From Dinglewood legend to Aflac icon, here’s a list of notable people we lost in 2019
In ways as varied as their names, these folks with metro Columbus connections lived notable lives before they died in 2019:
Lieutenant Charles Stevens, 87, Jan. 2: Famous for his scrambled dogs, which were ordered from even overseas. But customers he fed during 56 years at Dinglewood Pharmacy also savored this short-order cook’s long-time friendship.
William Edwin Batton, 89, Jan. 5: Captained the Montezuma High School 1948 state championship basketball team. Won state championships in hurdles and pole vault.
Thomas Paul Sanders, 84, Jan. 8: Past chairman of Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley and now-discontinued Buick Challenge golf tournament.
A. Charles Knowles Jr., 87, Jan. 14: Served for eight years as a Harris County commissioner. Past president of Association of County Commissioners of Georgia.
Jean Thomas Molnar, 86, Jan. 19: Past president of Columbus Newcomers Club, local and state Junior Women’s Club, and Muscogee County Medical Society Alliance. Instrumental in early success of Springer Children’s Theater and past board chairwoman. Troop leader and Lifetime Achievement Award winner with Girl Scouts.
Lothar Leo Tresp, 91, Jan. 22: Helped establish University of Georgia Honors Program and served as director 1967-94. Cofounder and first president of Southern Regional Honors Council and past president of National Collegiate Honors Council.
James Richard White Sr., 83, Jan. 22: Past president of local Civitan Club.
Jack Thomas Brinkley Sr., 88, Jan. 23: Served in U.S. Congress as Georgia’s 3rd District representative (1967-83) and in Georgia’s House of Representatives (1965-66).
Harry B. Ennis, 87, Jan. 26: Lee County public servant as engineer (1974-96), school board member (1982-2002) and commissioner (2000-08). Also was Russell County’s engineer for several years.
Robert Duane Kemp, 64, Jan. 28: Past president of local Kiwanis Club, Better Business Bureau and Diabetes Association. Past chairman of Thunder and the Valley Airshow.
Frieda E. Moye, 79, Jan. 28: Muscogee County School District’s 1978 Teacher of the Year.
Clyde Burton Hewitt Jr., 96, Jan. 31: Past chairman of Columbus Board of Public Safety.
Arthur Lee Halouska, 84, Feb. 16: Founding treasurer of Muscogee County Friends of Libraries. Columbus Public Library 2009 Volunteer of the Year.
James B. Redd, 75, Feb. 28: Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame member. In 14 seasons (1974-75 to 1987-88), coached Central High School’s boys basketball team to 255-64 record, four area championships, four state quarterfinals and one state semifinal. Helped 40 players earn college scholarships.
Tamara Latrice Curry-Gill, 45, March 3: Carver High School drama teacher. Acted in films, TV shows and plays.
Sue Boykin Henson, 93, March 2: Former reporter for Columbus Ledger.
Mildred Mae Roberts, 91, March 15: Past president of Muscogee Civitan Club, area director of South Georgia Civitan District and member of Cusseta-Chattahoochee Library Board.
Audrey Hamlin Hollingsworth, 86, March 19: Retired program manager for West Central Georgia Health District. Past president of Georgia Public Health Association. Taught nursing at Columbus College and Troy State University.
C.L. Moffitt, 86, March 19: Retired in 1998 as city manager of Columbus. Also served as assistant city manager and transportation director.
Clarence Mitchell Jr., 85, March 22: Founding member and past president and treasurer of Beallwood Area Network Development.
Charles Dexter Jordan Jr., 79, March 24: Past president of South Columbus Boys Club and Kiwanis Club of Columbus. Past chairman of Historic Columbus Foundation and Listening Eyes School for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children of Columbus.
Georgia C. Brown, 72, March 26: Wrote weekly “In the House” column for former L-E publication Northland Neighbors, as well as business column for L-E.
William Don “WD” Feeney, 30, April 4: The way he died — hit by a dump truck while crossing a downtown intersection in his wheelchair — was newsworthy, but talk to folks who knew him, and it’s clear his life also was notable. This IT support specialist for Columbus State University at the RiverPark Campus overcame his disability by using his engaging personality and bright smile to become a popular part of downtown.
Bobby McCrary, 85, April 20: Retired in 2005 as assistant superintendent of public housing for Phenix City. Also was “the voice of WEAM” while working in radio more than 25 years for Davis Broadcasting.
Robert Craig DuPriest, 75, April 24: Journalism and public relations career included stints as TV news reporter for WRBL, radio announcer for WDAK, marketing director for Muscogee County School District and St. Francis Hospital, and freelance writer for Columbus and the Valley Magazine.
Robert Brown Simpson, 85, April 24: Wrote weekly op-ed column in L-E for 20 years until October 2018. Also the book “Through the Dark Waters: Searching for Hope and Courage,” chronicling his wife’s battle with melanoma.
David L. Edwards, 70, May 1: Past president of Columbus Hospice board and Columbus Society for Human Resource Management.
Thomas E. “Tommy” Greenhaw, 89, June 1: Former Columbus Councilor, Harris County Planning Commission chairman and Harris County Homebuilders Association president.
Earnestine King, 61, July 10: Six months after Lieutenant died, the Dinglewood family and customers lost another friend. Retired in 2018 after working 33 years at the pharmacy, including as soda fountain manager and head chili chef.
William P. “Bill” Cliatt, 83, July 14: Served one term as Harris County Commissioner, as well as the Civil Defense Board and the Columbus Heart Association.
Arnulfo “Arnold” Argel Taganas, 58, July 21: Past president of Filipino American Association of Columbus.
Sabra Snider McCullar, 77, July 24: Led fundraising effort to construct new welcome center in Warm Springs. Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism’s 1999 Tourism Leader of the Year and 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
Jerry Bruce Mercer, 65, July 29: He was homeless and had no prominent position, but folks who engaged with him downtown left those encounters feeling better about humanity through his friendly demeanor and selfless spirit.
Augustus B. Dudley Jr., Aug. 11: Judged the Kiwanis Club of Columbus college scholarship program for eighth-graders. Columbus Symphony Orchestra supporter received G. Gunby Jordan Vision in the Arts Award in 2003. Docent at Columbus Museum. President of Columbus Men’s Garden Club.
Christopher Rogers, 17, Aug. 13: After this president of Central High School’s senior class was killed in a collision with a Phenix City school bus, the outpouring of support for his family was so strong that his funeral was conducted across the Chattahoochee Rivers at Cascade Hills Church in Columbus to accommodate the crowd.
Leon Irving Bailey Sr., 89, Aug. 30: Past president of North Columbus Babe Ruth League.
E.L. “Moose” Godwin, 82, Aug. 30: Inducted into Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. With only one losing season in 26 years, compiled a 190-82-2 record as football coach, including appearances with Smiths Station in 1988 and 1989 Class 5A state final. His basketball teams went 175-62, and his baseball teams went 113-52.
Benjamin Sanford “Sam” Pate Jr., 83, Aug. 31: Taught for 35 years at Brookstone School, where he chaired environmental science department. Helped bring to Columbus renowned wildlife painters and writers, including Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough. Past president of local Audubon Society and led for decades local Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
John Dudley Cartledge, 81, Sept. 5: Past president of Columbus Lawyers Club (now Columbus Bar Association) and Muscogee Lions Club. Past chairman of Columbus Estate Planning Council.
Jean B. Copland, 88, Sept. 8: English teacher for 35 years in Muscogee County School District, starting at Daniel Junior High School and ending at Hardaway High School. Past president of Georgia Council of Teachers of English. Won national awards for editing council’s newsletter.
Richard Luther Lane, 80, Sept. 9: Past president of Columbus Home Builders Association, leading effort to form its associates council and apartment council. Past president of Home Builders Association of Georgia and inducted into its hall of fame.
Gary Allen Jones, 76, Sept. 10: Executive vice president for military affairs at Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce 2006-19. Involved in movement of Armor School from Fort Knox to Fort Benning, forming Maneuver Center of Excellence. Received Fort Benning Commanding General’s Award for Public Service in 2018.
Charles C. Stamey, 82, Sept. 16: Cofounder of Doctors Hospital. Past chief of staff at The Medical Center. Past president of Muscogee County Medical Society. Delivered thousands of babies and performed thousands of gynecological surgeries in Columbus.
James F. Rhodes, 97, Sept. 19: Activist for local veterans. Advocated for observance of military holidays at Government Center’s eternal flame and renaming Fourth Avenue to Veterans Parkway.
Vivian Jean Elmore, 87, Sept. 24: Volunteered for 36 years at Doctors Hospital. Served as South Central District Coordinator for Hospital Auxiliary. Nursing scholarship named in her honor.
Elden Elzworth, 88, Oct. 5: District governor for Lions Club. Lions International Presidential Award recipient.
Richard A. Hecht, 97, Oct. 9: Past chairman of Enrichment Services. Service on boards included Boy Scouts of America, Columbus College, Junior Chamber of Commerce, Highland House Nursing Home, American Red Cross and American Heart Association.
E. Mullins Whisnant, 91, Oct. 12: Georgia state senator for 25th District 1961-62. Helped draft current Criminal Code of Georgia. Helped prevent sale of large portion from FDR State Park. District attorney in Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit for seven years. Superior Court judge in circuit for 17 years until retiring in 1995. Honored twice to serve one day on Georgia Supreme Court in place of disqualified justice.
David Andrew Cartledge, 70, Oct. 16: Coached in Peach Little League for eight years. Past finance chairman of Twin Cedars Youth Services.
Harry L. Vernon, 91, Oct. 21: Retired principal of Carver High School.
Ray Jenkins, 89, Oct. 24: Part of Ledger’s reporting team that won 1955 Pulitzer Prize in public service journalism for exposing corruption in Phenix City.
M. Faye Simmons, 67, Oct. 28: Considered to be first sommelier in Columbus, sharing her love of wine and fine food with customers at River & Rail and Big Eddy Club. Opened in 2004 Meritage Restaurant and Wine Bar, which had a popular run for 14 years.
Sophia “Yia Yia” Kontaxis, 92, Nov. 4: Customers knew her as “Mama Gus,” who re-opened Gus’s Drive-In in 1965. Family kept the iconic Victory Drive restaurant running for 53 years before it closed in 2018.
Barbara Corman, 89, Nov. 7: Cofounder and past president of Wynnton Neighborhood Network, an interfaith service of congregations providing food and help with paying utility bills. Honored as a Gracious Lady of Georgia in 1988.
Jean Roberts Amos, 90, Nov. 10: Aflac matriarch and philanthropist. Along with late husband, Paul, donated $4 million to Emory University for Parkinson’s disease research. Their foundation also has funded college scholarships for Aflac employees. She was so beloved in the supplemental insurance company, she is the only Aflac Hall of Fame member who never sold a policy.
Robert H. Deslauriers, 78, Nov. 13: Served in local and state leadership positions with Knights of Columbus.
Joseph V. Windsor, 93, Nov. 14: Past president for local Association of the United States Army chapter. Chaired 1973 campaign for United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley. Past chairman of local Civilian-Military Council.
Dorothy Mae Poole Boswell, 95, Nov. 27: Crowned as Phenix City Woman of the Year in 1969. Volunteered with Russell County Crisis Center, Russell County Historical Commission and Phenix City Cemetery Committee.
Larry N. Wofford, 75, Dec. 3: President of Local 3212 Communication Workers of America for 38 years, CWA Retirees for five years and Chattahoochee Valley Labor Council for four years.
Barbara Jean Fussell Carter, 88, Dec. 3: Retired after 15 years as director of elections and registration for Muscogee County and more than 40 years helping to conduct elections. Past president of Georgia Board of Registrars and former Georgia Registrar of the Year.
Donna Marie Bushaw, 89, Dec. 19: Director of St. Anne Outreach Center for 10 years after volunteering there for more than 20 years. Past president of PTA for schools. Past president and treasurer of Shaw High School Band Parents Association.
William J. “Bill” Benton, 93, Dec. 20: Served as Russell County district attorney for 15 years. Past director of Phenix City Parks and Recreation Department and Columbus Boys Club. Past president of Russell County Historic Commission. Past member of Phenix City Board of Education. Taught at former Brick Elementary School.
This story was originally published December 30, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
