Dottie Copelan Jarrard

Dottie Louise Copelan "Dot" Jarrard, age 82, of Siloam, Georgia, passed away Monday, December 7, 2009 at Saint Joseph''s at East Georgia in Greensboro. Born in Greene County, on October 23, 1927 in the Greshamville Community, she was the daughter of the late Jasper Frazier Copelan, Sr. and Willie Hester Adams Copelan and was the last surviving child of one of the finest families in Greene County. Dottie graduated from Greensboro High School, where she excelled in basketball and continued her education at Madison Business School. For a while she lived with her sister in Atlanta and worked at Fort McPherson. After World War II, Dottie met Roscoe Jarrard, and they were married in 1948. Dottie was a devoted wife and loving mother for 60 years.

Dottie worked for the International Paper Company, was a bookkeeper and assistant for Mr. Seaborn Ashley, and then worked and retired from the Agriculture Soil Conservation Services in the early seventies as a Federal Employee. She served as Council Woman for the city of Siloam for a number of years. In the 1980''s when Dottie was elected Mayor of Siloam, she became the first woman mayor ever in Greene County. As mayor she was instrumental in getting a new water tank for the city and a new fire truck for the Siloam Fire Department.

When Dottie was in her sixties, she went to Cosmetology School in Athens and started a beauty salon. As an enterprising business woman, Dottie owned several small businesses, rented houses and bought and sold real estate. She loved dancing and listening to her sons, Mike and Reggie''s band. She enjoyed family gatherings, especially at Christmas. Eating out, collecting antiques and vacationing at their home in Florida were also some of the things she enjoyed the most. Dottie was a member of Fork Chapel United Methodist Church in Greshamville.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roscoe Thurmond Jarrard in June of this year; and siblings, Eve Oline Duvall Smith, Mary Willie Phelps, Elizabeth Thomas, George Emory Copelan, Jasper Frazier "Pete" Copelan and a sister who died at birth. She is survived by three sons, James Reginald "Reggie" Jarrard and wife Debbie of Greensboro, GA, Gary Michael "Mike" Jarrard and wife Vonn of Greensboro, GA and Rodney Thurmond Jarrard and wife Wendy of Cumming, GA; sister-in-laws, Dean Copelan and Myrtle Copelan; grandchildren, Jenny Jarrard, Colby Jarrard Sims and husband B. J., Jack Jarrard, Austin Jarrard, Michelle Jarrard, Shannon Jarrard McGaughey and husband Sam, Starr Jarrard, John Jarrard and Sam Jarrard; two great grandchildren, McKenzie Sims and Alli McGaughey; and many other relatives and friends.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Fork Chapel United Methodist Church in Greshamville with Rev. Wayne Usry and Rev. Bob Murphy officiating. Interment will follow at Greensboro City Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers are Thurmond Jarrard, Billy Jarrard, George Copelan, Wynn Copelan, Jackie Copelan, Danny Duvall, Tim Duvall, Smitty Phelps, Robby Thomas, Allen Bryan and Jimmy Finch. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday night at the McCommons Funeral Home. McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA, (706) 453-2626, is in charge of arrangements. Visit us at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register.

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