Mrs. Ellen Woods Gunby, age 93, of Sandersville peacefully passed away on Tuesday, January 16, 2023. A funeral service to celebrate her life will be held on Thursday, January 19th at 2:00 P.M. in the First Baptist Church of Sandersville with burial in the Washington County Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Reverend Wade Dawson and Reverend Lee Lacey will officiate. Pallbearers will be Chuck Burns, Bill Garner, B.T. Hunter, Bobby Parker, Russell Sheppard, Mike Sheppard, Sam Smith, and Bill Wiggins. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service in the Church Sanctuary.
Mrs. Gunby was a native and lifelong resident of Washington County, the daughter of the late Cliff T. Tanner and the late Mattie Florence T. Tanner. She graduated from the Sandersville High School in 1945 and began her working career as Operator of the Western Union Telegraph at West Drug Company. Ellen was hired as one of the first Administrative Employees at Thiele Kaolin Company and faithfully worked for 46 years, retiring as Payroll Clerk. Mrs. Gunby enjoyed to travel. She was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Sandersville and served as Church Financial Clerk. Ellen was preceded in death by her husbands, Ralph D. Woods and Henry Gunby; sons, J. Ralph Woods and William Darryl Woods; brother, Harold Tanner; and daughter-in-law, Kay Burgamy Woods.
Survivors include her grandchildren, Shayne Woods of Sandersville, Jonathan Woods and wife Katy of Warthen, Kyle Woods and wife Heather of Sandersville, Jeremy Woods and wife Mary of Milledgeville, and Erica W. Josey and significant other Byron McNeely of Riddleville; daughter-in-law, Pam C. Woods of Sandersville; and great-grandchildren, Karlee W. Grant and husband Dustin, Morgan Woods, and Chad Josey.
The family may be contacted at the home of Shayne Woods on Laurel Drive in Sandersville.
Online condolences may be expressed at mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com.
May and Smith Funeral Home is in charge of these arrangements.