Eloise Fender Holmes

Eloise Fender Holmes, 70, of Lakeland, passed away Thursday morning at Louis Smith Memorial Hospital after a lengthy illness. She was born Dec. 19, 1936, to the late Dave Fender and Nancy Gilliard. She was a homemaker for most of her life. She is preceded in death by her husband Jack Holmes Jr., two brothers Johnny Fender and James Riley Fender, and two sisters Myrtic Hall and Gertrude Wren.

Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Sabrina and Donnie Paschal, Lakeland, Ga.; son, Steven Lee Holmes, Lakeland, Ga.; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Jessie and Ronald Skinner, Ray City, Mary Sue and Randy Merritt, Panama City, Fla.; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Benny Fender, Ray City, Roy and Latrelle Fender, Homerville; five grandchildren, Sonya, Jordan, Dalton, Coby Paschal, Amber Holmes; a number of nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007, at Unity Methodist Cemetery in Lakeland, Ga. Sympathy may be expressed online at www.musicfunealservices.com. — Music Funeral Services of Lakeland.

LAKELAND

Lillie Margaret Johnson Sirmans

Mrs. Lillie Margaret Johnson Sirmans, 86, passed this life Friday, Aug. 31, 2007, at her residence in Lakeland, Ga.

She was born on June 21, 1921, in Clyattville, Ga., to the late Ben and Delia Blake Johnson. Her childhood was spent in Lanier County, where she acquired her formative education.

She was united in holy matrimony to the late Frank Sirmans and to this union 10 children were born, four of whom preceded her in death. She raised five grandchildren and one preceded her in death.

She leaves to cherish her love and memories six children, John Sirmans (Ida), Valdosta, Lodinetta Sirmans, Lillie L. Sirmans, both of Lakeland, Phoebie Rose, Jacksonville, Fla., Vivian Sirmans, Linden, N.J., Bernadette M. Scott (Stanley), Hepzibah, Ga., Harold Sirmans (Barbara), East Orange, N.J., Dedra West, Ray City, Ga., Lystra Lamb (Jerome), Chelsea Thomas (Dallas), Lakeland; 21 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; three sisters-in-law, Dorothy Johnson, Raleigh, N.C., Juanita Crawford, Atlanta, Ruth Thomas, Rivera Beach , Fla.; two brothers-in-law, Henry Sirmans, St. Petersburg, Fla., Richard Sirmans, Rivera Beach, Fla.; three special young men entered her life at a young age, Jasper (Jabo) Alexander, Darriel (Blue) McCrae and Kenneth Foster; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007, at New Bryant Baptist Church in Lakeland, Ga. Bro. Roosevelt Johnson will officiate. Burial will follow in Love Joy Cemetery. Remains will lie in state at the church from 5-8 p.m. this evening. — Godfrey Funeral Home.

MURRAYVILLE

Mattie Odessa Bishop