Congratulations and best wishes to all of our Washington-Wilkes 2007 high school seniors.

Sunday, May 6, Phillips Mill Baptist Church on Greensboro Road had a special baccalaureate service honoring five young men who have been a part of Phillips Mill over the years. They are Tracy Reid Moore, Jonathan Nicholson, Les Robb, Mark Tench, and Dusty Turner.

The program was planned by a longtime youth leader, Sherrie (Mrs. Benji) McAvoy. Music was played while each one marched down the church aisle to the front as their name was called. Oh! They all looked so handsome standing tall in their blue caps and gowns. Many of their family members were present.

Mrs. McAvoy spoke to the "stars" of the day and to all present of some happenings over the past few years which included mission trips etc.

Sara Long sang a solo, "Who Is Greater Than He," followed by a touching message from God's Holy Word by the pastor, Rev. Bob Rayner.

Jene Moore, chairman of the deacons, had the closing prayer which included a blessing for the covered dish meal and fellowship time for added touches of the day and held in the fellowship hall.

Thanks to all of you who had a part in any way, in these young men reaching this goal in life, and for your continued prayers as they step out further into the real world.

Several of these seniors go back four and five and maybe more generations in the history of Phillips Mill Baptist Church.

Tracy Reid Moore, as I recall growing up, is at least fifth generation on both sides of his family. Many at Phillips Mill can recall nice memories of each generation. Tracy's greatgreat grandparents were Ab and Lila Williamson McAvoy and Em. L. and Mattie Sherrer Johnson. The granite marker out front of Phillips Mill Church is surrounded by two wheels from the Joel Phillips Grist Mill which has much history of the beginning of Phillips Mill Baptist Church and was built by Tracy's great-grandfather, the late Doyle Johnson, and a former pastor of Phillips Mill, Rev. John King of Monroe, in memory of Doyle's mother, Mattie Sherrer Johnson, who had a love for missions. Em. L.'s father, William King Johnson (my grandfather) helped raise money for our present church building a hundred years ago in 1907. The story of the marker is in Phillips Mill's history celebrating 200 years in 1985.

Mark Tench is also a fifth generation of the late Ab and Lila Williamson McAvoy. His mother, Julie McAvoy Tench, is one of the sweet nurses at Wills Memorial Hospital in ICU.

Dusty Turner is a great-grandson of the late Joe and Emmie Cofer Hester of Phillips Mill Baptist Church.

Jonathan Nicholson, is the son of Eric and Angela Nicholson, of Phillips Mill; and Les Robb is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Phil Robb who live where the late Mr. and Mrs. Hillyer Norman of Phillips did live.

Written in love by Priscilla Maxwell.

Again, best wishes to all. community near Sparta, graduating from grade school there and later was a 1933 graduate of Alexander H. Stephens Institute (ASI) in Crawfordville.

Mrs. Jones met and married Wiley Cranston Jones in 1934. They stayed in Powelton where she became a homemaker and a mother. In 1944, during World War II, Mr. Jones was serving in the armed forces and Leona and the children lived in the Margaret's Grove community near Crawfordville. In 1951 the family moved to the Robinson community and after raising their children Mrs. Jones started a working career. She was a seamstress for the Garland Knitting Mill in Warrenton for seven years and was a nurses' aide at Greene-Point Nursing Home in Union Point. During all of these busy times she became an accomplished knitter and quilter. She was also an avid flower gardener. She loved Jesus and was a member of the Robinson Baptist Church where she became involved with missionary work as director of Royal Ambassadors, Global Samaritans, and the Women's Missionary Union.

In her 70s she went to New York and later taught Bible school to American Indian children in Nevada on a mission trip. She and her family were active in the Georgia Baptist Association for many years. Her son Wiley who passed away in 2004 served as associational clerk for a number of years.

She is survived by three daughters, Barbara Merlene J. Browning of Union Point; Nell J. Smith of Bowden; and Sandra J. Holdman of Orlando, Fla.; two sons, Franklin T. Jones of Thomson and Harvey Jones of Sandy Springs; 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

Among relatives in our area are first cousins, Mildred N. McAvoy, Dorothy N. Hardy, Warren Nunn, Clarence Nunn, Frances Nunn, and Peggy N. Shockley. She was a sister of the late Maggie Ogletree Poss of Carter' Grove.

I have fond memories of Mrs. Jones' mother who was a sister to the late George, Crawford, and Byron Nunn, riding the Carter's Trove- Lyneville school bus while I was going to school in Crawfordville. She would ride the bus to see Mr. and Mrs. Poss. One of Margaret Edwards' sisters is married to Mrs. Jones' oldest son Franklin. Cranston Jones passed away in 1999. He was a rural mail carrier.

May each of us who knew Mr. and Mrs. Jones of Robinson recall happy memories for years to come. The funeral was held Saturday, May 5, at Robinson Baptist Church with Rev. Skip Padgett and Rev. Derek Smith presiding. Burial was in Powelton Community Cemetery.

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