Joseph Conyers Obituary

Rev. Joseph Watts Conyers Jr., 96, of Austell, Ga., died Saturday, June 28, 2025.

The son of Rev. Joseph Watts Conyers Sr. and Wessie Justina Wylding Conyers, he was born in Columbia, S.C. He graduated from Gainesville, Fla. High School and served two years in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He was a graduate of Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C., and Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga.

He married Honorine Jane Hook on June 4, 1954. They had three children: a son, David, and two daughters, Margaret and June.

Rev. Conyers was ordained into the Presbyterian ministry in 1957 by the Florida Presbytery in his first pastorate in Havana, Fla. In 1961, he was working in new church development for Westminster Presbytery, becoming the organizing pastor of the John Knox and Lake Seminole churches in Largo, Fla. In 1969, he became pastor of the Austell Presbyterian Church in Austell, Ga., where he served until his retirement in 1994.

After retiring, he was the interim pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Griffin, Ga., the McDonough Presbyterian Church in McDonough, Ga., and College Park Presbyterian Church in College Park, Ga. On March 12, 2006, Rev. Conyers was named Pastor Emeritus of the Austell Presbyterian Church.

He was active in the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, serving as moderator in 1983. He was a commissioner to the Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly in 1960, 1968 and 1983.

He was a charter member of the Sons of Liberty chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. His patriot ancestor was Major James Conyers Jr., who served as a liaison between General Horatio Gates and General Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox of South Carolina. Rev. Conyers was the first chaplain of the Sons of Liberty and received the certificate of appreciation in 2009 and 2010; the Bronze Good Citizenship Medal in 2009; the Meritorious Service Medal in 2010 and 2011; and the Certificate of Distinguished Service in 2013. In April 2004, he was given the Certificate of Merit by the Chaplaincy Corps of the Georgia Society of the SAR.

Rev. Conyers was a member of the South Cobb Rotary Club, serving as its president in 1992 and 1993. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow in 2003. He was selected as South Cobb Citizen of the Year in 1996 and in 2011 was presented the M.L. Lamar Lifetime Achievement Award by the Austell Business Association.

Rev. Conyers is survived by his wife, Jane; his son, David Conyers (Rhonda Holifield); daughters Margaret Zerkus (Chris) and June Brandsma (Mike); grandchildren Matthew, Mitchell, Jacob, Elizabeth, Joe, Janie and Georgia; three great-grandchildren; and his sister, June Conyers Montgomery.

A memorial service is planned at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 6, at Central Presbyterian Church, 201 Washington St. SW, Atlanta. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center, 201 Washington St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30303 (https//centraloac.org/) and Sweetwater Mission, 6130 Hotel St., Austell, GA 30106 (www.sweetwatermission.org).