James R. Bland
Jesup—James R. “Jim” Bland, 93, of Jesup died May 29, 2022, at Wayne Memorial Hospital after a brief illness.
The Wayne County native lived in Jesup for all of his life. He graduated from Jesup High School in 1947 and the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1952. He served as a first lieutenant in the United States Air Force from 1952 to 54 and was stationed in Korea. When he returned from service, he began his career at ITT Rayonier in Jesup. He worked in numerous positions from 1955 to 1990, including serving as head of the Engineering Department and as assistant mill manager, and he was named mill general manager in 1979 and corporate vice president in 1986.
He held numerous leadership roles in Wayne County, including serving as president, Wayne County Chamber of Commerce; director, Boy Scouts of America, Okefenokee Area; trustee, Brunswick College Foundation; mayor, City of Jesup; Jesup city commissioner; chairman, Wayne County Board of Education; Georgia Tech President’s Scholarship Committee; Georgia Forestry Association legislative contact; trustee/board member, First United Methodist Church; adult Sunday school teacher/lay speaker, Jesup FUMC; president, Kiwanis International; member, Technical Association, Pulp and Paper Industry; co-chairman, Tech-Georgia Fund; chairman, Altamaha Tech Foundation; chairman, Wayne County Industrial Development Authority; director, Auburn University Pulp and Paper Foundation; board member of SunTrust; and Altamaha Technical College Foundation Board of Directors.
Called “Pops” in his later years, he was an avid hunter and lover of the great outdoors. He spent much time in the beautiful woodlands of Long County and taught his children and his grandchildren many life lessons, including how to respect the environment. He enjoyed reading and history and is considered by many to be one of the greatest storytellers of his generation.
Survivors include his beloved wife of 66 years, Marjorie Hyers Bland of Jesup; son Dr. James Richard “Richie” (Ava) Bland III of Carrollton; daughter, Joy (Lex) Kenerly of Jesup; and son David (Arria) Bland of Jesup; and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Leah (John Paul) Martin and Ava Jane and Bland of Carrollton, James Richard “Jay” (Maddy) Bland IV and James Richard “Jack” Bland V of Atlanta, Hunter (Emily) Bland of Miami, Florida, John Lex Kenerly IV (soon Amy Gail) of Atlanta, Adeline (Greyson) Lambert and Lock of Atlanta, Jameson (Cole) Ragsdale of Birmingham, Alabama, Asher (Powell) Kenerly of Warrenton, Virginia, David (Lauren) Bland and Tripp of St. Simons Island, Blythe Bland of Atlanta, Brayden (Will) Sheffield of Glennville, and Brynnslet Bland of Jesup.
Celebration-of-life services will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church. Visitation will be held prior to the services, from 10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.
Memorials may be made to Jesup First United Methodist Church, 205 E. Cherry St., Jesup, GA 31546.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Gary Lee Zeeb
Fort Valley—Gary “Pee Wee” Lee Zeeb, 58, of Fort Valley and formerly of Jesup suddenly passed away on May 24, 2022. The Wayne County native and U.S. Army veteran was a member of Grace Assembly Church of God and attended virtual Sunday school with the Adult II Class of Jesup First Baptist Church.
He was a shipping and logistics manager with International Paper Company in Oglethorpe, where he was an exemplary employee who received many job honors. Many have said that his character was always steady, and he was adored by everyone who knew him, according to his family.
His wife was the love of his life, and when he wasn’t working, he was with his family. One thing that he was meticulous about was his lawn grass. His family laughs about his asking them to wear slippers to walk on it.
He was preceded in death by his son, Matthew “Mat” Lee Zeeb; his twin grandchildren, Julian Lee and LeeAnna Marie; and a brother, Bobby “Buggs” Martin.
Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Laura Ann Zeeb of Fort Valley; daughter, Alicia (Kyle) Miner of Zeeland, Michigan; 12 grandchildren, especially Kyle Miner Jr. and Benjamin Miner; parents, Dean and Shirley Zeeb of Jesup; sister, Vickie (Roger) Manske of Fargo, North Dakota; sister-in-love, Gail (Donnie Joyner) Manning of Jesup; two special friends, Beau and Valerie Hall of Jesup; and two fur babies, Nici and Zoe.
Funeral services were held May 31 at Rinehart and Sons Chapel with the Rev. Cleve Williams officiating. Interment followed in the Georgia Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Glennville.
In lieu of flowers, send memorials to the Kyle and Benjamin Miner education fund, 11158 Canyon Creek Drive, Zeeland, MI 49464.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home of Jesup was in charge of arrangements.
James Edward Johnson Jr.
Atlanta—James Edward Johnson Jr. died on May 24, 2022, at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
He was born on May 17, 1961, to the late James Edward Johnson Sr. and Corine Jenkins Johnson of Jesup.
A proud Yellow Jacket, he was a 1979 graduate of Wayne County High School in Jesup, where he was an all-star athlete, excelling in basketball and football. He was also an alumnus of Middle Georgia College in Cochran and Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville.
Within the past decade, up until his passing, he was an employee for the City of Atlanta, Public Works Department, where his colleagues described him as the “life of the workforce” with his quick wit and charm.
He also thoroughly enjoyed singing and was a member of a quartet, The Gospel Enchanters.
Former teammates attest that they always enjoyed playing basketball with him at Hall-Richardson Recreation Center, where he was always the life of the party. They also shared he was perhaps the best point guard in the history of Wayne County. His lightning speed and in-your-face smack talking were great memories. It was good to see he traded in his trash talking on the court for singing for the Lord in church, according to his family, who said that, no doubt, he will be surely missed by all that knew him.
He was preceded in death by his late father, James Edward Johnson Sr., and eldest brother, Gary Lavon Johnson Sr.
Survivors include his mother, Corine J. Johnson of Jesup; daughters, Christan Johnson of Chicago, Illinois, and Jamie (Ricky) Dingle of Savannah; a son, Aamir Walker of Jesup; sisters, Valerie (Nathaniel) Counts of Decatur, Latonya J. Murphy of Snellville, and Katonya Johnson of Snellville; a brother, A. Tyrone Johnson of Jesup; an uncle, Rosby (Deborah) Lee of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; and an aunt, Arlene (Jimmy) Cotton of Brooklyn, New York.
For certain, his legacy will continue through the lives of his children and six grandchildren, his family said.
Services were held May 28 at Unity Church of God, and he was laid to rest at Jesup City Cemetery. Services were officiated by Pastor Dalyn of Kingdom Builders Ministries, and the eulogy was given by Pastor Stanley Carter of New Creation Ministries.
Jeremiah James Rowell Sr.
Jesup—Jeremiah James Rowell Sr., 47, of Jesup, died early Sunday morning on May 15, 2022 at the Wayne Memorial Hospital following a courageous battle with cancer.
Born Aug. 25, 1974, in Waycross, he was a son of the late Brenda Gail Sweat Rowell and Jerry Edwin Rowell. He grew up in Pierce County and was a 1993 graduate of Pierce County High School. He worked for Ware State Prison for several years and then moved to Wayne County in 1999 and later began working for Wayne State Prison. He also worked for Bennettsville Federal Prison in Bennettsville, South Carolina, before working for the Federal Correctional Institution in Jesup.
He was a member of Crossroads Church of God and Beulah Baptist Church, where he was born and raised.
In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Gladys and Vernon Rowell and Tracy James and Modene Tuten Sweat; a father-in-law, Bill Moseley; a nephew, A.J. Reddish; and a cousin, Mandi Dubberly.
Survivors include his wife of 23 years, Georgia Moseley Rowell of Jesup; three children, Lauren Whitley Rowell, Jeremiah James “J.J.” Rowell Jr., and Lucas Mason “Luke” Rowell, all of Jesup; father, Jerry Edwin Rowell of Townsend; brother, Richard William “Richie” Rowell of Alma; mother-in-law, Clora Moseley of Jesup; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Lawrence and Vanessa Moseley of Jesup, Sheriff Chuck and Jennifer Moseley of Screven, Cindy and Alex Reddish of Jesup, Billie Jo and Buddy Starling of Jesup, and Kimberly and Ronnie Poppell of Jesup; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephew and numerous other relatives.
Funeral services were held May 19 at Beulah Baptist Church in Alma. Burial was in the Beulah Baptist Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Easter Seals, 505 Elizabeth Street, Waycross, GA 31501; to Hospice of South Georgia, 1625 Sunset Blvd, Jesup, GA 31544; or to any charitable organization of your choice.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.hartfh.com<http://www.hartfh.com/>.
Hart Funeral Home of Blackshear was in charge of arrangements.
Dwight Richard Bettner
Taylorsville, North Carolina—Dwight Richard Bettner, 64, died May 11, 2022, at Atrium Health Cabarrus.
He was born in Fort Polk, Louisiana, on Sept. 10, 1957, to the late Richard and Mary Katherine Bettner, and raised in Paw Paw, Illinois.
He was a proud United States veteran. He was a retired police officer and detective for the Jesup Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. He was a boilermaker and a former pilot.
He enjoyed various outdoor activities and traveling.
Survivors include his children, Wendy Hardesty of DeKalb, Illinois, and Justin Bettner and Jennifer Bettner of Odum; his grandchildren, Tucker Bettner, Cooper Bettner and Grayson Bettner of Odum; his siblings, Doug and Tina Bettner of Ocala, Florida, Duane Bettner of Salt Springs, Florida, and Dawn and Jason Foster of Paw Paw; and many extended-family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by David Bettner of Princeton, Illinois.
A celebration-of-life service will be announced at a later date.
Cabarrus Funeral & Cremation is in charge of arrangements.