George Cyrus Mathis, 84, of Tifton, died Sunday, March 11, 2007, at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 14, 2007, at Victory Baptist Church. Rev. Dan Eidson and Rev. Jimmie Odom will officiate with burial to follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Kevin Belflower, Joe Mayne, Jared Strickland, who are grandsons; and Neal Mathis, Melvin Mathis, Ricky Mathis, who are nephews, will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, March 13, 2007, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mr. Mathis was born on November 17, 1922 in Berrien County and was the son of John Elzie Mathis, Sr. and Doris Danforth Mathis, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Vondell Mathis and John Elzie Mathis, Jr. He was a member of Victory Baptist Church on U. S. Highway 319 South in Tifton and was a self-employed pecan farmer. He was a faithful, dedicated Christian and a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He had lived in Tift County since 1954.
Mr. Mathis is survived by his wife, Jessie Mae Rogers Mathis of Tifton; three daughters and sons-in-law, Donna and Van Belflower of Tifton, Sara Jean and Terry Mayne of Jacksonville, Florida and Linda and David Carr of Warner Robins; one sister, Retha Mathis Smith of Murfreesboro, Tennessee; five grandchildren and their spouses, Kevin Belflower and his wife, Susan, Brian Belflower and his wife, Kristy, Joe Mayne, Kelli Strickland and her husband, Jared, and Laura Carr; eight great grandchildren, Josh Belflower, John Thomas Belflower, Jacob Mayne, Haley Mayne, Rachel Mayne, Abby Mayne, Andrew Mayne and Jackson Strickland.