Page 4B
FANNIN SENTINEL • Thursday, March 19, 2015
OBITUARIES /
Mr. James Richard
Penwell
Mr. James Richard Penwell, age 46, of Blue Ridge,
GA, passed away on March
7, 2014. Born in Cullman,
AL, he was the son of the late
William “Bo” and Mary McBrayer Stewart.
Survivors include his children, Brittany Penwell, James
Penwell, Jr., and Adrian Penwell all of Blue Ridge; brothers and sister-in-laws, Mike
Mr. Randall W. Prince
Randall W. Prince was born
April 11, 1934. He was called
to our Lord March 6, 2015 after
battling a prolonged illness. He
was preceded in death by his loving parents, William and Donnie
Prince of Turtletown, Tn. He is
survived by his loving wife of 11
years, Estelle who resides in Blue
Ridge, Georgia.
He is survived by his broth-
and Rose Penwell of Cullman,
AL, William and Cynthia
Stewart of Blue Ridge, GA;
sisters, Lynn Hogan and husband Dennis Hoffman, Barbara Penwell all of Blue Ridge,
and Mary Elizabeth Stewart of
Cartersville, GA; and a many
nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were conducted on Friday, March 13,
2015 at 2:00 p.m. from the
Akins Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Michael Pope
RI¿FLDWLQJ ,QWHUPHQW IROlowed in the O’Zion Baptist
Church Cemetery with the
following gentlemen serving
as pallbearers: Dennis Hoffman, Mike Penwell, James
Penwell, Jr., William Stewart, Dawson Stewart, Jamie
Riden, Shane Bennett and
Anthony Sisson. Condolences may be sent to the family
at
www.akinsfuneralhome.
com. Akins Funeral Home of
Blue Ridge was in charge of
the arrangements.
er Ray (Marlene) and children,
Jerry (Lauren), Linda (Edward),
and Barbara (Lawrence) along
with their families. Randy is
also survived by his children,
son Randall, daughter Francie
(Joseph), grandchildren Matthew,
Cassandra, Noah, and Zachariah,
daughter Donna (Don), grandchildren Nicholas and Kimberly.
A retired iron worker with an
incredibly strong work ethic, he
honored his parents, caring for
them, side by side along with his
brother Raymond until their passing. A man of many talents, he
toiled daily tending to his properties in Va. and Tn., always with
a task at hand, and never one he
wouldn’t tackle with enthusiasm.
May we all cherish our fondest
memories of him as a Husband,
Father, Grandpa, Brother, Uncle,
Cousin and Friend.
His memorial service was
held March 9, 2015 at Covenant
Funeral Home in Fredericksburg,
Va. followed by a small family
gathering at his final resting sight,
alongside his parents in Shady
Grove Cemetery in Murphy, N.C.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Mrs. Mary Ann
Pickelsimer
Mary Ann Pickelsimer, age 90,
of Cleveland, TN passed away on
Thursday, March 5, 2015 at her
home with her family by her side
after a long battle with cancer.
Mary was born June 21, 1924
in Murphy, NC to the late Poley
and Margaret Morgan Wilcox.
She was a loving Mother, grandmother, great grandmother and
great-great grandmother. She
was preceded in death by her
parents, her husband Owen
Pickelsimer, one brother Fred
Wilcox and one sister, Carzella
Grizzle. Mary lived most of her
life in Ducktown, but moved to
Cleveland to work and retired
from West Vaco in 1986. Mary
was a member of Hot House
Church.
Survivors include one son,
Michael (Loretta) Pickelsimer
of Woodstock, GA and one
Mr. Ancil Fred Ganues,
Sr.
Mr. Ancil Fred Ganues, Sr.,
age 86, of Morganton, GA
passed away Thursday, March
12, 2015 in the Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, TN. He
was born on June 14, 1928 in
Pickens County, GA. He was
retired from L&N Railroad after
42 years of service as an agent/
operator and was a member of
Morganton Baptist Church.
Mr. Ganues loved all sports,
especially the youth and men’s
teams that he coached and
daughter Shirley (Ken) Cordry
of Daytona, FL. She is also
survived by six grandchildren,
nine great grandchildren and
four great-great grandchildren.
Mary was also survived by one
sister-in-law, Mattie Wilcox of
Turtletown and nieces and nephews and many friends.
Funeral services were conducted Sunday, March 8 at 4:00 p.m.
from the Akins of Copperhill
Chapel with Rev. Paul Ray
Morgan officiating. Music was by
Rev. Paul Ray and Linda Morgan.
Pallbearers included Michael
Pickelsimer, Jr, B.J. Johnson,
Grayson Derryberry, Patrick
Sumpter, Alvin Wilcox, Perry
Brown, Michael Pickelsimer, Sr.,
and Ken Cordry. Interment followed in the Zion Hill cemetery.
Condolences to the family may
be sent to www.akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins Funeral Home
of Copperhill in charge of the
arrangements.
played on. He was preceded
in death by his wife, Blanche
Smith Ganues; son, Lyndale
Ganues; mother and father, Les
and Minnie Ganues; sister, Irene
Ray; and brothers, John Ganues,
Frank Ganues, J.T. Ganues, L.C.
Ganues, Bernard Ganues and
Jack Ganues.
He is survived by a son and
daughter-in-law, Freddy and
Jenny Ganues of Morganton;
sister, Billie Davis of East Ridge,
TN; sister-in-law, Ruth Ganues
of Maryville, TN; special friend,
Reathel Amburn; grandson
and his wife, Greg and Rachel
Ganues of Knoxville, TN; great
grandchildren, Henry Ganues
and Elizabeth Marie Ganues;
and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held
Saturday, March 14, 2015 at
4:00 p.m. from the Akins of
Blue Ridge Chapel with Rev.
'DQQ\ 3DUULV RI¿FLDWLQJ 0Xsic was by Keith Barnes. Interment followed in Barnes Chapel
Cemetery. Condolences may be
sent to the family at www.akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins Funeral Home of Blue Ridge was in
charge of arrangements.
Could Congress be ready to
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Kaiser Health News
With a deadline fast approaching, bipartisan negotiations are heating up in the
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replacement for Medicare’s
physician payment formula.
But the tentative package
being hammered out behind closed doors contains
some key provisions that
are likely to raise objections
from both Republicans and
Democrats.
Unless Congress takes action by the end of this month,
doctors who treat Medicare
patients will see a 21 percent
payment cut.
For doctors, the nail-biter
has become a familiar but
frustrating rite. Lawmakers invariably defer the cuts
prescribed by the 1997 reimbursement formula, which
everyone agrees is broken
beyond repair. But the deferrals have always been temporary because Congress
has not agreed to offsetting
cuts to pay for a permanent
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times.
The current proposal for
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repealing the payment for-
mula, according to congressional aides and industry
lobbyists who have been
briefed on the talks but
spoke on the condition of
not being named because of
the sensitivity of the discussions. That provision could
run into concerns from Republicans and some Democrats.
In, Senate Democrats are
leery of another provision
reportedly part of the negotiations--charging wealthier
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for their coverage, according to top Senate aides who
briefed reporters Sunday.
They also noted that although Democrats are eager
to attach to a deal an unrelated measure to extend the
Children’s Health Insurance
Program, they would like it
to cover four years, not the
two years that the House is
reportedly considering.
Still, they said, with some
changes in the package,
Senate Democrats might be
able to support the developing House package.
“Our members would like
to get there,” one of the
aides said.
Here are some answers to
frequently asked questions
about the congressional rituDONQRZQDVWKHGRF¿[
Q: How did this become
an issue?
Today’s problem is a result of efforts years ago to
control federal spending--a
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that called for setting Medicare physician payment rates
through a formula based on
economic growth, known
as the “sustainable growth
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few years, Medicare expenditures did not exceed the
target and doctors received
modest pay increases. But in
2002, doctors were furious
when they came in for a 4.8
percent pay cut. Every year
since, Congress has staved
off the scheduled cuts. But
each deferral just increased
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next time.
The Medicare Payment
Advisory
Commission
(MedPAC), which advises
Congress, says the SGR is
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has called for its repeal. The
SGR provides “no incentive
for providers to restrain volume,” the agency said.
Mr. William Jason
Ramsey
Mr. William Jason Ramsey,
age 34, of Decatur, GA, passed
away March 9, 2015. He served
in the United States Air Force
and also was a graduate of
the University of Nebraska at
Omaha. Jason was a Certified
Public Accountant.
Survivors include three sons,
Zachary, Aedan, and Brody;
one daughter, Kyndall; his par-
Mr. Bobby Lane Dills
Mr. Bobby Lane Dills, age
75, of Blue Ridge,GA, passed
away March 10, 2015. Born in
Blue Ridge, GA, he was the
son of the late Gerdine and
Rosie Allen Dills. He served
his country in the United States
Army. Mr. Dills was retired
from the Georgia Department
of Corrections serving as a
Probation Officer. He was
also a long time member of
the Mobile Baptist Church.
His siblings, Carlette Dills,
Ola Dills Watkins, Opal Dills
Sosebee, and an Infant sister
also precede him in death.
Survivors include his wife
of 52 years, Shelby Dills;
Mr. Luther James
Watkins
Luther James Watkins, age
85 of Blue Ridge, GA passed
Q. Why don’t lawmakers
away on Saturday, March 7,
simply eliminate the formu2015 at home. He was born
la?
on Sunday, Dec. 8, 1929 in
Money is the biggest
Polk County, TN to the late
problem. An earlier biparJames Gordon and Bertha
tisan, bicameral SGR overPayne Watkins. Mr. Watkins
haul plan produced jointly
was a retired logger.
by three key congressional
Survivors are son, Roy
committees would cost $175
Watkins of Blue Ridge;
billion over the next decade,
daughter, Charlotte Dunn
according to the Congres(Vernon) of Blue Ridge;
VLRQDO%XGJHW2I¿FH:KLOH
brother, Eugene Watkins of
that’s far less than previous
estimates for an SGR repeal,
LWLVGLI¿FXOWWR¿QGFRQVHQ- Mr. Stanton Carl Dale
Stanton Carl Dale, age 70,
VXVRQKRZWR¿QDQFHD¿[
of
Turtletown, TN passed
For physicians, the prospect of facing big payment away Thursday, March 12,
cuts is a source of mount- 2015. Mr. Dale was a native
ing frustration. Some say the of Polk County, TN and was
uncertainty has led them to a son of the late Carl Dale and
quit the program, while oth- Bonnie Walker Cahill. He had
ers are threatening to do so. worked as a Restaurant and
Resort Manager and was of
Still, defections have not
the Protestant Faith. He was
EHHQ VLJQL¿FDQW WR GDWH DFa 1964 graduate of Copper
cording to MedPAC.
Basin High School and a vetIn a March 2014 report, eran of the U.S. Navy. He was
the panel stated that ben- also preceded in death by sisH¿FLDULHV¶ DFFHVV WR SK\VL- ter, Louise Chancey and brothcian services is “stable and er-in-law Norman Chancey;
similar to (or better than) grandparents, John and Winnie
access among privately in- Walker.
sured individuals ages 50 to
He is survived by son
´ 7KRVH ¿QGLQJV FRXOG Jonathan Dale, daughterchange, however, if the full in-law, Christine Dale of
force of SGR cuts were ever Seattle, WA; sister, Cheryl
implemented.
Starke, brother-in-law, Richard
ents, Jerry and Fran Ramsey of
Mineral Bluff, GA; sister and
brother-in-law, Cassie Ramsey
Bell and Jason of Cleveland,
TN; grandfather, Raymond
Jones of Caryville, TN; several aunts, uncles, cousins and a
large number of other relatives
and friends.
Funeral services were conducted on Friday, March 13,
2015 at 7:00 p.m. from the
Akins Funeral Home Chapel
with Rev. Wayne Morgan officiating. Music was provided
by Lori and Logan O’Neal.
Interment followed on Saturday,
March 14, at 11:00 a.m. in the
Friendship #3 Baptist Church
Cemetery. Pallbearers were
Cody Ramsey, Brady Pack,
Bryson Pack, Kevin O’Neal,
Michael Pack, Matthew Taylor
and Jerrod Curtis. Condolences
may be sent to the family at
www.akinsfuneralhome.com.
Akins Funeral Home of Blue
Ridge was in charge of the
arrangments.
brother, Charles Avery Dills;
nieces and their spouses, Lori
and Jeff Beavers, Karlene and
Howard Dittrich, and Becky
and Kenny Hippensteel; nephews and their spouses, Karl
and Angie Dills, Tony and
Patty Dills, Michael Dills,
Calvin and Judy Wilson and
Scott Wilson; and many great
nieces, nephews and other relatives survive.
Funeral services were conducted on Saturday, March 14,
2015 at 2:00 p.m. from the
Akins Funeral Home Chapel
with Rev. James Howard
Galloway officiating. Music
was by Tammy Hughes and
Jessica Johnson. Interment followed in the Chastain Memorial
Park Cemetery. Pallbearers
were Carson Beavers, Tony
Dills, Michael Dills, Kenny
Hippensteel, Howard Dittrich,
and Jeff Beavers. For those
desiring, memorial contributions may be made to a charity
of your choice. Condolences
may be sent to the family at
www.akinsfuneralhome.com.
Akins Funeral Home of Blue
Ridge was in charge of the
arrangements.
Blue Ridge; sister, Ruby Parr
of Blue Ridge; four grandchildren; five great grandchildren; and one greatgreat-grandchild.
Funeral services were on
Monday, March 9, 2015 at
3:00 p.m. from the Akins of
Blue Ridge Chapel with the
Rev. Dr. Tom Jordan officiating. Interment followed in
the New Antioch Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent
to the family at akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins Funeral
Home of Blue Ridge is in
charge of the arrangements.
Starke of Blue Ridge, GA,
sister, Theresa Baird, brother-in-law, Chester Baird of
Glencoe, AL; aunt, Elwanda
Creighton and uncle-inlaw, John Creighton of Hixson, TN; many nieces and
nephews.
Funeral services were conducted Sunday, March 15
at 2:00 p.m. from the Akins
of Copperhill Chapel with
Rev. Jeremiah Jack officiating. Interment followed in the
Zion Hill cemetery. Special
Acknowledgements to the
Hospice of Chattanooga,
Memorial Hospital and Hixson
Dialysis for their caring compassion. Condolences to the
family may be sent to www.
akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins
Funeral Home of Copperhill
in charge of the arrangements.