Georgia Anna (Pelfrey) McKee

GEORGIA ANNA (PELFREY) McKEE

June 20, 1936 – August 17, 2023

It was a warm late spring day, June 20 of 1936, when the world was introduced to Georgia Anna. The first daughter born to the late Cecil Bryant and Ethel Agnus (Bliss) Pelfrey of Bliss Hollow Road in Beaver, Ohio. This brown hair and blue-eyed girl would soon be accompanied by four siblings. Two younger brothers who have passed over to Gloryland, Jesse Darrel and Randall Blaine, and her surviving younger sisters, Catherine Francis Drummond, and Sherma Faye Winchester. Cathy and Sherma will now continue and lift their older sister’s legacy, which is her family, and carry them forward, just as these three sisters had done for both of their brothers.

Georgia realized her love and passion for family very early on. As her parents continued to grow their family, Georgia willingly took on more responsibilities in their home. As a natural born caregiver, she helped with her younger siblings, cooked family meals, and took care of the family home as if it were her own. Her caregiver nature is something that stuck with her for the rest of her life.

Shortly after Georgia graduated high school, she married Harold Gene Brigner, and started her own family. They had five children: Sheryl Lynn (Scott) Kahlor, Gregory Gene, Joy Elaine Brigner (Eddie) Ison, Jeffery Lee (Kitty) Brigner, and Anita Renee. Georgia frequently said that being a mother was the most precious blessing of her life. While married to her children’s father, Georgia was a homemaker, and he traveled for work when the kids were young. Sadly, things ultimately ended between her and Harold. 

While motherhood was one of her greatest accomplishments in life, nothing prepared her for the joys of grandparenting. The amount of space in her heart and soul that her grandchildren filled quickly overtook her. Her cup soon runneth over!

Love found Georgia again, and she later married a man who adored every part of her. On February 18, 1989, Georgia married Roma Afton McKee. The years thar followed became some of the most Blissful of all her life. Roma was a teddy bear of a man who quickly became everyone’s favorite Papaw. He taught their grandchildren how to work, and work hard, for what they want in life and to live proudly in America. Roma welcomed and loved all her children and grandchildren as if they were his own, and she did the same with his son, Lanny Edward Steele. Lanny quickly became the youngest sibling and uncle of the family. All of Georgia’s children and grandchildren welcomed him the same as they welcomed Grandpa Roma.

After spending several years in Cocoa Beach, Florida, Roma and Georgia settled in southern Ohio, enjoying a life up the holler. They spent much of their time sitting on their porch swing, side-by-side, and hand-in-hand.

Family was the centerpiece of the life they shared. Their home hosted many huge gatherings and cookouts, always complete with Georgia cooking much of the food. Everything she made was phenomenal, but her family often made special requests for select dishes. Her pasta salad (that no one in the family has ever been able to get exactly right) or her bean dip ever lasted more than a few minutes when the family was around.

But to her grandchildren, nothing was better than her early morning breakfasts. To some, nothing beat her sausage gravy and biscuits with fried eggs, and to others, it was her chocolate chip pancakes. Regardless, her grandchildren enjoyed many long days playing in the creek, swinging on vines in the woods, or rolling tires down the hill (only sometimes hitting her car or house). Despite being thoroughly exhausted, the grandkids would still stay up too late, with the older kids telling the scariest stories to the youngest, always swearing they were true. The late-night chatter wouldn’t end until Georgia came in ‘yelling’ time for bed in her loving grandmotherly way. Sometimes they’d listen, but usually they still found the energy to argue over who got to sleep on the couch or recliner. Yet, without fail, by the time she was having her morning coffee and working on her crossword puzzles, almost all of them had ended up sleeping on her living room floor.

Things were not always beautiful for her in life and tragedy struck her multiple times, once coming too close to taking her life far too soon. But her strength and will to live for her family was unmatched. As if losing two precious grandbabies before they even had a chance to join her in this world, an explosion tried to take her, but even that wasn’t enough to weaken her hold on this Earth. She fought hard and came up swingin’! Her recovery was arduous and long, but she overcame every obstacle, pushed through every surgery, and she conquered everything that would have kept a lesser woman down.

Her challenges didn’t end there. Years later, her beloved Roma was taken from her far too young and he lost his battle with cancer on October 28, 1999. Once again, she showed the world how strong she was. She persevered and lived her life through her faith in God and her love for her family.

Georgia was a light and welcoming smile to all who knew her. Her door was always open because everyone was family to her. Her nieces and nephews grew up to see her as their other mother. To some of her grandchildren, she was the only mother they truly knew. She had the biggest heart and treated everyone with a sweet smile and kindness some otherwise didn’t know growing up.

She refused to let family and guests alike come in or out of her presence without a kiss on the cheek, and one of her legendary hugs that held every bit of love she possessed, all while she endearingly called them ‘Baby’ or ‘Sweetheart’. She didn’t only say she loved a person, she made sure they felt it, and that they knew they’d always have a piece of her heart because they had already become a part of her.

Just like her love, her family never stopped growing. Every friend of her kids and her grandkids who came to the holler to visit were expected to call her Grandma, or at least, Grandma Georgie or GG or to those who saw her as mom, Mammaw.

She may not always have remembered everyone’s name, but she made certain everyone who walked through her door knew they were welcomed in her home. And you better be prepared for her to give you one of her famous loving hugs.

FOREVER OUR ANGEL. NOTHING COMPARES TO GEORGIA LOVE. WE LOVE GEORGIA HUGS.

Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Tuesday August 22, 2023 at the Owl Creek Lighthouse Church, located at 1442 Germany Rd., Lucasville, Ohio 45648, with Pastor Rodney Bapst officiating. Visiting hours will be held from 12:00 P.M. until the time of service Tuesday at the church. Cox Burkitt Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

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