Luther Harris Churchwell

Mr. Luther “Harris” Churchwell peacefully passed away on August 15, 2023. He was the son of Luther and Louise Churchwell of Vienna, Ga. He was born in Vienna, Ga on April 26, 1939, and is survived by his wife, Judy Kahn Churchwell of 53 years.

Mr. Churchwell graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1962. During the first few years of their marriage, he enjoyed working with his father in his plumbing business. Later, He worked as an accountant in Macon, Ga, and the last few years before retirement, he worked in the lighting industry.

In the early seventies, he enjoyed training his harness horse, “D.D. Rival” in the mornings, while working at Lithonia Lighting in Cochran, Ga in the evenings. In 2005, the Churchwell’s moved to Hawkinsville, where they built their retirement home. It was then that he and his wife began their extensive research and travel in preparation for his upcoming books. Each book took up a great deal of their early retirement, spanning a period of more than two years each before final publication. One of his greatest regrets was his mother did not live to see his published books. He dedicated his first book, “Captains at Rest”, to his great grandfather who served in the Twelfth Georgia Regiment.

In 2008 he received two awards for “Captains at Rest”. The “Keeper of History” award by the Lowndes County Historical Society and the prestigious “United Daughters of the Confederacy’s Jefferson Davis Historical Gold Medal” award. In 2016 he was recognized as “Author of the Year” by the Marion County Public Library. He was an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and the Sons of the American Revolution.

Along with writing his two books, he had numerous magazine articles published in the “North and South” magazine, along with the battlefield photos. He has done research for the Columbus, Georgia Museum. He was a member of the Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Va., and a member and supporter of the Civil War Preservation Trust of Hagerstown, Maryland. He was also a member of the Bonnie Blue Society of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. His membership in this society is based upon his writing defense of the South and Confederate, and came through scholarly research and published literature.

The family sincerely thanks all the friends and staff at Summerhill Senior Living, and especially his beloved and most devoted friend, Brandy Briscoe Marshall, Director of Activities there for all their many acts of kindness.

Funeral services will be held at 11a.m. on Friday, August 25, 2023 in the chapel of Clark Funeral Home. The family will greet friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. prior to the service at Clark Funeral Home. Burial will be at Orange Hill Cemetery in Hawkinsville, Georgia.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to the Hawkinsville First United Methodist, 44 Merritt St., Hawkinsville, GA 31036.

Clark Funeral Home has the privilege of being entrusted with arrangements.

Please view or sign the online register at www.clarkfuneralhawkinsville.com