Gonza Lahood

Gonza LaHood, 93, of Valdosta transitioned from earth to heaven, at the break of dawn on Monday, January 25, 2016 at Fellowship Home in Brooks County. Born on December 5, 1922 in Cherryville, NC, she was one of 13 children born to the late Frank & Sally Beam. She became a registered nurse and joined the U.S. Navy. It was there in a hospital that she and George LaHood met as he was horsing around the halls throwing a football with Navy buddies. She sternly chased them off! Three children were born to this union and from these three children were born 10 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. To say Gonza was dearly loved and respected is an understatement! Many things have been said about her. She was a woman of strong character and emitted strength just being in the room. She was a woman of hard diligent work and lived a life of humility and few words. When she did speak it was truth, wisdom and straight from the hip! You never had to guess how she felt about a situation. She was determined to achieve excellence in everything, whether it was business, family or digging in her flower beds or the farm. Gonza had a fierce devotion to her husband of 68 years, her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In the late 1960's she started and operated the Spinning Wheel, fabric shop. Then, in the late 1970's, she left the Spinning Wheel to help her husband begin Fellowship Home in Brooks County. There she offered a beautiful example of serving people for many years. She went to great lengths to see that the resident's needs were met with promptness. She showed us all a true devotion to the Lord with her actions by being a True Proverbs 31 woman. Her children & grandchildren have risen up and called her blessed!

Survivors are a daughter, Pam LaHood Akins of Valdosta; sons and daughters in law, George John III (Buddy) and Lynn LaHood of Valdosta, Charles and Elaine LaHood of Valdosta; grandchildren, Rhett Akins of Nashville, Tennessee, Brooks & Michelle Akins of Valdosta, Eli & Candee Akins of Atlanta, Sally & Trav Paulk of Ray City, John & Crystal LaHood, Becky & Mabry Smith, Matthew & Val LaHood of Valdosta, Melissa & Ben Hayslip of Lebanon, TN, Hanna LaHood of Atlanta, Laura & A.J. Christopher of Valdosta; twenty nine great grandchildren, one great great grandchild; two sisters, Sue Phillips of Charlotte, North Carolina and Nancy Beam of Dobson, North Carolina. She was preceded in death by her husband, George John LaHood, Jr., a great granddaughter, Aubrey Laine Cooper, and ten siblings.

The funeral services for Mrs. LaHood will be held at 3pm, Wednesday, January 27, 2016 in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home with burial to follow in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Quitman. The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 1:30pm-3:00pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Georgia, 2302 Parklake Drive, NE, Ste. 210, Atlanta, GA 30345-2896. Condolences to the family may be made online at www.mclanecares.com. Carson McLane Funeral Home.


Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602