Alex Blackburn and Jake Langston were united in marriage on September 20, 2025 before a large number of guests. The vows were exchanged at the home of the groom’s parents, John and Melissa Langston in Columbia, Tennessee. The bride is the daughter of Knox and Stacy Blackburn. The couple will reside in Columbia.
John William Mayher, Jr. 84, of Midland, Georgia, passed away Saturday, September 13, 2025 surrounded by his family. Funeral services were Thursday, September 18 at St. Paul Church, Columbus, Georgia with Rev. Dr. Shane Green and Rev. Norman Dunlap officiating. The family received friends on Wednesday, September 17 in The Mill Room of Striffler Hamby. A private interment followed immediately after the service.
John, son of the late Dr. John William Mayher and Dorothy Illges Mayher, was born February 17, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois during his father’s medical internship at Cooke County Hospital. The family moved back to his mother’s hometown of Columbus, where he attended St. Elmo Elementary School and Clubview School. He attended Riverside Military Academy and graduated from Columbus High School in 1959. After graduation, he attended Georgia Southwestern and Columbus College.
An avid sportsman, John loved everything about the outdoors. He purchased property in Midland, where he raised his family and created Grey Rock Farms. There, he bred and trained Tennessee Walking Horses. He competed in horse shows all over the south, including the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville, Tennessee. On the farm, he also raised cattle. When the herd outgrew Grey Rock Farms, he partnered with Harold Goodman and the two raised cattle throughout northern Muscogee County and Harris County.
John was also a licensed private pilot. He and his friend Pearce Massey owned a Cessna 172 and they enjoyed flying in the Chattahoochee Valley area and to air shows throughout the Southeast.
Quail hunting was always a passion of Mr. Mayher. In 1988, he established Greenfield Hunting Preserve and Sporting Clays in Pittsview, AL, where some of the finest quail hunting in the South was enjoyed by customers, friends, and family.
One of the original founding members of the “Lake Harding Hoodlums,” John spent most of his life enjoying “The River” with his family and his childhood friend, the late Charlie Boy Hudson.
Mr. Mayher was a member of the Big Eddy Club, and was a former board member of the National Civil War Naval Museum. He was also a supporter of the National Infantry Museum.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Betty Jean Mayher Ward and Margaret Mayher Badcock, and an infant daughter Jennifer Shannon Mayher. He is survived by his wife, Ginny Lee Mayher; his sister, Dorothy Mayher Shepard; children and bonus-children, Natalye Mayher, Joy Mayher Bohn (Todd), John Mayher III (Linda), Lisa Brady Solomon (Scott), Cheryl Brady Norton (Greg), Rem Brady (Bardie); grandchildren, Brent Benefield, Will Solomon (Jaclyn), Carly Nordhues (Eric), McKenney Spence (Matt), Rem Brady (Amy), Lawson Brady, Shannon Hamric (Andrew), Benjamin Sloan, Tommy Mayher, and Wynn Mayher; his children’s mothers, Peggy Sweet Shappard and Joyce Cone Mayher; 10 great-grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Columbus Hospice.
TWHNC Press Release September 25, 2005
The Celebration has selected Ryne Parker, Sam Sorrell and Chad Williams to judge the Celebration Fall Classic. The Fall Classic will be held in Cooper Steel Arena on October 30th through November 1st.
Sam Sorrell is a veteran to Celebration events having judged the Celebration eight times with the most recent coming in 2022. Sorrell has only judged three shows since that Celebration in 2022. His last judging assignment prior to this Fall Classic was the Walking For Cancer show in 2024.
Williams will mark the cards for the second time at a Celebration event. Williams also judged the Fall Classic in 2023. Williams also judged The Columbia Spring Jubilee in 2023.
Parker will be making his debut at a Celebration sponsored event. He most recently judged the 2024 Racking Horse World Celebration but has also judged Walking For Angels twice as well as the Alabama Jubilee in 2022.
For more information on the 2025 Celebration Fall Classic visit www.TWHNC.com or call 931-685-5915.
This past weekend SWEET WALKING MATILDA and Ally Jo Jacobs found themselves strutting their stuff in a completely different kind of arena. The recently crowned Owner Amateur Youth 6-17 Trail Pleasure World Grand Championship duo, delivered the game ball to kick off the Middle Tennessee State University Homecoming football game in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Monday, September 22nd TWHBEA and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture hosted an information workshop to educate eligible equine business owners about the addition of equine to the TAEP program. The workshop was held at the TWHBEA headquarters in Lewisburg, TN and via Zoom. Participants were walked through the TAEP website information and were able to ask questions.
Equine businesses across Tennessee will soon be able to apply for support through the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s premier cost-share initiative, the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP). The application period for TAEP is October 1–7, 2025. For more details or to apply: www.tn.gov/taep
Also, during the application period TWHBEA is offering a “helpline” for members to call with questions or for help completing their applications. HELPLINE: 931-359-0581
Mike and Casey Tracy are delighted to announce the arrival of their beautiful baby girl, Mary Michael Tracy, born on August 12, 2025. She weighed 8.7 pounds and measured 21 inches long.
Mary Michael has already made her first trip to the 2025 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, where she proudly cheered on her big brother, Wyatt, and her dad, Mike, from the stands. The Tracy family is overjoyed with their newest blessing and looks forward to many memories ahead.
Carol C. Canerday was born November 2, 1931, and passed away August 30, 2025, at the age of 93. She was born in Morgan City, Louisiana to her parents, Julius B. and Alice C. Chauvin.
She is survived by her four sons, James K. “Jamie” White and wife Christa, Billy F. “Bill” White and wife Charlotte, Robert A. “Bobby” White, and Michael T. “Mike” White and wife Cynthia; 8 grandchildren; 2 step grandchildren; and 7 great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her husbands, James K. White and Hessely D. Canerday.
Carol graduated from Morgan City High School with honors, then attended Southwest Louisiana Institute and received her Masters Degree at McNeese State University in education and guidance counseling. Her teaching career spanned two decades with english, social studies, and librarian positions at Vinton, Singer, and DeQuincy High Schools. She spent the remaining 9 years serving as the first guidance counselor at DeQuincy Elementary.
Her passion was always centered around her Tennessee Walking Horses in her early 20’s and into her 30’s. Her thrill of working and showing her four mares brought numerous awards and trophies, culminating with winning a national grand championship with the Heart of Dixie in Shelbyville, Tennessee aboard “Silver Shiraz” in 1997.
Carol was a member of First Presbyterian Church of DeRidder for 66 years, serving many roles as a teacher and mentor. She was a director for Big Brothers/Big Sisters in DeQuincy and opened their offices in DeRidder and later Fort Polk. She also served on the Railroad Museum Board in DeQuincy for several years, volunteered at C.A.S.H., and was active in many local, state, and national charities. Carol always served others through education and spiritual knowledge. Dependable, energetic, and compassionate were her cornerstones throughout her life and she will be greatly missed by all.
Family received friends the morning of Saturday, September 6, 2025, until the time of her memorial service on that same day. Services were held at Riley Smith & Sons Funeral Home, 1810 W. 4th Street, DeQuincy, Louisiana.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Soul Soup ran by Grace Church in DeRidder, Louisiana.
Jessica Lawwell and Raine Sims were united in marriage on August 8, 2025. The couple exchanged vows in the “Garden” at Grace Valley Farm in Shelbyville, Tennessee.
Jessica is the daughter of Josh and Beth Lawwell of Shelbyville. Raine is the son of Blake and Beth Sims of Shelbyville. The newlyweds will make their home in Shelbyville.
