JOLENE HARRELL BURKETT

Jolene Harrell Burkett of Donalsonville, GA passed away after a lengthy illness at her residence on October 13, 2015. She was 83 years old. Funeral services for Mrs. Burkett will be held on Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church Donalsonville, GA with Dr. Calvin Arnold and her nephew Rev. John Harrell officiating. Interment will follow in Friendship Cemetery with Eric Gaulden, Sammy Reese, Alan Pearce, Carey Cannon, Victor Cannon, David Vines, and John Brannon serving as active casketbearers. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at 10:00 AM at the church. Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to the Friendship Cemetery Committee c/o Kerry Simpson 209 W. 12th Street Donalsonville, GA 39845. The family will be gathering at the home of Mark and Annette Burkett. Mrs. Burkett was born in Colquitt, GA on November 23, 1931 to Tom and Elizabeth Sheffield Harrell. She graduated from Miller County High School in 1948 and received a Junior College Terminal Diploma from Georgia Southwestern College in Americus in 1950. She went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Georgia State Colege for Women in Milledgeville, GA in 1955. She returned home to start a lengthy teaching career during which she taught at Enterprise School in Miller County, Jakin High School in Jakin, GA, Early County Elementary School in Blakely, GA, and Seminole County Elementary School in Donalsonville, GA. The majority of her teaching career was spent teaching fourth grade in Seminole County where she retired in 1978. Mrs. Burkett married the late Lavert Howell Burkett in 1954 and they lived together in Jakin for 57 years. She was an avid bridge player and loved to shop. She was a member of the Donalsonville Woman’s Club and played the organ at First Baptist Church Jakin for over 40 years. She is survived by her son Mark and his wife Annette of Jakin, GA, grandchildren Ben Burkett of Cambridge, MA, Beth Burkett of Auburn, AL and Brittany Burkett of Auburn, AL, and one brother, Morgan (Buddy) Harrell of Dothan, AL.