Rebecca Jane Milam, age 67 of Franklin, passed away the morning of April 4, 2022. Jane passed away in the comfort of her home while her husband and two daughters held her. Her passing has left a deep void in the lives of her family. Jane was born on April 12, 1954 in Franklin, Georgia to the late Newman Reese Hyatt, Sr. and the late Annie Lee Hubbard Hyatt. Jane was diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2019 and fought vigorously to defeat the cruel and time-stealing disease.
Jane was the second of six children and grew up mainly in Troup and Heard counties. She was a graduate of Heard County High School. Jane first saw the love of her life, Mal, from the stands of the Centralhatchee School gym while he played basketball with his friends. Having a go-getter attitude, Jane wrote a note with her phone number on it and had a friend give it to him. This marked the beginning of their relationship that resulted in a nearly forty-nine year marriage. On April 21,1973, she and Mal were married at his family home. They built an amazing life together and were blessed with much love, laughter, and happiness.
Jane had two daughters, Cory and Addie. Jane often said that if she could have afforded it, she would have had at least six children. Cory and Addie would agree that if she had, those children would have had the absolute best mother and childhood. For their early childhood, Jane was a stay at home mother and enjoyed taking Cory and Addie to many activities that were either fun, educational, or both. Jane was fiercely protective, loving, caring, and deeply devoted to the happiness and betterment of her daughters. Jane said that motherhood came with no instruction manual but her daughters would attest that she was the example of how a mother should be. She was the living instruction manual of a model mother. Cory and Addie are fortunate that God gave them to her. Jonathan “T.J.” Hyatt was the nephew of Jane, who became like a son, when his parents passed unexpectedly in 1996 and she and Mal became his guardians. He first called her Aunt Jane but over time, he decided to call her Mama. She made him feel at home, safe, cared for, and loved.
Jane went from mother to grandmother when Cory and Addie had their children. Aidan, Clayton, Mallory, Jackson, and Eli were their Meme’s pride and joy. She often said that they were her “heart.” Jane’s favorite topic of discussion were her grandchildren. She was tremendously proud of each of her grandchildren’s accomplishments, uniqueness, and tender, loving hearts. She loved for them to visit; to play on the playground, swim in the pool, go to the lake on the pontoon boat, and ride the mule through wooden trails. She strived to make her home a fun get-away for her grandchildren. Halloween was Jane’s favorite holiday to celebrate. Being the fun-loving person she was, each Halloween she and Mal would decorate the trails with spider webs, goblins, and ghouls and she would drive her grandchildren on the mule down what she called “Spooky Street.” It was an event that was enjoyed by all and looked forward to throughout the year. Even though she will not be able to experience milestones such as graduation, careers, marriage, and parenthood in person with her grandchildren, there is no doubt that she will be with them in spirit. She will walk beside them, she will be their biggest fan and cheer for them, she will console them, she will guide them and forever love them with her entire being.
Jane’s career in life was a testament of her caring personality. Once her daughters had both entered grade school, Jane attended and graduated from what is now known as West Georgia Technical College in Carrollton as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She spent most of her nursing career working at Newnan Hospital on 2B caring for med/surg and orthopedic patients. She enjoyed caring for her patients and took great pride in her work. Anyone blessed to have been assigned to Jane as a patient was sure to receive the utmost care. She also worked at Tanner Medical Center on the Subacute floor distributing medication.
For fun, Jane enjoyed many activities. Growing up she enjoyed playing basketball and roller skating and when she was older, she enjoyed riding canoes down the river and playing tennis with Mal. She enjoyed listening and dancing to Soul music. She enjoyed watching her grandchildren ride floats behind the pontoon boat. Jane was always very creative and artistic. Painting, completing craft projects, writing, and cross stitch were all outlets she used to express her talent. She had a servant’s heart and enjoyed donating. She enjoyed creating paintings and donating them. She also enjoyed buying items from Estate Sales, yard sales, or The Blake House in Carrollton. She would repair and improve her purchases and then donate them back to The Blake House. She also enjoyed visiting residents at Carroll Manor Nursing facility, taking them gifts and their favorite snacks, fruit, fast food meals, and necessity items. She loved helping friends and family in need by helping with such things as taking them to doctor’s appointments or by providing meals. She loved to read good crime novels and she enjoyed watching cowboy programs. Jane was a true lover of Gunsmoke and John Wayne. Once Mal and Jane traveled to Arizona for vacation and she unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Mal into venturing into the rattlesnake-infested desert so that they could play and pretend to be cowboys. She loved playing Trivial Pursuit and card games with her sister, Debra, and Mal. Over the past couple of years, she and Mal played several card games, which she usually won. She was baptized at Caney Head Methodist Church as a child and later joined Centralhatchee First Baptist Church where she enjoyed attending services. But of all these, the activity she most loved and enjoyed was spending time with her family.
To cherish her memory, Jane leaves behind her husband, Mal Milam of Franklin, and her daughter and son-in-law, Cory and Glen Harding of Carrollton, and daughter and son-in-law, Addie and Stephen Boyd of Franklin, five grandchildren, Aidan and Eli Boyd, and Clayton, Mallory, and Jackson Rose, two brothers, Skip and Robert Hyatt, and one sister, Pam Lane. Besides her parents, she is preceded in death by nephew/son Jonathan Hyatt, sister, Debra Cohen, brother, Joe Hyatt, and in-laws, Paul and Elsie Milam.
In keeping with Jane’s wishes, her body will be cremated and a private family service will be conducted, officiated by Rev. Mark Williams. Jane requested that her ashes be scattered on her property, surrounding a tree that Mal carved their grandchildren’s names into years ago. In lieu of flowers or meals, please make a donation to a charity in Jane’s honor such as the American Cancer Society, Tanner Hospice Care, The Blake House, your local food pantry, any local nursing facility, and/or a blood donation to the American Red Cross. Messages of condolences can be sent to the family at www.martin-hightower.com.
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