Ellie Mae Burns Hancock, 76, of Tifton died Wednesday, September 7, 2011, at her residence. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 10, 2011, at Brookfield Baptist Church. Rev. Gary Cadwell will officiate with burial to follow in Tift Memorial Gardens. Ronald Taft, David Clark, Mike Howell, Randy Blalock, Gerald Mallard and Casey Marshall will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Roy Jackson, Jr., employees of Tifton Machine Works, Georgia Controls and deacons of Brookfield Baptist Church. The family will receive friends on Friday, September 9, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service.
Mrs. Hancock was born on December 7, 1934 in Berrien County and was the daughter of Gertrude Trowell Burns and the late Veston Burns. In addition to her father, Mrs. Hancock was also preceded in death by her husband, J. S. “Bud” Hancock. She was the office manager for Tifton Machine Works, Inc. for 24 years and office manager for Tifton Coca-Cola Bottling Company for 20 years. She was a member of Brookfield Baptist Church, where she was an active member of the Faithful Ladies Sunday school class, as well as being instrumental in various departments of the church. She was also a member of the Ladies Bowling Team for 30 years; loved attending horse shows; and loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In addition to her mother, Mrs. Hancock is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Patsy and Johnny Mixon of Tifton and Debbie and Derek Robinson of Tifton; one sister, Betty Burns Griner of Tifton; one brother, Ronald Veston Burns of Enigma; four grandchildren and their spouses, Travis and Jill Whitley of Enigma, Stacey and Kevin Dillard of Ocilla, Brandi and Larry Warren, Jr. of Alapaha and Jodi Robinson and Clay Smith of Tifton; and four great-grandchildren, Austin and Lauran Whitley of Enigma and Hunter and Aubrey Dillard of Ocilla.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to Brookfield Baptist Church, P. O. Box 85, Brookfield, GA 31727.