Donald Lee Tawzer, Sr., 65, of Tifton passed away Saturday, May 3, 2003, at Tift Regional Medical Center. His funeral service was held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, 2003, at Wayside Missionary Baptist Church in Tifton with the Rev. George Parrish and the Rev. Wayne Hunter officiating. Mr. Tawzer was laid to rest at Wayside Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Tifton.
Hal McBrayer, Johnny Tawzer, Harmon Tawzer Jr., clay Hall, Carl Tawzer Sr., Charles Tawzer, Jr. and Bobby Perry served as pallbearers.
Born October 28, 1937, in Tift County, Mr. Tawzer was the son of the late Thomas Howard Tawzer, Sr. and Ofelon Hightower Tawzer. He was also preceded in death by one sister, Carol Tawzer McBrayer, who passed away on May 5, 1977.
A United States Navy veteran, Mr. Tawzer was a retired #1 rural letter carrier and a member of Wayside Missionary Baptist Church in Tifton, where he served as a deacon.
He was a member of the Rural Letter Carriers Association and the OWL-El Work Team and was elected Georgia Second District Retired Rural Carrier of the Year in 2003. Mr. Tawzer was very instrumental in getting a post office at the Expo. He was a down-home, Christian man, who was head coach of JoJo's Plowboys ball team and played by the old rules. Every member of the team played; and he was always the loudest cheerleader on the field.
A lifetime resident of Tift County, Mr. Tawzer was a very loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and much more. He was very devoted to his church and touched the lives of many through the years. He was very involved in all the activities of the youth and the senior members of the church. All who knew Mr. Tawzer can truly say he was a positive influence in their lives. In addition to his family and church, his three favorite things were reading the Bible, fishing and working as a rural letter carrier.
Mr. Tawzer is survived by his wife, Annie Marie Willis Tawzer of Tifton; two sons and daughters-in-law, Donald Lee Jr. and Dana Doss Tawzer and Joseph Brian and Melody Mixon Tawzer, all of Tifton; three daughters and one son-in-law, Martha Lynn Tyson of Valdosta and Kimberly Ann Bowers and Terry Suzette and Ricky Kinard, Jr., all of Tifton; five brothers, T. H. Tawzer Jr., Harold Tawzer Sr., Harmon Tawzer Sr., Glynn Tawzer Sr and Coy Tawzer Sr., all of Tifton; two sisters, Elizabeth Tawzer McBrayer and Ruth Tawzer Hall, both of Tifton; seven grandchildren, Lori Tyson, Rodney Donald Tyson Jr., Luanne Broome, Paul Kinard, Megan Tawzer, Amber Tawzer and Katelyn Tawzer; and numerous nieces and nephews.