Gloria Mills Saxon

Mrs. Gloria Mills Saxon, 81, of 114 Lake Bluff Dr., went home to be with the Lord on June 1, 2022, following an extended illness. Funeral services will take place at 3 p.m. on June 6, 2022, at First Baptist Church in Waynesboro. The family will receive visitors beforehand at 2 p.m. Dr. G. Al Wright, Jr., will officiate the service. Following the service, a private, graveside ceremony for family only will take place at Burke Memorial Gardens.

The youngest of three children, Gloria was born on September 15, 1940, to William Herbert Mills, Sr. and Claudine Tolbert Mills in Sardis, Georgia. As a former “Miss Sardis,” Gloria was always proud of her hometown. At Sardis Baptist Church, she discovered her incredible gift for music. She could play almost any song on the piano or organ “by ear” and never needed a piece of sheet music. Some of her favorite memories were working at Wynne’s Drug store where she dished up banana splits and Coke floats for her neighbors. She never forgot the influence of working for Dr. Wynne and Mrs. Janie and later for their son, John Thomas.

On June 28, 1959, she married her life-long sweetheart, Marvin Saxon. Together, they followed Jesus Christ, modeled His love to their family, and served their community for almost 58 years until Marvin’s passing in 2017. They shared a love for family and Christmas. Every year, they decorated their home with up to 20 Christmas trees. The most special tree was on their gazebo over Jones Lake – a love letter to the community.

For 34 years, Gloria worked for the Burke County Department of Family and Children Services until her retirement in 1994. Many of her co-workers became life-long friends. There, she supported countless people in the community, provided foster care placement for endangered children, and helped ease the transition of people into nursing homes.

Ministry was an essential part of Gloria’s life. For over 60 years, she was a member of First Baptist Church in Waynesboro. For many of those years, the children’s Sunday school wing was filled with the joyous sounds of her playing the piano while she taught the four and five year-olds how to sing songs about Jesus at the tops of their voices. In more recent years, she served on the social committee of the “Spares and Pairs” Sunday school class. In addition to her work at FBC, Marvin and she would travel to churches around Georgia with their son, Rob, and their “other sons” as part of two southern gospel quartets, Fourgiven and Cross Brothers Quartet.

Gloria’s love for God and her community extended beyond Burke County. For 14 years, she volunteered with United Cerebral Palsy of the CSRA and served as a member of its Board of Directors. She loved the CP kids. One year, she recruited friends around the community to dress up as various characters, and with their help, Marvin and she hosted a circus at their home for all of the kids with cerebral palsy across the region. Her community service was recognized when the Saxon family was named Family of the Year for the state of Georgia in 1997.

Always dressed to the nines, Gloria epitomized southern grace and style. She could rarely be seen without her coordinated outfits, her signature brooches on the back of her jacket’s right shoulder, her charm bracelet and other jewelry, her makeup, her bouffant-styled hair, and her beaming smile. It is no wonder that she earned the nickname “Sunshine” in her last years. Every stranger that she met was a potential new friend, and every friend that she encountered was a recipient of encouragement and God’s love.

Survivors include: daughter, Jeanie Saxon Blackburn, Waynesboro; son, Robert Marvin “Rob” Saxon, Jr., Macon; brother, William Herbert “Bill” (Joan) Mills, Jr., Statesboro. Grandchildren are Jason (Caroline) Blackburn, Ben (Leigh) Blackburn, and Jan (Brad) Mobley. Great-grandchildren are: Sadie Chance, John Luke Chance, Mills Blackburn, Carson Blackburn, and Bennett Blackburn. In addition to her husband, Gloria was preceded in death by her parents, William Herbert and Claudine Mills; sister, Malona Dixon; and son-in-law, Rickie Blackburn.

Pallbearers will be: Jason Blackburn, Ben Blackburn, Brad Mobley, Brad Lofton, Scott Townsend, and Clay Young. Honorary pallbearers will be the “Spares and Pairs” Sunday school class at First Baptist Church. The family would like to recognize and thank Vickey Bates, Christine Walker, Gwen Jackson, and Jill Posey for the love and care they contributed in the past year. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the First Baptist Church of Waynesboro Children’s Ministries or the Community Betterment Council (P.O. Box 682 Waynesboro, GA 30830).

DeLoach-McKerley-Prescott Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 220 East 6th Street, Waynesboro, GA   30830 (706-554-3531). You may sign the guest book at www.deloachfuneralhomes.com .