Ray E. Cheatham

MR. RAY E. CHEATHAM Mr. Ray E. Cheatham, 95, of Hogansville, died Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at Florence Hand Home. The funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, August 2, at Highland Baptist Church in Hogansville. The Reverend Max McCord will officiate, assisted by the Reverend Frank Sledge and interment will be in Myrtle Hill Cemetery. Mr. Cheatham was born September 29, 1913, in Cobb county, son of the late George and Clara Burnett Cheatham. A resident of Hogansville since 1936, he was a longtime merchant and civic leader. From 1937 until 1947, he owned and operated Cheatham's 5 & 10 Cent Store in Hogansville; from 1951 until 1971, he owned and operated Economy Auto Store of Hogansville; and in 1972, he built Pacemaker Inn in LaGrange, which he managed until 1977. From 1977, until his retirement in 2002, he owned and operated Ray Cheatham Enterprises, a general merchandise, antiques, collectibles, and appliance business in Hogansville. Mr. Cheatham was a member and deacon of Highland Baptist Church and was a member of Hogansville Masonic Lodge #93. He was a former member of the Hogansville Board of Education, the Hogansville Lions Club and the Hogansville Kiwanis Club. Survivors include his daughters and sons in-law, Ann Howard and her late husband, Charles, of Roanoke, VA, Raye Lynn and Don Allen of Vinton, VA, Jane and Daniel Gottshall of Hogansville, and Caroline and Perry Banks of Savannah; sisters, Ann Yates of Hogansville and Audrey Cole of Calhoun; brothers, C. L. Cheatham of Douglasville, Kenneth Cheatham of Hiram, and James Cheatham of Alcoa, TN; grandchildren, Edward Howard of St. Petersburg, FL, Ann-Marie Fry of Myrtle Beach, SC, Andrea Taylor of Vinton, VA, Don Allen of Sarasota, FL, Mark Allen of Monterey, CA, and Holly Banks of Savannah; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Ruby Holcombe Cheatham. Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Visitation: from 6 until 8 Saturday night, August 1st, at Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home Services: 2:00 p.m., Sunday, August 2nd, at Highland Baptist Church in Hogansville Interment: Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Hogansville