The open arms of our associate

minister, who met me in the emergency waiting room and then remained with

me as I quickly learned that Don did not make it and then staying as each

family member arrived;

The doctor on duty, who kindly

told me that they did all they could, but it really had happened so fast

that God had taken him before man and medicine could intervene;

Holly, who was on duty, stayed

with us in the family room area, facilitating bringing in each of our

girls and other family members who had received the call that he had had

a heart attack but had no indication of the seriousness of the situation

before they arrived and easing the way for our last visits with Don;

Our pastor, youth pastor, and

friends, who waited in the emergency waiting room to pray, wait, and then

be there to provide comfort and hugs as we left the family area and were

getting ready to leave the hospital three hours after I had arrived with

such hope.

We have been bolstered by the

continuing support through visits, calls, e-mails, cards, poems, books,

food, chores, flowers, homes for visiting family member to sleep, contributions

in Don's memory, and prayers from friends and former co-workers.

The outpouring has come from

people whom Don knew when he was a child, from friends from the beginning

of his career in education in 1964 and mine in 1968 both at Jonesboro

Junior High, his at North Clayton Senior High, and finally at Lovejoy

High School until his retirement in 1999, plus during the time he worked

49 percent of the time for Lovejoy for two more years until the end of

the summer of 2001.

The Fayette Middle School family,

some of whom have retired or gone to other schools, truly has been a family

for me. Friends from churches with which we were formerly affiliated as

well as our brothers and sisters at our church home since 1996 have comforted

us and paid their respects to Don.

Friends of our daughters, Melissa,

Laura, and Stephanie, have shown their love in various ways. Numerous

family members from both of our extended families and the "adopted"

Fayetteville family of Scott, our son-in-law of nine years, have also

shared in our grief and our healing.

We have been surrounded constantly

2. The sharing and caring of friends, family, and acquaintances have helped

us resume our lives without him, knowing that is what he would want us

to do.

Helping ease the trauma of

our sudden loss were the professional services of Mowell Funeral Home,

of Camp Memorial Park, and the escort and guards of at the least 10 policemen

standing with their hats over their hearts and their police cars strategically

blocking traffic from crossing over on Ga. Highway 314 and at the intersection

of Ga. Highway 54 and Jeff Davis as we proceeded from our home past the

beautifully restored historical homes and structures on the way to Harps

Crossing Baptist Church as if we were taking a great man home.

We are thankful that we chose

the Fayette County community as our home 25 years ago. How much more difficult

it would have been without the community that still upholds the traditions

of a small Southern town!

Thank you again for the service

you provided through printing Don's obituary as you continue to inform

our local community.

Doris Cason Carey; Laura and

Stephanie Carey; Melissa, Scott, Carey, and Will Barronton