Mrs. Lovie J. Rutland-Wheeler of 406 West 14th Avenue, Cordele Georgia died Saturday, June 25, 2022, at her residence.

The funeral service will be held Friday, July 1, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. at the A. S. Clark Auditorium on the M. D. Whitest Medical Institute Campus in Cordele Georgia. The burial will follow at Bethel Cemetery in Cordele Georgia. Everyone in attendance is asked to please wear a mask and to practice social distancing.

Our Heavenly Father blessed our lives on a warm autumn day, October 14, 1932, with the birth of Lovie Jackson Rutland Wheeler.  Born in Cordele,  Georgia, the oldest of the three children born to the late Dora Frances Green and the late Roy Green, Sr.

Lovie received her elementary education in the public schools of Cordele.  She spent her high school years at Holsey-Cobb Institute where she earned her high school diploma.  After the completion of high school, she was enrolled at the Beaumont School of Nursing in Atlanta, Georgia where she earned a PN certificate in 1954. She was employed as a nurse for several years in the Cordele and Albany area.  In 1956, she attended a workshop on Postmortem at Cox Brothers Funeral Home.

Lovie was an excellent nurse, but she still had a strong yearning to teach.  She entered Albany State College and in 1969 earned a B. S. degree in Health & Physical Education and taught in Cordele for two years.  Realizing that her  calling was to teach younger children, she went back to school and earned certification in elementary education.  She continued her education by pursuing a Master of Education degree in grades K-8 from Georgia State University in 1978.  She was a devoted educator who proudly taught at Blackshear Trail Elementary School.  One of her greatest honors was being chosen as the 1993 Teacher of the Year.

Her love for community was ever present as she devoted her time by serving in various offices and through her membership with  Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (May 28, 1983), the Valorette Social & Civic Club, Inc., the Georgia Association of Educators, the Holsey-Cobb Alumni Association, the Georgia Regional Library Board, Girl Scouts of America, A.A.H. per, Instructor Book Club, the Crisp County Association of Educators and  Cricket, the magazine for children.  Lovie received the Extra Mile Award twice and a certificate of appreciation for working with the "Say No to Drugs" program.  She also received a leadership plaque for serving as President of the Valorette Club.

Lovie loved the Lord and served faithfully as a member of the Shady Grove Baptist Church.  She served as Mother of the Church, taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, taught Daily Vacation Bible School and served as Director of the Youth Department.  She was often asked to appear on program at other churches in the community as well.

Through her life of service, Lovie never waivered.  She gave her all whether holding an office in one of many organizations, serving as Chairperson of the Debutante Project, Girl Scout Troop leader, registering voters, serving senior citizens, fundraising for the American Cancer Society, lecturing on teenage pregnancy and other social diseases, or working with the Delta's Team Lift  Program or the Beautillion Program.  She was especially proud of her Holsey-Cobb Alumni Association which was founded and chartered under her presidency.

On Saturday, June 25, 2022 she peacefully transitioned from this life.  Cherished memories are left to her husband, Ivan Wheeler; her children, Patricia Sutton (Percy) of Killeen, Texas and Michael Rutland of Pittsburgh, California; her grandchildren, Buchee' Howell (Michael), Rasheedah Reed (Marcus), and Ralph Lamar (Davilla); her great grandchildren, Michael, Nicholas, Simaya, Simari, Simir,  Milay, and Markell; her sister, Johnnie Mae Mickens (Robert) of Bainbridge, Georgia; her brother, Abdul-Malik Rasheed (Pauline) of Albany, Georgia;   her nieces and nephews, Jackie Solomon, Morris Johnson, Immuel Royal (Deceased), Martel Walker, Roy Rasheed, Chiquita Adkins, Donald Johnson, Wallace Johnson, Douglas Johnson, Greselda Sammuel; a host of cousins, other relatives and many, many friends.