Ellamarie Hudson Garrett

Mrs. Ellamarie Hudson Garrett, age 63, of Sandersville, died Monday, July 15, 2013, at her residence. A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 19th at 2:00 p.m. at the Sandersville United Methodist Church. The Rev. Dr. Joe Buck and Minister Marlon Lastinger will officiate. The family will receive friends following the memorial service at the church.

Ree, a native and lifelong resident of Sandersville, was the daughter of the late Orran Edward Hudson and the late Nelle Cooley Hudson. She was a graduate of Washington County High School and Georgia College and State University. Ree started her working career at her family-owned Sandersville Coca-Cola Bottling Company and was employed by The Sandersville Progress newspaper, of which she and her husband Bobby were part owners. She was also later employed by ECC International and served as president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce prior to becoming Director of Development at Washington County Regional Medical Center.

Ree was actively involved in and devoted to her community, serving in numerous volunteer and leadership positions including the Transylvania Club, the Guild, the Sandersville Rotary Club, and the Washington County Adult Literacy Board. She was a past member of the Hospital Authority of Washington County. Ree served as the first chairperson of the combined library boards of the Sandersville and Tennille Public Libraries, and has remained on the Board of the Rosa M. Tarbutton Memorial Library since its founding in 1998. Ree was a member of Grace Episcopal Church.

She is predeceased by her husband Robert Irvin Garrett and her brother John Robert Hudson.

Survivors include her daughters, Susan Louise Garrett of Sandersville and Elizabeth Garrett Pettibone and her husband Doug of California; grandsons, Hudson Hawk Pettibone and Ryan Price Pettibone; brothers, Orran Lawson “Dick” Hudson and Clark Brevard “Buddy” Hudson and his wife Gerri both of Sandersville; and nieces, Harriett H. Hughes and her husband David of Nashville TN, Nelle H. Smith and her husband Jeff and Helen H. Kelly and her husband David both of Savannah.

The family will be at their residence on West Church Street in Sandersville.

Donations may be made to the Rosa M. Tarbutton Library, P.O. Box 268, Sandersville, GA 31082 or to the Robert I. “Bobby” Garrett Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Washington County Board of Education, 501 Industrial Drive, Sandersville, GA 31082.

May and Smith Funeral Directors of Sandersville is in charge of these arrangements.