Mrs. Doris M. Johnson Tharp passed away Friday evening, April 27, 2018 under hospice care at Lumber City Nursing and Rehabilitation.  She was 94 years old.   She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Maude Gibbs Johnson, her brother Arthur Gibbs Johnson, sisters, Louise Truesdell and Ruthie Jo Forseth, her husband Kenneth Tharp, and her son Tullas W. Speer.  

She was a native of Uvalda, Georgia, and during World War II she moved to Savannah, Georgia, where she started her family.  After the war, the Union Camp Company relocated her family to St. Louis.  She was a retired hostess from Howard Johnsons after 27 years of service. She was known for her generosity of spirit, her cooking, and card playing skills.  She loved the beach, reading and yarn craft hobbies. She retired back to her family farm in Uvalda in 1983, and enjoyed visits from her grandchildren, gardening, fishing, playing cards, and annual beach trips with family.  She was always cooking and baking for family and friends.  She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Uvalda and was an active member of the Happy Hearts women’s Sunday school class, volunteering until well into her 80’s for Vacation Bible School every summer.

She is survived by her daughter Susan Downey, Uvalda, Georgia, her daughter-in-law Florence Speer, St. Louis, grandchildren Sean T. (Stacey) Speer, Dawn Crump, and Robert Downey, all of St. Louis, Denise (David) Ximenez, San Antonio, Texas, and Tammy Downey, Florida.   Eight great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews also survive.

Funeral services for Mrs. Doris M. Johnson Tharp will be held Tuesday, May 1, at 5:30 PM at First Baptist Church of Uvalda, with Reverend Adrian Bell and Reverend Andy Williams officiating.  Interment will follow at Gibbs Family Cemetery. The family will receive friends during visitation at the church Tuesday, May 1 from 4:00 pm until the hour of service.

The family would like to offer special thanks to the staff of Regency Southern Care Hospice and also ask in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Regency Southern Care Hospice, 2311 East First Street, Vidalia, GA 30474.

Stewart- Rosier Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangement.