Vetter Mae (Mercer) Strobridge

Vetter Mae Mercer Strobridge was born in Lexsy, Georgia, on June 21, 1936, to Virgil and Janie Jone Mercer.  On Thursday, May 5, 2022, she passed away peacefully at Augusta University Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia.  Her life was centered around her children and other family and friends.

At an early age, she met and fell in love with her future husband, George Davis Strobridge, and on September 15, 1950, they were united in holy matrimony as husband and wife.     

She was the mother of 16 children and the loving grandmother of 53 grandchildren, 35 Great Grandchildren, and 1 Great Great Grandchild, which they all affectionately called her Grandma or MeMa.  

Vetter and her husband George raised their children in a loving Christian home where she taught them the value of Loving JESUS CHRIST.  She would be found with her children reading the Bible and explaining what they had interpreted from the reading to their mother.  Whenever they would attend church services, her children had to come home and tell her what they had learned.  

For many years, Vetter was a school bus driver for Emanuel County Schools; however, those children who rode her bus became a part of her family as she treated them just as she would her children.  If you were not ready at the bus stop, you would get left.  Yes, she would often leave her children for not being ready when she was leaving to drive her route.  Mrs. Strobridge provided a well-organized bus, and safety was a top priority for her riders.  She seldom carried children to the office as she would handle her discipline on the bus.  All her students would speak good morning, have a nice day, Mrs. Strobridge, or good evening or bye to Mrs. Strobridge before exiting the bus.  Vetter loved those children, and they loved her.  Many of her former students would stop by her house to visit with her for hours on time.  She made a tremendous impression on her passengers.  

She was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Janie Mercer, her husband George Strobridge, a grandson, Bruce Lee, a great-grandson, Oliver Strobridge, two sisters, Johnnie Mae “Kizzie” Roundtree and Johnnie Mae Eckard, and two brothers, Willie Mercer and Gary Hackett. 

She leaves to mourn her passing and cherish her memory:  Hubert (Florine) McNear of Swainsboro, Georgia, Janie ( Lenard) Richards of Nunez, Georgia, George (Eva) Strobridge of Nunez, Georgia, Joyce (Morris) Williams of Swainsboro, Georgia, Brenda Strowbridge of Swainsboro, Georgia, Theresa Harris of Statesboro, Georgia, Vivian Allen of Atlanta, Georgia, Eddie (Cheryl) Strobridge of Soperton, Georgia, Vetter Lorraine (Kenneth) Russell of McDonough, Georgia, Charlene Apparicio of Augusta, Georgia, Angela (John) Hines of Dublin, Georgia, Ellis Marcell (Denise) Strobridge of Nunez, Georgia, Virgil Ricardo (Tonya) Strobridge of Biloxi, Mississippi, Monica (Timothy) Bishop of Statesboro, Georgia, Freddy (Daphne) Strobridge of Swainsboro, Georgia, Christy Love of Nunez, Georgia, and Sharee (Jereto) Henderson of Decatur, Georgia.

 Vetter Mae Strobridge also leaves to cherish her memory:  Two sisters Verdie Mae Brinson of Wilmington, Delaware, and Ola Mae Baker of Soperton, Georgia.  She also leaves five sisters-in-law:  Reacie Mercer of Swainsboro, Georgia, Naomi Hackett of Swainsboro, Georgia, Evelyn Strowbridge of Swainsboro, Georgia, Eatha Mae Strowbridge of Swainsboro, Georgia, Lillie Bell Wright of Swainsboro, Georgia, Rubye Strowbridge of Swainsboro, Georgia and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.  . 

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." ~ Revelation 14:3 KJV 

The Staff of Whitaker Funeral Home is honored to support and serve the Strobridge family with Dignity, Respect and Integrity. 

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