Talbotton New Era, Friday Sept. 21, 2001 Mrs. Lillie Mae Owens Nov. 29, 1921 - Sept. 8, 2001 Manchester: Mrs. Lillie Mae Ownes, 79, passed away Sept. 8. Funeral services were conducted Sept. 13 from Calvary Baptist Church in Manchester with Rev.J. A. Matthews officiating. Interment followed at New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery. Mrs. Owens was born in Talbot County, daughter of the late Eddie R. Mahone and Jeanie King. She was raised by her aunt, Mrs. Rosa Milling, and uncle, the late Will Milling. At an early age she joined Calvary Baptist Church. After graduating from high school in 1941, she went to school in Atlanta where she became a licensed cosmetologist and returned to Manchester as the first black cosmetologist. She worked as a school crossing guard and later as a server at International Playtex, Inc. until she reitred. She remained active in the church where she was a member of the Sunshine Club. She was also very active in the community and was instrumental in getting recreational facilities for the community. More recently, she served as a member of the Meriwether County Board of Family and Children Services. Survivors include a loving and devoted mother, Rosa Milling of Manchester; a loving and devoted daughter, Barbara O. Lightfoot of Augusta; two granddaughters Yolanda P. Lightfoot of Atlanta and Rosalyn L. Ajibeda (Tunji) of Lithonia; three great-grandchildren; four sisters, Louise Barnes of Manchester, Julia Meriwether and Pearline Carter of Columbus, and Thelma Green of Atlanta; two brothers, Jonas Mahone of Talbotton and Fred Mahone of Chicago; a loving and devoted niece, Dorothy V. Harris (Ed) of Manchester; other nieces and nephews; a goddaughter Fannie Talmadge (Ronald) of Hamilton Square, New Jersey; and a host of other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Owens. Anderson and Marshall Funeral Home of Manchester was in charge of arrangements.