrs. Lynn Cantrell Smith.
Mrs. Betty MaeDell Forrister Pierce, age 78 of Cedartown, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017.
She was born on Jan. 19, 1939, the daughter of the late Robert C. and Mildred Pruitt Forrister.
Mrs. Pierce is survived by her daughters, Dawn Folsom, Tracy Jones (Bill) and Lynn Rolen (Dennie); son, Terry Folsom (Stephanie); sister, Virginia Thomason (Vernoy); 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Pierce is preceded in death by her parents; husband, O.W. Pierce; daughter, Carol Atkins and brothers, James R. Forrister and Douglas Forrister.
In keeping with Mrs. Pierce’s wishes, she was cremated.
A memorial service for Mrs. Betty MaeDell Forrister Pierce was conducted on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 at 5 p.m. at the Gammage Funeral Home with Rev. Kermit Pruitt officiating.
The family of Mrs. Pierce received family and friends on Saturday, Feb.18, 2017 prior to the memorial service hour at the Gammage Funeral Home.
Messages of condolence can be made to the family by signing the online guestbook at gammagefh.com.
The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home handled the arrangements for Mrs. Betty MaeDell Forrister Pierce.
Mrs. LulaMay Bates, age 80, formerly of Cedartown, passed away on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 in Douglasville.
Mrs. Bates was born Sept. 26, 1936 in Wisconsin, and was a retired Nurse with the State of Georgia. She was a long time member of the Victory Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Hayward Uzeal Bates; son, Larry Jerome Bates and a number of brothers and sisters.
Surviving are her sons, Glen and Cindy Lanphear, Norman Zachary Lanphear, Jerry Mack Bates, Carlton Uzeal Bates and Dennis Lee Bates; her daughters, Mona Diane Bates Pitts and Debra Louise Bates Boughey; A number of grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren also survive.
Graveside and Interment services for Mrs. LulaMay Bates were conducted on Friday, February 17, 2017 at 12 p.m. in the Northview Cemetery with Rev. Barry Snapp officiating.
The family received friends on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017 prior to the funeral hour at the Northview Cemetery.
Condolences can be made to the Bates family by visiting www.liteseyfh.com and signing the online guestbook.
The Lester C. Litesey Funeral Home of Cedartown had charge of the services for Mrs. LulaMay Bates.
Ms. Debra Kay Millsap, age 59 of Lindale passed away on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017.
She was born on Sept. 15, 1957 in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Ms. Millsap is survived by her mother, Marcia Looney Daniel; son and daughterin-law, Harvey “Mikki” and Kellie Cunningham; sisters, Pennie Millsap and Janae Millsap; brothers, Kevin Millsap, Ronald Millsap and Trent Millsap; six nieces; eight nephews; several great-nieces and nephews and lifelong friend Mikki Harrell.
Ms. Millsap is preceded in death by her father, Jennings Layton Millsap; sister, Connie Millsap and brother, David Andrew Parrish.
In keeping with Ms. Millsap’s wishes, she was cremated.
A memorial service for Ms. Debra Kay Millsap was conducted on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. at Wesley Chapel Community Church with Rev. Joshua Nichols officiating.
The family of Ms. Millsap received family and friends on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017 prior to the memorial service hour at Wesley Chapel Community Church.
Messages of condolence can be made to the family by signing the online guestbook at gammagefh.com.
The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home handled the arrangements for Ms. Debra Kay Millsap.
Ms. Leanna Michelle Gilmore, 25, of Cave Spring, died unexpectedly Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 at her home.
A native of Cave Spring, Miss Gilmore was born Feb.20, 1991, a daughter of Carl Joe (Joey) Gilmore Jr., and the late Kristi Noelle Cox. An avid Alabama football fan, she had attended Cave Spring Elementary, Coosa Middle School where she participated in basketball, and Coosa High School.
Ms. Gilmore was a member of the Grace Fellowship Baptist Church.
Besides her mother, Miss Gilmore was preceded in death by her paternal grandmother, Mrs. Sharon Gilmore, and by her maternal grandfather, William T. Cox.
Ms. Gilmore is survived by her father, Carl Joe (Joey) Gilmore Jr. and her step-mother Venita Gilmore of Cedartown; by her sister, Ms. Lauren Gilmore of Rome; by a step sister, Ms. Haley McCown and by a step brother, Jory McCown, both of Cedartown. Her maternal grandmother, Mrs. Agetha Cole of Loganville; her paternal grandfather, Carl Joe Gilmore of Cave Spring; and three uncles, William T. Cox Jr. of Cartersville, Robert Cox of Atlanta, and B. J. Cox of Rome also survive.
Funeral services for Miss Gilmore were held Sunday afternoon, Feb. 19, 2017 at 4 p.m. at John House’s Cave Spring Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Mark Evans officiating.
Interment followed in the family lot of the Cave Spring Cemetery.
Mr. Jessie Warren Autery, age 39 of Rockmart, passed away on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017. He was born on Dec. 30, 1977 in Rome. Mr. Autery is survived by his mother and step-father, Varshal Thorn Barber and Earl Barber; son, Jacob Warren Autery and his mother, Autum Dawson; sister, Nicole Sylvester; brothers, Michael Earl Barber, Dalton Autery, Devin Autery and Daniel Russel Barber and fiancé, Audrey Henson.
Mr. Autery is preceded in death by his father, Clifton Warren Autery and grandparents, Clifton and Doris Autery and Virgil and Sylvia Ledbetter.
The funeral arrangements for Mr. Jessie Warren Autery were conducted on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017 at 1 p.m. in the chapel of the Gammage Funeral Home with Rev. Trey Jones officiating.
Interment followed in the Polk Memory Gardens Cemetery.
The family of Mr. Autery received family and friends on Thursday evening, Feb. 16, 2017 at the Gammage Funeral Home.
The following gentlemen served as pallbearers: Chris Rittenhouse, Mark Davis, Andy Davis, Randall Casey, Russell Casey and Christopher “Boo” Head.
The family has respectfully requested that flowers are to be omitted and donations be made to Autism Speaks Foundation, 1060 State Road, 2nd Floor, Princeton, N.J., 08540.
Messages of condolence can be made to the family by signing the online guestbook at gammagefh.com.
The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home handled the arrangements for Mr. Jessie Warren Autery.
Mrs. Hazel Marie Jacobs Baldwin, age 93 of Rockmart, passed away Sunday afternoon, Feb. 12, 2017.
Mrs. Baldwin was born March 13, 1923 in Rockmart, daughter of the late Charlie Jacobs and the late Lela Stubblefield Jacobs.
She was a member of the Second Baptist Church of Rockmart. For 34 years she was co-owner of Baldwin Auto, Inc. of Rockmart where she worked alongside her late husband, Mr. Paul L. Baldwin who preceded her in death on June 18, 2009.
Mrs. Baldwin was also preceded in death by a son, Danny Baldwin; three sisters and three brothers.
Survivors included a daughter, Annette B. Edwards and her husband Bill of Rockmart; son, Charles E. Baldwin and his wife Sandra of Cedartown; daughter-in-law, Vicki Baldwin of Cedartown; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren also survived.
Funeral services for Mrs. Baldwin were held on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 at 2 p.m. in the chapel of the Freeman Harris Funeral Home with Rev. David Warriner and Rev. Ladell Jacobs officiating.
Interment services followed in the family lot of Rose Hill Cemetery.
The following gentlemen served as pallbearers: Mike Stiles, Matthew Runyon, Ethan Stiles, Evan Stiles, Donald Ray Baldwin and Paul Turner.
Honorary pallbearers were Horace Hulsey, Elwyn Tillery and Franklin Morris.
Please visit t he website at www. freemanharrisfunerals.com to extend personal condolences to the family by signing the online guestbook.
Freeman Harris Funeral Home was in charge of the funeral services for Mrs. Hazel Marie Jacobs Baldwin.
Mrs. Barbara Sue Hatmaker, age 76 of Carrollton, formerly of Cedartown, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017.
She was born on Aug. 16, 1940 in Lumber City, the daughter of the late Leroy and Ruth Varnador Haymons.
Mrs. Hatmaker actively attended Victory Baptist Church, where she was a friend to everyone she met. Mrs. Hatmaker lived her life with a lively attitude and a lot of spunk.
Mrs. Hatmaker is survived by her daughter and son in law, Tena and Butch Wainwright; son and daughter in law, Tim and Teresa Hatmaker; sons, Michael Hatmaker and Gary Hatmaker.
She is also survived by her grandchildren; Josh and Patience Chance, Samantha Wainwright, Christina Hatmaker, TJ Hatmaker, Julian Hatmaker and Blake Hatmaker.
Mrs. Hatmaker is preceded in death by her parents Leroy and Ruth Varnador Haymons Hatmaker; husband, Homer Hatmaker; daughter, Dana Ruth Payne; grandson, Trey Wainwright.
The funeral arrangements for Mrs. Barbara Sue Hatmaker were conducted on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 at 1 p.m. in the chapel of the Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home.
Interment followed in the Northview Cemetery.
The family of Mrs. Barbara Sue Hatmaker received family and friends on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 prior to the funeral hour at the Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home.
Messages of condolence can be made to the family signing the online guestbook at gammagefh.com.
The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home handled the arrangements for Mrs. Barbara Sue Hatmaker.
Little Malachi Jayden Stegall, infant son of Rachel Stegall and Matthew Sandefur, passed away Sunday, Feb. 11, 2017.
Survivors include his mother, Rachel Stegall, Rockamart; father, Matthew Sandefur, S.C.; sister, Valentina Marie Stegall, Rockmart; grandmother, Wanda M. Wynn, Rockmart; and uncle, Bobby E. Wynn, Rockmart.
Private memorial services for Little Malachi Jayden Stegall will be held at a later date.
The Alvis Miller and Son Funeral Home is serving the family.
ATLANTA — The state would have broad authority to intervene in struggling schools and make significant changes to staff and management under legislation introduced by Georgia Republicans.
Gov. Nathan Deal and other GOP leaders had to regroup after voters in November rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to give the state the power to take over “chronically failing” schools.
Education g r o u p s fiercely opposed that measure, arguing that it left students and parents subject to the decisions of an official appointed by the governor rather than a locally elected school board.
Rep. Kevin Tanner, a Dawsonville Republican, filed legislation on Friday to create a new position to oversee what he’s calling a “turnaround” process.
The “chief turnaround officer” would be accountable to the State Board of Education, whose members are appointed by the governor.
Schools selected for int ervention would be paired with a “t urnaround coach” and other players to come up with an improvement plan.
Tanner said he wants to ensure local involvement to avoid the opposition that Deal’s constitutional amendment faced.
“We’re basically giving them two years to work hand in hand with us,” Tanner said.
“And as long as they’re making an effort and making progress there won’t be any directive that they have to do anything.”
The bill does lay out dramatic consequences for schools that don’t improve within two years of state intervention.
The turnaround officer could replace a school’s principal or other staff, require parents be allowed to send their children to other local public schools, or put another school district or nonprofit in charge of running the school if it were failing.