Evelyn Lavelle Rentz Hutchens, age 100, passed away Sunday, July 2, 2023, at her home in Bainbridge, Georgia. Services for Mrs. Hutchens will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 5, at Climax Baptist Church in Climax, Georgia. The Rev. Steve Poppell and her nephew, Dr. Jim Nalls, will officiate. Interment will follow in Cedar Grove Cemetery. Mrs. Hutchens’ grandsons, Gary Arnold, Bryan Johnson, Jerry Harrison, David Shillcutt, Sam Shillcutt, Jr., and Buddy Musgrove will serve as pallbearers.
Evelyn Lavelle Rentz was born June 3, 1923, in Baker County, Georgia to Alvin Rentz and Clara Belle Powell Rentz. She grew up during the Great Depression and joined her two oldest brothers in the fields working to help her family. She graduated from Baker County’s Elmodel School at age 16 and would go on to marry Roland Musgrove. After Roland returned from military service in World War II, the family moved to Decatur County. Mrs. Hutchens worked for 15 years as a seamstress at Williamson Dickies Pants Factory and would go on to work at Bainbridge State Hospital. She retired from the State Hospital as Director of Housekeeping. In 1995 she married Curtis Hutchens. Evelyn was all about her family. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. Evelyn enjoyed traveling and shopping. She was a wonderful cook and homemaker, talented seamstress and gifted hostess. A true Southern Lady, she was always ready to feed whomever came by to visit. Mrs. Hutchens was a member of Climax Baptist Church and the Senior Ladies Sunday School Class. Evelyn Hutchens will be deeply missed by her many friends and the family she loved so very much.
Mrs. Hutchens is survived by her children, Joyce Harrison of Bainbridge, Phyllis Forrester (Bill) of Lake Blackshear, Georgia, Patricia Shillcutt (Sam) of Jekyll Island, Georgia, Mona Musgrove of Bainbridge, and Ricky Musgrove (Donnis) of Climax, Georgia; siblings, Thelma Nalls of Hoover, Alabama, Buddy Rentz of Chattahoochee, Florida, and Catherine Robinson of Tallahassee, Florida; 12 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands, children, Wanda Johnson (Roy) and Roland Musgrove, Jr., son-in-law Jerry Harrison, and granddaughter Rita Kay Josey.
In her honor, memorial donations may be made to Cedar Grove Cemetery Fund, P. O. Box 247, Climax, Georgia 39834.
On-line condolences may be sent at www.Coxfuneral.net. Cox Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
