Teri NeSmith McElveen of Brooklet, Ga., age 54, died December 26, 2024, following a brief illness. The Chatham County native was raised in the Nevils Community of Bulloch County. Teri was a 1989 graduate of Southeast Bulloch High School. She was a graduate of Georgia Southern University, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Family and Consumer Science. Teri later worked as a paraprofessional at Ebenezer Elementary School from 2007 until 2017, before receiving her teaching certificate. She then became a special education teacher at Claxton High School in 2018, where she was employed until her death. Teri loved her family and had a great love and special place in her heart for the many students whose lives she had touched through her time working with special education. She is survived by her two daughters, Alaina McElveen of Chatham County and Kristin McElveen of Bryan County; her parents, Hugh Terrance NeSmith and Virginia Bragg NeSmith of Nevils; her younger brother and his fiancé, Tracy NeSmith and Kim D. Williams of Candler County; her fiancé, Shane McCary and his sons, Zachary Ty McCary and William Lucas McCary of Brooklet. The family received visitors on Monday, December 30, from 12:00 until 2:00 p.m. at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home in Statesboro. Funeral services followed the visitation at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home, with Dr. Martin Waters officiating. Interment was in Deloach’s Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Nevils. Pallbearers were Jamie Hagan, Ty Davis, Curtis Gay, Greg Mims, Matthew Wise, and Billy Hires. Honorary Pallbearers were her co-workers with the Evans County Board of Education and members of the 1989 graduating class of Southeast Bulloch High School. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Special Olympics, 705 West Main Street, Claxton, Georgia 30417. Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com. Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home &a Crematory of Statesboro is in charge of the arrangements.
