Melissa Seagraves

Mary Melissa Hawkins Seagraves, 80, a native of Athens, moved for the last time to join her husband Don and other loved ones who have gone before on November 9, 2016. Graveside services will be held at 4:00 on Friday, November 11, 2016 at historic Oconee Hill Cemetery. Rev. Mike Boatfield will officiate. Melissa was the oldest of three girls born to Vasco Walter Hawkins and Rachel Joiner Hawkins on September 24, 1936. Vasco died when the girls were young and Rachel, a beautician, raised her daughters on Oak Street in Athens; the neighborhood friends and family were many. As a high school student Melissa worked at the Georgia Theatre on North Lumpkin Street near her mother's beauty shop. She and Don married in Athens in 1954 and they celebrated 60 years together before his passing last year. True partners in life, they began their adventure by following Don's career in the United States Air Force and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, moving across the southeast to places such as Eufala, Ala., Bay St. Louis, Miss., Selma, Ala., Columbus, Miss., Thomaston, Ga., and Elberton, Ga. She worked in banking for many years, concluding her career at Granite City Bank in Elberton before moving to Colbert -- across the road from her youngest sister. She was an active volunteer in the many communities in which she lived. At the time of her death, she resided at the West Village Retirement Community in Thomaston. From her youth, Melissa's Baptist faith provided her a firm foundation and she was a member of many churches, including East Athens Baptist, Trinity Baptist Church in Thomaston, First Baptist in Elberton, and Colbert Baptist Church. She is survived by a daughter, Hope Seagraves (Wayne) Austin of Thomaston, Ga.; and a son, Donald (Rhonda Hardesty) Seagraves, Jr., of Athens; and sisters Patsy Arnold of Athens, and Harriette Griffeth of Colbert. She is also survived by grandchildren Nash (Shelley) and Drew Austin and Sara (Blake) Seagraves Burton; and great-grandchildren, Ethan Seagraves Smith, Sara Blakely Burton, Majors Winn Austin, and Lucas Day Austin. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Donald Winn Seagraves, Sr., and a grandson, Andrew Nath Austin. She was also much loved and will be sorely missed by many nieces and nephews, their children, and extended family. "Aunt Melissa" was an avid reader from childhood and loved books; she gave children's books as Christmas and birthday presents over the years and her shelves at home were always filled with the classics and newest best sellers. She had the biggest of hearts, for all people, loved to laugh and to sing, and gave great hugs. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to your favorite charity . Lord and Stephens, East is in charge of arrangements.