Mr. Jack Helton Shurling, age 90, of Old Savannah Road in Tennille peacefully passed away on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, following an extended illness. A funeral service to celebrate his life will be held on Friday, December 8th at 2:00 P.M. in the Piney Mount United Methodist Church with burial to follow in the Church Cemetery observing masonic rites. Reverend Gary Griffin and Reverend Mike Bankston will officiate. Pallbearers will be Eric Conner, Wayne Layton, Mike Phillips, Brian Powers, Jimmy Prince, Jimmy Ray Smith, Michael Dean Smith, and Stuart Turner. The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 7th from 4:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. in the May and Smith Funeral Home of Sandersville.
Mr. Shurling was born in Tennille on November 1, 1933, the son of the late Butler Shurling and the late Neva Park Shurling. He was a graduate of the Tennille High School. Jack served his country for six years as a member of the United States Army in Korea and stateside in Maryland. Mr. Shurling began his working career at Deluxe Dry Cleaners of Tennille, a company he would later own and operate, before employment in the insurance industry and with American Industrial Clay Company. He later began a lengthy career with the United States Postal Service, retiring as Tennille Postmaster, and serving as a Funeral Assistant with May and Smith Funeral Directors for over 25 years. Jack was an active member of the Piney Mount United Methodist Church, singing in the Church Choir, leading the District United Methodist Men’s Group, and performing as a Lay Delegate at the United Methodist Church Annual Conference for many years. Mr. Shurling was also very active in his community as a member, President, and Chaplin of the Washington County Farm Bureau, Tennille Rotary Club, and Tennille Masonic Lodge. He protected his town as Fire Chief of the Ohoopee Volunteer Fire Department and Volunteer Firefighter for the City of Tennille. Jack treasured time spent on his farm – raising cattle, producing hay, and fishing. Mr. Shurling is preceded in death by his grandson, Blake Shurling, and siblings, Newell Shurling Thompson, Faye Shurling Rhodes, and Amie Shurling Pearson.
Survivors include his loving wife of 66 years, Mary Ethridge Shurling; children, Robert Shurling and wife Gail of Surf Side Beach, South Carolina, Jimmy Shurling and wife Cheryl of Ludowici, Barry Shurling and wife Renee of Tennille, and Dawn Shurling Mills and husband Heath of Gray; grandchildren, Jason Carter and wife Amy, Whitney Giavelli and husband Freddy, Jessica Shurling and husband Nathan, Michael Shurling and wife Lisa, Jonathan Shurling and wife Jessica, Ahsley Dykes and husband Graham, and Austin Mills; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and his twin sister, Jacqueline Shurling Overman of Augusta.
Donations may be made to the Blake Shurling Scholarship Fund of Brentwood School, P.O. Box 955 Sandersville, Georgia 31082 or to the Piney Mount United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 575, Sandersville Georgia.
Online condolence may be expressed at mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com.
May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.