Charlotte Ware Bedell (91) died Tuesday, April 16, 2024 in Tifton, GA.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. April 22nd at First Baptist Church Chapel in Tifton with Dr. Wayne Roe and the Reverend John Hughes officiating. Burial will be held at a later date at Andersonville National Cemetery, where she will be interred with her husband, Dr. David M. Bedell.
The family will receive friends in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the service. There will also be a reception in the Rotunda of First Baptist Church immediately following the service.
Pallbearers will be active deacons of Tifton's First Baptist Church, which include John Waddell, James Mock, Michael Dukes, Lester Potts, Mike Bland and Nathan Johnson. Honorary Pallbearers will be other deacons of Tifton's First Baptist Church, members of the Gardeners and the Gleaners Sunday School Classes, the I-75 Hospital Ministry Committee members, the Tift County Board of Health Members, which include Melissa Hughes, Julie Smith, Dr. Raymond Moreno and Yolunda Lewis, employees of the Tift County Health Dept., and the Tifton Rotary Club.
Mrs. Bedell was born on April 15, 1933 in Woodbury, GA. She was the daughter of Solon W. Ware and Lois Whatley Ware and her second mother, Leila Watson Ware all deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Dr. David Bedell; a daughter, Brenda Ann Bedell; an infant son; a brother Solon W. Ware, Jr.; and a special niece, Sally Ware Cumbie.
Mrs. Bedell received a B.S. degree from Georgia State College for Women, a M.S. degree from Louisiana State University and also attended graduate studies at Auburn University, Mississippi College and Oklahoma State University.
Mrs. Bedell, a Registered Dietitian, retired as the Director of Nutrition Services, Department of Public Health in Albany, GA and having worked in Public Health at the State level in Georgia and Public Health in Oklahoma.
Mrs. Bedell was elected as a County Commissioner for two terms, serving as Vice Chairman for two years. She served 11 years as secretary for the Georgia Museum of Agriculture Foundation Board ; Member of the Tift County Board of Health, 2005 to present, serving as chairman of the board Jan. 2009 – 2016 and Supervisor of Diversified Enterprises Inc., Honorary Member of the Tifton Rotary Club since 2005, Member of Georgia Public Health Association since 1974, Was a charter Member of Save Our Pets, Inc. serving as president for two years and secretary for four years, Member of First Baptist Church since 1974 having served as a Sunday School Director and Sunday School teacher for many years in additional to numerous church committees.
She was an honorary member of the Tifton Rotary Club, a member of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce and the ABAC President’s Club. She was the recipient of the Exchange Club’s Golden Deeds Award in 2010, named to the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce Wall of Fame in 2010, recipient of the GA Rural Health Association’s Award in 2009 for Outstanding Lifetime Service in Rural Health Care and, the Tifton Sertoma Club’s Service to Mankind Award in 2006.
Mrs. Bedell is survived by a son Benjamin D. Bedell, II and wife Nancy of Watkinsville, GA, two grandsons, David M. Bedell II (Mandy) and Charles R. Bedell (Kallie), and two great-granddaughters. A niece, Debra Ware Cauthen of Thomaston, a special cousin Sandra Whatley Smith (Todd), Kimberly and James Smith of Albany, and seven Bedell nieces and their husbands.
The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations may be made to the First Baptist Church building fund, 404 Love Ave. Tifton, GA 31794 or a charity of your choice.