Nathelyn Whigham Hawthorne
April 9, 1934 – January 1, 2023
Funeral services for Nathelyn Virginia Whigham Hawthorne, 88, of Cairo, GA, are at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, January 5, 2023, at Magnolia Baptist Church, Whigham, GA. Rev. Jimmy Ausburn and Rev. Ricky Pearson will officiate. Interment will be in Hawthorne Cemetery, Cairo. GA. Mrs. Hawthorne passed away at her daughter’s home on Sunday, January 1, 2023.
Active pallbearers will be Steve Bell, Weldon Whigham, Ray Whigham, Charles Whigham, Tristan Knapp, Jared Barfield and Barney Hunter. Honorary pallbearers will be Rodney Singletary, Chuck Singletary, Sam Gainous, Bill Gainous, Maurice Rykard and Robbie Robinson.
Mrs. Hawthorne was born on April 9, 1934, in Cairo, GA, to the late James Virgil Whigham and Eunice Lee Burnum Whigham. On October 11, 1952, she married Elmer Owens Hawthorne, who preceded her in death on January 7, 1982. She worked in sales until she retired in 1999. She was a member of Pine Level Baptist Church in Cairo.
Nathelyn was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and a wonderful sister and aunt. Our mama/granny loved cooking, canning vegetables, sewing clothes for her children, working in her yards and flowers. She loved to go shopping with her sisters and spending time with her family. She was either called granny or Nat-Nat by everyone that knew her. She taught her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren so much about life. Nathelyn will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She touched a lot of lives in her time of this earth. She was the matriarch of the family; one of the strongest women we ever knew. She will be forever in our hearts. We love so much mama/granny.
Survivors include: children, Myra Akridge (Steve) of Cairo, GA, Larry Hawthorne (Betty) of Cairo, GA; grandchildren, Fatima Adsett Hawthorne (Charles) of Panama, Christy Knapp (Barney Hunter) of Pelham, GA, Natalia Hawthorne of Cairo, GA, Roger Hawthorne of Panama, Michael Dominguez of Miami, FL, Kristelys Arauz (Daughter of Nora Hawthorne) of Panama; great-grandchildren, Mark Davis, Tristan Knapp, Robyn Knapp, Jared Barfield, Alyssa Adsett, Maggie Hunter, Hannah Dominguez, Ana Hawthorne, and Adele Adsett; sisters, Annette Bell (Donald) of Cairo, GA, Linda Harrison (Lee) of Cairo, GA; brothers, Dalton Whigham (Jackie) of Cairo, GA, Johnny Whigham (Linda) of Cairo, GA; sisters-in-law, Ethel Gainous (John) of Whigham, GA, Mary Singletary of Grovetown, GA, Elizabeth Godwin of Cairo, GA, Gloria Jean Hawthorne; and a host of nieces, nephews and extended family.
She was preceded in death by: her parents; her husband; son, Earl Owens Hawthorne; daughter-in-law, Nora Cecilia Hawthorne Castro; brother, James Clinton Whigham and wife, June; father-in-law, Alton Hawthorne; mother-in-law, Lila Hawthorne; brother-in-law, Bill Hawthorne; and a sister-in-law, Jane Brown.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Bethany Hospice for their love and care of their mother.
The family will be receiving friends at Nathelyn’s home.
Memorials may be made in Mrs. Hawthorne’s memory to: Magnolia Baptist Church, P. O. Box 377, Whigham, GA 39897.
