Mrs. Delette “Dee” Wingfield Epps

Image
Small Image
Mrs. Delette “Dee” Wingfield Epps
Body

Mrs. Delette “Dee” Wingfield Epps, 89, formerly of Athens, Ga., passed peacefully from natural causes on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020 at her daughter’s farm in Hayesville. She was married for 33 years to William Douglas “Doug” Epps, a pilot who preceded her in death in 1990. Dee is also preceded in death by her sister, Mrs. Mel Wingfield Scherer, of Charleston, S.C.; survived by her sister, Mrs. Olief Price, of Hawkinsville, Ga.; brother- in-law, Patrick “Pat” Epps, of Atlanta, Ga. and sister- in-law, Mrs. Phyllis Epps of Topsham, Maine. Dee has three children, Larry and wife, Elaine Epps; Carolyn Epps Kent and husband, Jeff; Susan Epps Ward and husband, Gary. Six grandchildren, Jessica Kent Morrow, Lauren Kent Rogacki, Rebecca Kent, Jonathan Kent, Dmitry and Andrei Ward.

Dee graduated with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Degree from the University of Georgia in 1952. She worked for an Atlanta engineering firm Robert & Company. Dee designed her family’s home in Jonesboro, Ga. following many of the Frank Lloyd Wright’s principles.

With her late husband, Dee helped to organize the local Republican party in 1964 in the living room of their home in Clayton County. Dee ran for a Georgia state house representative seat in the early 1980’s and has stayed active in her interest in politics throughout her life.

Dee was an early member of the Wingfield Family Society organized in 1987. Dee’s passion for geneaology for the Wingfield & Epps families was researched extensively over the span of 400 plus years. She was a member of the National Genealogical Society. Dee was a member of the National Society of Colonial Dames XVII Century, Thomas Johnson Chapter.

She was an instrumental charter member in having a newly formed Thomas Wingfield Chapter created of the Georgia Society Colonial Dames XVII Century. Dee was a life member of the First Families of Georgia on descent from Thomas Wingfield.

Dee was a member of the First United Method- ist Church in Jonesboro, Ga. Dee created the Jessica Foundation for her first granddaughter and sup- ported other nonprofit charities during her lifetime. Dee enjoyed playing cards, dominoes and attending birthday parties with her neighbors.

A celebration of life service was held at Ivie Funeral Home, 67 N.C. 69, Hayesville, at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 followed by a graveside service at 4 p.m. next to her late husband William Douglas “Doug” Epps at Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens, Ga. The services were live streamed on: www. facebook.com/iviefh.

The family received friends from 9-10:15 a.m. prior to the services.

Donations can be made in her honor to Veteran Services, c/o Larry Sams, 54 Church Street, Hayesville, NC 28904 or Paws for Purple Hearts, National Communications Center, P.O. Box 1209, Merrifield, Va. 22116.

Ivie Funeral Home Hayesville: www.iviefuneralhome. com was in charge of all arrangements.