Obituaries - Joanne Suggs, Mary Prather

Joanne A. Suggs, age 81, passed away peacefully at home on December 8, 2020. She was born in Okeechobee, Florida on September 29, 1939 to the late William and the late Thelma M. McDuffie Arnold.

 She married Franklin “Buddy” Suggs on March 3, 1956 in Venus, Florida He passed away on July 16, 2008. 

Joanne enjoyed gardening, cooking, sewing, being a florist and a hairdresser. She was a devoted member of Venus Baptist Church until she couldn’t attend due to poor health. She loved the Lord, and was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and aunt. Joanne will be dearly missed by her entire family and everyone who knew and loved her. 

Joanne leaves behind her loving children; Franklin “Del” Suggs, Sr and his wife; Cindi, Margaret “Margie” Poncier and her husband Wesley, William “Bill” Suggs and his wife; Beth, Elizabeth “Lisa” Lilley and her husband Mike, and Kandi Pascher and her husband, Anthony. 

Joanne has fifteen grandchildren, thirty-three great grandchildren, and two great- great grandchildren. 

Her living siblings are Gloria Clay, Phyllis Mann, Carolyn O’Berry, Jimmy Arnold and Glenn Arnold. 

Joanne was also preceded by her: Brother, William “Billy” Arnold, her first grandchild, John Fowler as well as John’s son, Gunner Fowler. 

Celebration of Joanne’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 12, 2020 at Ortona Cemetery where Pastor L.W. Howard will officiate.

Mary Katherine (Butch) Prather, age 67, of LaBelle, passed away peacefully on December 4, 2020. Mary was born January 8, 1953 in Somerset, Kentucky to the late Lawrence Ping and Mary Prather Ping. 

She was a resident of LaBelle for many years. She enjoyed spending time with her family and her dog, Candy. 

Mary attended Shelbyville High School in Shelbyville, Indiana. She had previously managed a Dollar Inn in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Mary is survived by her son, Michael, and her siblings; Theresa Lichau of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Danny Ping of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Ann Whitlow of Shelbyville, Indiana, Tammie Lee of Needham, Indiana, an uncle Henry R. Prather and wife Frida of Shelbyville, Indiana, an aunt, Edith Prather of Somerset, Kentucky, and ex-husband, Jeffrey Goodpastor of LaBelle, and many nieces and nephews in LaBelle, Somerset, and Shelbyville. 

Mary is preceded in death by her parents, her brothers; James "Tim" Prather, Ricky Ping, and sister, Judy Hackworth. 

A celebration of Mary's life will be take place in spring of 2021 in Tateville, Kentucky at the Grave Hill Cemetery.