Margaret Carter Choate, 89, of Tifton died Monday, June 16, 2008, at the Prebyterian Home in Quitman. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 21, 2008, in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton's First Baptist Church. Dr. Wayne Roe and Rev. Paul Thomas will officiate with a private burial to be held in Oak Ridge Cemetery at a later date. Joe Kunes, Buzzy Bowen, Ben Devaughn, Brother Fleming, Rusty Simpson, Robert Orr, Harry Hudson, Jr., Julian Wood and Bill Vance will serve as honorary escorts.
Mrs. Choate was born on August 19, 1918 in Cook County and was the daughter of Clarence Walker Carter and Zada Justice Carter, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Charles Robert Choate, Jr.; and two sons, Tommy Choate and Robert Choate, III. She was a retired teacher and librarian and a member of Tifton's First Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Cheerful Workers Sunday School Class. She was a former member of the Tifton-Tift County Recreation Board, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Colonial Dames, the Magna Charter Dames, and the Azalea Garden Club, where she served as president and held other offices. She was also a Life Flower Show Judge. She received her B.A. degree in music from Valdosta State University and her MED in Media from the University of Georgia. She had lived in Tifton since 1940.
Mrs. Choate is survived by one son and two daughters-in-law, Carter and May Coate of Tifton, and Betsy Choate of Tifton; six grandchildren, Bobby Choate, Casey Coate and his wife Amy, Molly Choate, Justice Choate, Lesley Kate, and Hillary Bishop and her husband Lee; and four great grandchildren, Meggan, Catie, Sam and Ella Choate.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the First Baptist Church of Tifton or the Fulwood Garden Center.