MRS. HAZEL JOANNE GIBSON NEWLAN, age 75, of Eastman, GA, died Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at Heart of Georgia Nursing Home.
MRS. HAZEL JOANNE GIBSON NEWLAN, age 75, of Eastman, GA, died Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at Heart of Georgia Nursing Home.
Graveside services will be held at 11:00AM Saturday, February 11, at Bowers Cemetery in Empire, with Mr. Bobby Ryals officiating.
Joanne was born in Bristol, VA, a member of Rock Branch Baptist Church, and a homemaker. She lived with her husband for many years in Tampa, FL, before moving to Eastman in 2002. She worked for several years for WUFF Radio as the “Hat Lady” and with the Dodge County Board of Education as a bus driver. Joanne was a dedicated and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who enjoyed spending time with her family, friends, and church family, traveling, camping. She was very much a people person and had a great love and affection for all the kids she had over the years on her bus route. She was the daughter of the late Hazel Griffin Gibson and Ralph H. Gibson, Sr. and was preceded in death by her Husband, Joseph Raymond “Joe” Newlan, Jr., Infant Daughter, Hilda Joann Cooper, and Sister, Judy Reynolds Franklin.
She is survived by her Daughter – Annette Belflower (Randy) of Eastman; Son – Billy Cooper (Tracy) of Eastman; Step-Daughter – Tammy Wilmath (Danny) of Cape Coral, FL; 5 Grandchildren – Ashley Belflower Thompson (Jared), Bradley Belflower (Malory), Trae Clack (Jennifer), Nikki Clack (Jeremy), and Travis Wilmath; 4 Great-Grandchildren – Kylee Graham, Owen Floyd, Noah Thompson, and Carson Belflower; 2 Brothers – Haynes Gibson (Phyllis) of Apollo Beach, FL, and Charles “Corky” Gibson (Debbie) of Roswell, GA; 3 Sisters-in-law – Gerry Bennett of Tampa, FL, Susie O’Neal of Charlotte, NC, and Janice Litener of Lithia Springs, FL; 2 Brothers-in-law – Charles R. Newlan (Corrina) of Pensacola, FL and Kenny Newlan (Kathy) of Tampa, FL; Family Friend – Betty Holland (Terry) of Cadwell; Nieces and Nephews – Eddie Franklin (Jill), Becky Carrillo (Anthony), Jonathan Gibson, and Shannon Konn (Jamie).
The family may be contacted at the Cooper residence, 5024 Forest Lake Road, Eastman, between the hours of 10:00AM-1:00PM Friday, February 10, and will receive friends for visitation at Stokes-Southerland Funeral Home from 9:30AM-10:30AM Saturday, February 11.
Locally owned and operated, Stokes-Southerland Funeral Home, has been "A Tradition of Trust" to Eastman, Dodge County and Middle Georgia for over 65 years.