Clara Rita Davis Andress

Services for Clara Rita Davis Andress, 86, formerly of Thomasville, are at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 6, 2010, at Shady Grove Baptist Church, Whitewater Rd., Ideal, Ga. The Rev. David Thomas, pastor will officiate and interment follows in the Peaceful Rest Cemetery, 1864 Pinetree Blvd., Thomasville. Mrs. Andress died Monday, March 1. Born May 27, 1923, in Thomasville, Thomas County, Ga., she was a daughter of the late Boise Davis and the late Mamie D. Davis. She was the beloved wife of the late Floyd Edgar Andress.  She was a 1941 graduate of Douglass High School of Thomasville and she pursued a career in home nursing. She was employed as a C.N.A. at the Historic Thomas County Veteran Hospital and Whispering Pines Nursing Home whereas she retired after many dedicated years of professional services. At an early age, she joined the Jerusalem Baptist Church and later she moved her membership to Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church whereas she served on the Mother's Ministry Board, Missionary Society, church choir, church school teacher and other church ministries. Her community activities and membership included Order of Eastern Star Chapter 31 and Thomasville NAACP. After moving to Oglethorpe, Ga. in 2000 she joined the Riverview Senior Citizen and the Goodwin Levine Adult in New Haven, Conn. She leaves a legacy of love and cherished memories to her beloved family which include four daughters and three sons-in-law, Lutherine Meadows (Thomas) of Oglethorpe, Peggie Edwards (Eugene) of New Haven, Conn., Linda Stewart of West Haven, Conn., Mamie Hayes (Bob) of Hillside, N.J.; one son, Floyd Andress Jr. of Savannah; nine grandchildren; four great grandchildren; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, Corrine Andrews, Clara Andrews, David Andrews all of Council, N.C.; numerous beloved nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends including a very devoted friend, Josephine Cromartie, Thomasville. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Eloise Wilson and Lucille Monroe. — Oglethorpe Funeral Chapel Inc., Oglethorpe, Ga.