Valdosta

Claude Nolan (Duck) Barnes

Claude Nolan (Duck) Barnes, 76, of Valdosta, passed away on Friday, Sept. 7, 2007, after a long battle of suffering from a stroke. He was born on Nov. 28, 1930 in Brooks County to the late Comer Gibson Barnes and Nona America Williams Barnes. Duck was a longtime member of Northside Baptist Church.

Mr. Barnes came to live in Valdosta at the age of 17. He became an assistant to a route man at Star Laundry and later became head route man for 15 years. It was at Star Laundry that he met his wife of 53 years, Dorothy (Jeanie) Parker Barnes. In 1964, Mr. Barnes and his wife opened Duck Barnes Dry Cleaners where he worked every day until he had a stroke.

Duck’s favorite pastimes were fishing at the St. Johns River and playing baseball. He played center field with the Valdosta Red Sox for 15 years. He received an award from the national Baseball Congress Hall of Fame in 1984. He also coached the game of baseball to many young boys in Valdosta. Mr. Barnes was also a familiar face at the Valdosta State Blazer baseball field where he enjoyed many years of pitching batting practice in his younger days.

Survivors include his wife Jeanie Barnes, daughter and son in law, Anna and Scott Smith, and son and daughter in law, Nolan II and Peggy Barnes, all of Valdosta; four brothers, Norris (Laveta) Barnes of Savannah, Raliegh (Dell) Barnes, Melvin (Ellen) Barnes, Stanley (Judy) Barnes, all of Brooks County; sister in law, Barbara (Clifford) Broadwell, of Brooks County; sister, Robbie Nell Becton, of Adel; grandchildren, Allen Travis Barnes, Tracie Lynn Barnes, April Maria Smith, and Amanda Marie Smith; his mother in law, 101 years old, Leila Gaston of Jasper, Fla., and his stepmother, Jewel Barnes of Brooks County; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Steve Barnes, a brother Edwin (Chummy) Barnes and a brother-in-law, Jackie Becton. The family would like to offer special thanks to the staff at Heritage House Nursing Home and United Hospice for their assistance during Mr. Barnes’ illness.

Funeral services for Mr. Barnes will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 10, 2007, in the Chapel of McLane Funeral Home. The Rev. Rick Stephens and the Rev. Bob Willis will officiate. Burial will follow at Philadelphia Baptist Church Cemetery in Brooks County. The family will receive friends at the funeral home this afternoon, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007, from 4 until 6 p.m. Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to Northside Baptist Church Building Fund, 200 E. Park Avenue, Valdosta, Ga., 31602; or United Hospice, 407 Cowart Avenue, Valdosta, Ga., 31602. Condolences may be conveyed to the family on the obituary page of www.mclanefuneralservices.com — Carson McLane Funeral Home.

Ray City

Charles A. Wilson

Charles A. Wilson, 80, of Ray City passed away at his residence on Friday afternoon Sept. 7, 2007 after a lengthy illness. He was born in Ware County, Ga., and lived in Ray City most of his life. He was a paving supervisor at Moody AFB for over 30 years He was Methodist by faith, a member of the Ray City United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Nell Herring Wilson, Ray City, Ga.; a son and daughter-in-law, Deriel and Diane Wilson, Ray City, Ga.; grandson, Michael Wilson, Valdosta, Ga.; great-grandsons, Austin and Dalton Wilson, Valdosta, Ga.; sister, Iris Farlene Manning, Ray City, Ga.; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Edgar and Elizabeth Herring, Valdosta, Ga.; sister-in-law, Edna Ray, Nashville, Ga.; a number of nieces and nephews

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007, in the Ray City United Methodist Church with burial in Beaver Dam Cemetery in Ray City, Ga.. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to services. Sympathy may be expressed online at www.musicfuneralservices.com. — Music Funeral Services of Lakeland.