Reba Malone

After a courageous battle with illness, on January 6, 2019, God called her to her heavenly home. Reba, age 74, was born on August 27, 1944, to the late Hayes and Irene Sharp. She was preceded in death by five sisters, Hazel McCowan, Mary Sue Davis, Darlene Sharp, Azlene Sharp, Henrietta Sharp, and one Sister/Friend Penny Simpson.

Reba was blessed with a large loving family. She was a wonderful cook who made Sunday afternoons a family reunion around the kitchen and dinner table. Green picking was her passion and part of her seed-sowing as she shared with all who wanted any. She always had an open door making everyone feel welcomed and loved. Many knew her as “Mama Reba.” She was a long-standing member of Victory Church International where she was Mother of the church.

She leaves to cherish her loving memory her husband Alfred Malone; two daughters Deborah (Clifton) Morrow and Karen (Harvey) Nash both of Athens; one son Steve (Jowana) Hurst of Athens; two stepsons, Cordon Porter and Lorenzo Shields of Athens; two stepdaughters Sherita (Thomas) Dodd of Etowah, and Tequila Porter of Knoxville; four sisters, Betty (Eugene) Harris of Stevenson, AL, Margaret Sharp, Nancy Pierce, and Cathy Dodd all of Athens; two brothers, Stevie (Barbara Ann) Sharp, Tupelo, MS, and Dwight Sharp of Athens, TN; mother-in-law Ruth Malone of Athens; sister-in-law Victoria Malone of Atlanta, GA; eight grandsons, Rico Hurst and Robert Fair both of Tupelo MS, Cornelius Hurst, Kenneth Hurst, Larenzo Burdine, Shazon Hurst, Clifton Morrow Jr., all of Athens and Metrell Hurst of Los Angeles, CA; six granddaughters, Markeithia Bonner, Atlanta, GA, Shakaya Nash, Tupelo, MS, Shalon Hurst, Chickanya Copeland, Keeja McDermott, and Katana Hurst, all of Athens; and a host of great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, Jan. 13, at 2 PM, at Victory Church International with Pastor Angela Arnwine delivering the eulogy. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service from 1 PM to 2 PM. Interment will follow at Hammonds Cemetery. Services of loving memory are entrusted to M.D. Dotson & Sons Funeral Home of Athens.