May Jones Hooks slipped peacefully from this troubled world to be welcomed at Heaven’s Gate by her Savior, her loving husband, and family members who had gone before on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Due to COVID restrictions, a private family memorial service is planned for a later date.
Ms. Hooks was born at home in Candler County on July 22, 1926, the third of four daughters to Carson and Patriel May Jones. The four girls grew up on the family farm, sharing one bedroom.
After graduation from Metter High School in 1943, May attended Georgia State College for Women (Georgia College), where she enjoyed participating in the College Choir Guild and was chosen for the school Acapella Choir which toured all over the country. The following year, she married her handsome suitor, Vendie H. Hooks Jr. of Lexsy, who at the time was serving in the US Coast Guard. In later years, V.H. proclaimed that if he had a daughter, she would NEVER attend Georgia State College for Women, where although they were married, he and May could not leave campus without a chaperone! Shortly after her graduation, V.H. completed his military service, and the couple moved to Nashville, TN where V.H. began his studies at Gupton Jones School of Mortuary Science. After his graduation, May and V.H. returned to Metter and established Hooks Mortuary after initially purchasing Kingery Funeral Home, and later Johnson Funeral Home in Metter.
After the arrival of their two sons--Vendie in 1948 and Jones four years later—May began to realize that starting a business and serving the public would require some sacrifices. It was during this time that May succeeded in becoming one of the first female licensed funeral directors in the state. Although a private person, May found herself in a very public arena. She worked hard to maintain her home (above the Funeral Home) as her private space, while keeping the business downstairs. In her profession, she found herself busy in community leadership roles: the American Legion Auxiliary, the Georgia Funeral Directors Association Auxiliary, and Advisor for the Candy Stripers Program at Candler County Hospital, to name a few. She was an active member of First Baptist Church.
Long before magazine articles were written about achieving “balance”, May pursued balance in her marriage, in motherhood, and in her profession. She was a breast cancer survivor, but did suffer from lymph-edema in her arm following her initial treatment. Because of her personal experience, and through her own research, she traveled to Princeton, New Jersey and learned of what, at that time, was revolutionary treatment for lymph-edema. After her return, she met with the boards of University and Saint Joseph’s Hospitals in Augusta, and was responsible for both institutions implementing lymph-edema treatment programs.
May and V.H. faithfully served friends and neighbors “offering the kind of service we would desire” until 1991, when they retired and moved from the funeral home to Willow Lake Drive. As “general contractor”, May lovingly attended to each step of the design, construction, furnishing, and landscaping of their new home. She had finally found her secret garden and cherished her privacy.
As unique an individual as God ever created, folks familiar with May would say she had a few ‘favorite things”: the color PINK, all things Asian, gadgets—May was an “early adopter”, shopping, landscaping, fashion and building/design magazines, sweets, AND of course, her family—her adoring husband, those special sons, daughters-in-law who became her daughters, six grandchildren, and eventually eleven great-grands.
By her grandchildren, "Grandmommie" will forever be remembered as a fun-loving grandmother who cackled uproariously during a funny movie (legend has it she was more fun to watch than the movie!), loved having her family all together under one roof, was a wonderful cook, and also to the great delight of her grandchildren, was an easy target for fun-spirited practical jokes!
May will be remembered by all as kind-hearted and caring, a sweet, gentle spirit with a contagious laugh and smiling eyes, always thinking of others first.
Now you see through a glass, darkly, but someday you will see Me face to face. Then you will know fully how wide and long and high and deep is My Love for you. I Corinthians 13:12
Ms. Hooks is preceded in death by her parents; husband; and two sisters, Katrina Jones Mills and Madge Jones Trapnell.
She is survived by her sons, Vendie Hudson Hooks III, MD (Carolyn) of Augusta and Carson Jones Hooks (Stephanie) of Jekyll Island; six grandchildren, Vendie Hudson Hooks IV (Lauren), Susanna Hooks Sayer (Jason), Carson J. Hooks Jr. (Julia), David B. Hooks (Clare), Christopher Hooks (Elizabeth), and Katherine W. Hooks ; eleven great-grandchildren, Anna Logan Hooks, Virginia Hooks, Riley Sayer, Caroline Sayer, Davis Hooks, Hudson Hooks, Ella Marie Hooks, Lucy Hooks, Margaux Hooks, Brer Hooks, and John Hudson Billings; and a sister, Nancy Jones Lanier.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Azalea Nursing and Rehabilitation in Metter and The Lodge at Bethany in Statesboro for their professional care and concern for May during her residencies there. Memorial gifts may be offered to: Metter First Baptist Church, 50 S. Rountree St., Metter, GA 30439 or to the Foundation for Public Education in Candler County, P. O. Box 21 Metter, GA 30439. Kennedy Funeral Home, Hooks Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Hooks was born at home in Candler County on July 22, 1926, the third of four daughters to Carson and Patriel May Jones. The four girls grew up on the family farm, sharing one bedroom.
After graduation from Metter High School in 1943, May attended Georgia State College for Women (Georgia College), where she enjoyed participating in the College Choir Guild and was chosen for the school Acapella Choir which toured all over the country. The following year, she married her handsome suitor, Vendie H. Hooks Jr. of Lexsy, who at the time was serving in the US Coast Guard. In later years, V.H. proclaimed that if he had a daughter, she would NEVER attend Georgia State College for Women, where although they were married, he and May could not leave campus without a chaperone! Shortly after her graduation, V.H. completed his military service, and the couple moved to Nashville, TN where V.H. began his studies at Gupton Jones School of Mortuary Science. After his graduation, May and V.H. returned to Metter and established Hooks Mortuary after initially purchasing Kingery Funeral Home, and later Johnson Funeral Home in Metter.
After the arrival of their two sons--Vendie in 1948 and Jones four years later—May began to realize that starting a business and serving the public would require some sacrifices. It was during this time that May succeeded in becoming one of the first female licensed funeral directors in the state. Although a private person, May found herself in a very public arena. She worked hard to maintain her home (above the Funeral Home) as her private space, while keeping the business downstairs. In her profession, she found herself busy in community leadership roles: the American Legion Auxiliary, the Georgia Funeral Directors Association Auxiliary, and Advisor for the Candy Stripers Program at Candler County Hospital, to name a few. She was an active member of First Baptist Church.
Long before magazine articles were written about achieving “balance”, May pursued balance in her marriage, in motherhood, and in her profession. She was a breast cancer survivor, but did suffer from lymph-edema in her arm following her initial treatment. Because of her personal experience, and through her own research, she traveled to Princeton, New Jersey and learned of what, at that time, was revolutionary treatment for lymph-edema. After her return, she met with the boards of University and Saint Joseph’s Hospitals in Augusta, and was responsible for both institutions implementing lymph-edema treatment programs.
May and V.H. faithfully served friends and neighbors “offering the kind of service we would desire” until 1991, when they retired and moved from the funeral home to Willow Lake Drive. As “general contractor”, May lovingly attended to each step of the design, construction, furnishing, and landscaping of their new home. She had finally found her secret garden and cherished her privacy.
As unique an individual as God ever created, folks familiar with May would say she had a few ‘favorite things”: the color PINK, all things Asian, gadgets—May was an “early adopter”, shopping, landscaping, fashion and building/design magazines, sweets, AND of course, her family—her adoring husband, those special sons, daughters-in-law who became her daughters, six grandchildren, and eventually eleven great-grands.
By her grandchildren, "Grandmommie" will forever be remembered as a fun-loving grandmother who cackled uproariously during a funny movie (legend has it she was more fun to watch than the movie!), loved having her family all together under one roof, was a wonderful cook, and also to the great delight of her grandchildren, was an easy target for fun-spirited practical jokes!
May will be remembered by all as kind-hearted and caring, a sweet, gentle spirit with a contagious laugh and smiling eyes, always thinking of others first.
Now you see through a glass, darkly, but someday you will see Me face to face. Then you will know fully how wide and long and high and deep is My Love for you. I Corinthians 13:12
Ms. Hooks is preceded in death by her parents; husband; and two sisters, Katrina Jones Mills and Madge Jones Trapnell.
She is survived by her sons, Vendie Hudson Hooks III, MD (Carolyn) of Augusta and Carson Jones Hooks (Stephanie) of Jekyll Island; six grandchildren, Vendie Hudson Hooks IV (Lauren), Susanna Hooks Sayer (Jason), Carson J. Hooks Jr. (Julia), David B. Hooks (Clare), Christopher Hooks (Elizabeth), and Katherine W. Hooks ; eleven great-grandchildren, Anna Logan Hooks, Virginia Hooks, Riley Sayer, Caroline Sayer, Davis Hooks, Hudson Hooks, Ella Marie Hooks, Lucy Hooks, Margaux Hooks, Brer Hooks, and John Hudson Billings; and a sister, Nancy Jones Lanier.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Azalea Nursing and Rehabilitation in Metter and The Lodge at Bethany in Statesboro for their professional care and concern for May during her residencies there. Memorial gifts may be offered to: Metter First Baptist Church, 50 S. Rountree St., Metter, GA 30439 or to the Foundation for Public Education in Candler County, P. O. Box 21 Metter, GA 30439. Kennedy Funeral Home, Hooks Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
May Jones Hooks slipped peacefully from this troubled world to be welcomed at Heaven’s Gate by her Savior, her loving husband, and family members who had gone before on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Due to COVID restrictions, a private family memorial service is planned for a later date.
Ms. Hooks was born at home in Candler County on July 22, 1926, the third of four daughters to Carson and Patriel May Jones. The four girls grew up on the family farm, sharing one bedroom.
After graduation from Metter High School in 1943, May attended Georgia State College for Women (Georgia College), where she enjoyed participating in the College Choir Guild and was chosen for the school Acapella Choir which toured all over the country. The following year, she married her handsome suitor, Vendie H. Hooks Jr. of Lexsy, who at the time was serving in the US Coast Guard. In later years, V.H. proclaimed that if he had a daughter, she would NEVER attend Georgia State College for Women, where although they were married, he and May could not leave campus without a chaperone! Shortly after her graduation, V.H. completed his military service, and the couple moved to Nashville, TN where V.H. began his studies at Gupton Jones School of Mortuary Science. After his graduation, May and V.H. returned to Metter and established Hooks Mortuary after initially purchasing Kingery Funeral Home, and later Johnson Funeral Home in Metter.
After the arrival of their two sons--Vendie in 1948 and Jones four years later—May began to realize that starting a business and serving the public would require some sacrifices. It was during this time that May succeeded in becoming one of the first female licensed funeral directors in the state. Although a private person, May found herself in a very public arena. She worked hard to maintain her home (above the Funeral Home) as her private space, while keeping the business downstairs. In her profession, she found herself busy in community leadership roles: the American Legion Auxiliary, the Georgia Funeral Directors Association Auxiliary, and Advisor for the Candy Stripers Program at Candler County Hospital, to name a few. She was an active member of First Baptist Church.
Long before magazine articles were written about achieving “balance”, May pursued balance in her marriage, in motherhood, and in her profession. She was a breast cancer survivor, but did suffer from lymph-edema in her arm following her initial treatment. Because of her personal experience, and through her own research, she traveled to Princeton, New Jersey and learned of what, at that time, was revolutionary treatment for lymph-edema. After her return, she met with the boards of University and Saint Joseph’s Hospitals in Augusta, and was responsible for both institutions implementing lymph-edema treatment programs.
May and V.H. faithfully served friends and neighbors “offering the kind of service we would desire” until 1991, when they retired and moved from the funeral home to Willow Lake Drive. As “general contractor”, May lovingly attended to each step of the design, construction, furnishing, and landscaping of their new home. She had finally found her secret garden and cherished her privacy.
As unique an individual as God ever created, folks familiar with May would say she had a few ‘favorite things”: the color PINK, all things Asian, gadgets—May was an “early adopter”, shopping, landscaping, fashion and building/design magazines, sweets, AND of course, her family—her adoring husband, those special sons, daughters-in-law who became her daughters, six grandchildren, and eventually eleven great-grands.
By her grandchildren, "Grandmommie" will forever be remembered as a fun-loving grandmother who cackled uproariously during a funny movie (legend has it she was more fun to watch than the movie!), loved having her family all together under one roof, was a wonderful cook, and also to the great delight of her grandchildren, was an easy target for fun-spirited practical jokes!
May will be remembered by all as kind-hearted and caring, a sweet, gentle spirit with a contagious laugh and smiling eyes, always thinking of others first.
Now you see through a glass, darkly, but someday you will see Me face to face. Then you will know fully how wide and long and high and deep is My Love for you. I Corinthians 13:12
Ms. Hooks is preceded in death by her parents; husband; and two sisters, Katrina Jones Mills and Madge Jones Trapnell.
She is survived by her sons, Vendie Hudson Hooks III, MD (Carolyn) of Augusta and Carson Jones Hooks (Stephanie) of Jekyll Island; six grandchildren, Vendie Hudson Hooks IV (Lauren), Susanna Hooks Sayer (Jason), Carson J. Hooks Jr. (Julia), David B. Hooks (Clare), Christopher Hooks (Elizabeth), and Katherine W. Hooks ; eleven great-grandchildren, Anna Logan Hooks, Virginia Hooks, Riley Sayer, Caroline Sayer, Davis Hooks, Hudson Hooks, Ella Marie Hooks, Lucy Hooks, Margaux Hooks, Brer Hooks, and John Hudson Billings; and a sister, Nancy Jones Lanier.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Azalea Nursing and Rehabilitation in Metter and The Lodge at Bethany in Statesboro for their professional care and concern for May during her residencies there. Memorial gifts may be offered to: Metter First Baptist Church, 50 S. Rountree St., Metter, GA 30439 or to the Foundation for Public Education in Candler County, P. O. Box 21 Metter, GA 30439. Kennedy Funeral Home, Hooks Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Hooks was born at home in Candler County on July 22, 1926, the third of four daughters to Carson and Patriel May Jones. The four girls grew up on the family farm, sharing one bedroom.
After graduation from Metter High School in 1943, May attended Georgia State College for Women (Georgia College), where she enjoyed participating in the College Choir Guild and was chosen for the school Acapella Choir which toured all over the country. The following year, she married her handsome suitor, Vendie H. Hooks Jr. of Lexsy, who at the time was serving in the US Coast Guard. In later years, V.H. proclaimed that if he had a daughter, she would NEVER attend Georgia State College for Women, where although they were married, he and May could not leave campus without a chaperone! Shortly after her graduation, V.H. completed his military service, and the couple moved to Nashville, TN where V.H. began his studies at Gupton Jones School of Mortuary Science. After his graduation, May and V.H. returned to Metter and established Hooks Mortuary after initially purchasing Kingery Funeral Home, and later Johnson Funeral Home in Metter.
After the arrival of their two sons--Vendie in 1948 and Jones four years later—May began to realize that starting a business and serving the public would require some sacrifices. It was during this time that May succeeded in becoming one of the first female licensed funeral directors in the state. Although a private person, May found herself in a very public arena. She worked hard to maintain her home (above the Funeral Home) as her private space, while keeping the business downstairs. In her profession, she found herself busy in community leadership roles: the American Legion Auxiliary, the Georgia Funeral Directors Association Auxiliary, and Advisor for the Candy Stripers Program at Candler County Hospital, to name a few. She was an active member of First Baptist Church.
Long before magazine articles were written about achieving “balance”, May pursued balance in her marriage, in motherhood, and in her profession. She was a breast cancer survivor, but did suffer from lymph-edema in her arm following her initial treatment. Because of her personal experience, and through her own research, she traveled to Princeton, New Jersey and learned of what, at that time, was revolutionary treatment for lymph-edema. After her return, she met with the boards of University and Saint Joseph’s Hospitals in Augusta, and was responsible for both institutions implementing lymph-edema treatment programs.
May and V.H. faithfully served friends and neighbors “offering the kind of service we would desire” until 1991, when they retired and moved from the funeral home to Willow Lake Drive. As “general contractor”, May lovingly attended to each step of the design, construction, furnishing, and landscaping of their new home. She had finally found her secret garden and cherished her privacy.
As unique an individual as God ever created, folks familiar with May would say she had a few ‘favorite things”: the color PINK, all things Asian, gadgets—May was an “early adopter”, shopping, landscaping, fashion and building/design magazines, sweets, AND of course, her family—her adoring husband, those special sons, daughters-in-law who became her daughters, six grandchildren, and eventually eleven great-grands.
By her grandchildren, "Grandmommie" will forever be remembered as a fun-loving grandmother who cackled uproariously during a funny movie (legend has it she was more fun to watch than the movie!), loved having her family all together under one roof, was a wonderful cook, and also to the great delight of her grandchildren, was an easy target for fun-spirited practical jokes!
May will be remembered by all as kind-hearted and caring, a sweet, gentle spirit with a contagious laugh and smiling eyes, always thinking of others first.
Now you see through a glass, darkly, but someday you will see Me face to face. Then you will know fully how wide and long and high and deep is My Love for you. I Corinthians 13:12
Ms. Hooks is preceded in death by her parents; husband; and two sisters, Katrina Jones Mills and Madge Jones Trapnell.
She is survived by her sons, Vendie Hudson Hooks III, MD (Carolyn) of Augusta and Carson Jones Hooks (Stephanie) of Jekyll Island; six grandchildren, Vendie Hudson Hooks IV (Lauren), Susanna Hooks Sayer (Jason), Carson J. Hooks Jr. (Julia), David B. Hooks (Clare), Christopher Hooks (Elizabeth), and Katherine W. Hooks ; eleven great-grandchildren, Anna Logan Hooks, Virginia Hooks, Riley Sayer, Caroline Sayer, Davis Hooks, Hudson Hooks, Ella Marie Hooks, Lucy Hooks, Margaux Hooks, Brer Hooks, and John Hudson Billings; and a sister, Nancy Jones Lanier.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Azalea Nursing and Rehabilitation in Metter and The Lodge at Bethany in Statesboro for their professional care and concern for May during her residencies there. Memorial gifts may be offered to: Metter First Baptist Church, 50 S. Rountree St., Metter, GA 30439 or to the Foundation for Public Education in Candler County, P. O. Box 21 Metter, GA 30439. Kennedy Funeral Home, Hooks Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
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