Polk goes ahead with turn in time for agenda
Mrs. Maggie Lee Smith Farmer, age 81, of Felton passed away Tuesday, March 6, 2018.
Mrs. Farmer was born in Cedartown on Oct. 17, 1936, the daughter of the late Walter Smith and the late Maggie Lee Davis Smith.
She was retired from the lunch room at Buchanan School.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by one sister, Shirley George; and two brothers, Junior Smith and Lawrence Smith.
Survivors include her husband, Harold Everett Farmer of Felton; one daughter and son-in-law, Tonya and Calvin Barfield of Temple; one son, John Timothy Farmer of Dallas; one sister, Florence Eller of Bremen; two brothers and sisters- in- law, James and Dolly Smith of Lithia Springs, and Seals and Jan Smith of Canton; seven grandchildren, Randall Lewis, Anthony Farmer, Robby Loudermilk, Rachael Loudermilk, Rishell Loudermilk, Raymond Loudermilk and Rita Davis; and a number of other relatives.
Funeral services were conducted Saturday, March 10, 2018 at 2 p.m. from Hutcheson’s Memorial Chapel with Rev. Richard Brannon officiating. Music was rendered by Sammy Pointer.
Interment followed in Centre Baptist Church Cemetery with the following gentlemen having served as pallbearers: Dean Eller, Billy Farmer, Tony Farmer, Cory Davis, Randall Lewis and Tommy Callahan.
The family received friends at the funeral home Friday evening March 9, 2018.
Post an online condolence or message to the family of Mrs. Farmer at www.hutchesonsmemorialchapel.com
Hutcheson’s Memorial Chapel and Crematory of Buchanan is in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Ruby M. Sorrells, age 93, of Rockmart, passed away Tuesday, March 6, 2018 in a Rome medical center.
She was born in Marietta, GA on Jan. 3, 1925 a daughter of Joe M. McClure and Caro Vadie Canup McClure.
Mrs. Sorrells had lived most of her life in Rockmart and was a retired employee of the Goodyear Mill having worked there 28 years. She was non denominational, loved to travel, work in her garden and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elias Benjamin Sorrells on January 27, 2006.
Survivors include four sons: Edwin (Pam) Sorrells, Satsuma, Fla., Billy Joe (Gloria) Sorrells, Rockmart, Paul B. Sorrells, Rockmart and Jesse Sorrells, Rockmart; two daughters: Nancy (James) Raughton, Rockmart and Betty Faye Lewis, Rockmart; four grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren; sister, Mildred Veitch, Cedartown; brother, Joseph Carl McClure, Marietta; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Friday, March 9, 2018 at 2 p.m. in the chapel of the Alvis Miller and Son Funeral Home with Minister Kalvan Neaf and Minister Lyle Holladay officiating. Interment followed in the New Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers included the following gentlemen: Tim Key, Brody Key, Mason Sorrells, Paul Lewis, Keith Sorrells and Danny Ferguson. Horenorary pallbearers were: Stanley Sorrells, Steve McClure, Jerry Ferguson and Memphis Sorrells.
The Alvis Miller and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements for the funeral of Mrs. Ruby M. Sorrells.
Master Sgt. Ray Morris McDowell Jr., age 75 of Irmo, S.C. formerly of Rockmart, passed away on Saturday, March 3, 2018.
Born in Dallas, he was a son of the late Ray Morris McDowell, Sr. and Mildred Emerson McDowell.
He was a member of Dutch Fork Baptist Church.
Mr. McDowell faithfully served his country in the U.S. Army for 21 years prior to his retirement as Master Sergeant.
While in the Army, he received numerous awards and medals to include: National Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars; Vietnam Campaign Medal; Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm; Combat Infantryman Badge; Army of Occupation Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and Good Conduct Medal (6th AWD.)
Mr. McDowell met and married Christa Melitte McDowell while serving in Germany. She passed away April 29, 1991. Following his retirement from the U.S. Army, he began a second career at Ft. Jackson in Civil Service with DRMO and retired following 25 years of service.
In 1993, he married Harriet Sue McDowell and together they shared 24 years of marriage until her death in December 2017.
He was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Kristen Faircloth; two brothers, Tommy McDowell and Darrell McDowell.
He was survived by his children: Debbie Cathcart (daughter), Kevin L McDowell (son), Katherine McDowell( daughter), Sean Murphy(son); Ann Faircloth (stepdaughter); grandchildren, Ashley, Aaron, Bridgette, Christa, Danny, Zach, Tyler, Ali, Piper, Grace, Michael, Scott and Will; and seven great grandchildren.
Local survivors included four sisters: Sue Cox of Taylorsville, Betty Jones of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Penny LeMasters of Aragon and Leigh Ann McDowell Wade of Rockmart; and four brothers, Doug “Joe” McDowell of Aragon and Jimmy McDowell, Robert McDowell and Rev. Bobby McDowell all of Rockmart.
Funeral service for Master Sgt. McDowell were held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 8, 2018 at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel of Irmo, South Carolina. Burial followed in Crescent Hill Memorial Gardens.
Dunbar Funeral Home of Irmo, S.C., was in charge of the funeral services for MSGT Ray Morris McDowell Jr.
Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com.
This announcement was made on behalf of the family by the Freeman Harris Funeral Home.
Mrs. Deborah M. Boyd, age 65, of Rockmart, passed away Friday, March 2, 2018 in a Rome medical center.
She was born in Polk County, on Oct. 2, 1952 a daughter of Mary Chambers Mims and Glen Mims. Deborah had lived all of her life in Rockmart where she was a graduate of Rockmart High School.
Mrs. Boyd worked as a manager in food service for over thirty years having been employed by Krystal and Hardees. She had most recently been employed as an assistant manager with MAPCO.
She enjoyed NASCAR racing and was a Dale Earnhart Jr. fan. Mrs. Boyd enjoyed her grandchildren and caring for people.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Mims and by a brother, Corey Mims.
Survivors include her son, Andy Smith, Rockmart; father, Glen Mims. McDonough; brother, Keith Mims, McDonough; two grandchildren: Emma Smith and Aidan Smith, Rockmart.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at 5 p.m. in the chapel of the Alvis Miller and Son Funeral Home with Rev. Jeff Hulsey officiating.
The family received friends following the funeral service.
The Alvis Miller and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements for the funeral of Mrs. Deborah M. Boyd.
Master Lyric Jay Nelson of Cedartown, passed away on Thursday, March 1, 2018 in Atlanta. He was born on Feb. 8, 2018. Master Lyric Jay Nelson is survived by his parents, Deon LaVonsha Nelson and Emily Belle Sapp, Maternal Grandparents: Misty and Michael Williams and Stephen and Misty Sapp, paternal grandparents: Deon and Terrance Carter, and a number of aunts and uncles also survive.
A memorial service for Master Lyric Jay Nelson was held on Thursday, March 8 2018 at 2 p.m. in the chapel of the Gammage Funeral Home with Rev. Jim Castle officiating.
The family of Master Lyric received family and friends on Thursday, March 8, 2018 prior to funeral hour at the Gammage Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to be made to The Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Foundation, Fore Hadley Foundation PO Box 244122 Atlanta, Ga., 30324
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 Master Lyric Jay Nelson.
The Polk County Commission might have spent much of their latest regular session discussing pay, but other items on the agenda got fair hearing as well, including a change to give the board more time to talk over items before approving several items on the March agenda.
That included an update to the ordinance governing the county’s meeting schedule and how much time people will now have to get on the work session agenda to address commissioners directly.
The board voted unanimously to push ahead the deadline for individuals seeking to address the board at noon on Tuesday the week prior to a commission work session and regular meeting at the start of the month.
So for instance, when the county meets on April 2 and 3, local residents who want to address the board will have to submit their name by no later than Tuesday, March 27 at noon to get on the agenda to speak.
That process is still handled by County Clerk Dawn Turner, who then forwards on the information to County Manager Matt Denton, who is responsible for compiling the agenda each week for approval from Commission chair Jennifer Hulsey, or whoever holds the position at the time.
Commissioner Jose Iglesias did request that there be language included to ensure that a deadline would be met to have items in the county’s Dropbox account ready for viewing by commissioners, but none of the other commissioners supported the effort. Additionally, it would have required the ordinance to include a technology that might not always be available in the future due to upgrades or if the company ever went out of business, and an alternative would have to be found.
Commissioners also gave approval to a proclamation recognizing the efforts of the Polk County Drug Task Force to fight against drug trafficking and use, netting dozens of arrests and more than $500,000 in seized items during their investigations since they began operations several years ago.
New Drug Task Force Commander and Rockmart Police Assistant Chief Randall Brazier was on hand with Polk County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jonathan Blackmon, who also sits on the Drug Task Force board made up of local law enforcement chiefs.
The commission members also approved a Dr. Neil Gordon for the Polk County Board of Health in an unanimous vote. The local physician is a new member to the Board of Health
Additionally, t hey also voted to change the speed limit on Hugh Deems Road to 35 mph for the full stretch between Stewart and Raiford roads, and approved updates to the speed limit in two areas already set by the county, including a speed limit of 65 mph on Highway 113 past Rockmart High School and all the way into Bartow County.
Board members also took up several spending and money issues on the night. Those included FY 2018 budget amendments for the general fund, much of which is shuffling around of funds from one line item to another that required changes.
“Some of it that is increasing are grant and insurance money,” County Manager Matt Denton said.
Funding in cash half the cost of the Rockmart Fire Department’s upcoming purchase of a new rescue vehicle, the costs for new court house security cameras and their installation and amending the group health insurance plan for the county to fix coverage issues for retired employees using a new Humana plan for a small group of those covered under group insurance.
Before closing out the night, Commissioners Iglesias and Tillery both praised the response by Polk County’s law enforcement for their response to a lockdown following threats made on social media of a shooting that ended with a student’s arrest.