Joel Louie Monk, Jr., 69, of Ty Ty passed away Thursday, June 20, 2002, at his residence. His funeral service was held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 22, 2002, at Tifton's First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jay Robertson officiating. Mr. Monk was laid to rest at Hickory Springs Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Tifton.
Clint Johnson, Link Henderson, Robbie Gibbs, Rob Sasser, Ken Gailey, Bobby Malcom. James Glover and Trent Lassiter served as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were the staff of Tift County FSA, members of the Searchers Sunday School Class at Tifton's First United Methodist Church, Billy Wood, Homer Allison, Bob Hammond, Billy Marchant, Dr. Richard McCullough and Horace Fowler.
Born May 14, 1933, in Tift County, Mr. Monk was the son of the late Joel Louie Monk, Sr. and Elizabeth Gibbs Monk. Like his father, he was a farmer and a retired rural letter carrier for the United States Postal Service. He was a graduate of the University of Georgia and was a devoted Georgia Bulldog fan. He was a member of Tifton's First United Methodist Church, where he served on the administrative board and where he was a member of the Searchers Sunday School Class and a former youth Sunday School teacher.
As an active member of the community, Mr. Monk served for many years on the Board of Directors of Tiftarea Academy including terms as Chairman of the Board and president of the school. He was vice-chairmen of the Tift County Farm Services Committee, formerly the Agricultural Stabilization and Commodity Service. He was selected by the Georgia Jaycees as the Outstanding Young Farmer for the state of Georgia in 1967. He also served in the United States Army. Lastly and most importantly, he was a loyal husband and father.
Mr. Monk is survived by his wife, Ann Gibbs Monk of Ty Ty, to whom he was married on May 10, 1964; three sons and two daughters-in-law, Robert and Jill Monk and Michael Monk, all of New York, New York, David and Lori Monk of Newnan; two granddaughters, Hembree Monk and Lizzie Ann Monk, both of Newnan; one sister, Betty Monk Johnson of Folkston; and a close cousin, Everett Ivey of Ty Ty.