Bridge on Springhill Road dedicated in memory of Zera D. Storey

Bridge on Springhill Road dedicated in memory of Zera D. Storey

On Friday morning, Sept. 26, 2025, the family of the late Zera Darrell Storey and his wife, the late Mattie Wetherington Storey, attended a sign dedication ceremony for Mr. Storey at the Cook County Courthouse.

State Rep. Chas Cannon of the 172nd District and State Rep. Jaclyn Ford of the 170th District, co-sponsors of House Resolution 567, presented the descendants of Mr. Storey with bridge dedication signs and a copy of the resolution. The Storey family also thanked Cook County Commission Vice-Chairman Audie Rowe and Cook County Probate Judge Chase Daughtrey for their role in bringing about the bridge’s naming in Mr. Storey’s memory. The entire process through the General Assembly and getting the signs took about a year.

The Rev. Thad Marshall gave the introductory prayer for the ceremony and spoke about the contributions of Mr. Storey, a local legend, to the community.

Mr. Storey and his wife had 12 children, thus about 219 descendants now, as young as great-great-grandchildren. The sign dedication ceremony was on the same weekend as the big family reunion.

“I enjoyed learning about the hard work and commitment of Mr. Storey and the legacy that his children and grandchildren still carry on today,” Rep. Cannon said.

House Resolution 567 reads:

A RESOLUTION

Honoring the life of Mr. Zera D. Storey and dedicating an interchange in his memory; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Mr. Zera D. Storey has long been recognized by the citizens of this state for the vital role that he has played in leadership and his deep personal commitment to the welfare of the citizens of Georgia; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Storey was born on December 6, 1904, in Brooks County, Georgia, the eldest son of David Storey and Letha Touchton, and he moved to Cook County, Georgia, in 1920; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Storey was raised in a sharecropper’s house by his parents, growing up with very little schooling and working as a farmer and business entrepreneur until his retirement; and

WHEREAS, he was respected and admired by the people of Cook County, Georgia, sharing labor with local farmers and becoming well known for his willingness to meet the needs of others; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Storey’s life of strength, courage, service, and perseverance serves as an inspiration to all Georgians, and he will be remembered as a man of great faith, humor, and warmth, always quick to champion what was right and to speak out against what was wrong, his solid integrity was a moral strength to all who knew him; and

WHEREAS, he was a devoted member of the Church of Christ in Adel, Georgia, where he gave of his time, talents, gifts, and prayers; taught Bible classes for over 40 years; was an active song leader; and participated in many gospel singing events and graveside memorials; and

WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this remarkable and distinguished Georgian be recognized appropriately by dedicating an interchange in his memory.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that the interchange of Interstate 75 and Springhill Road in Cook County is dedicated as the Zera D. Storey Memorial Interchange.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is authorized and directed to erect and maintain appropriate signs dedicating the Zera D. Storey Memorial Interchange.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the family of Mr. Zera D. Storey and the Department of Transportation.

Tony Storey, one of Mr. Storey’s grandsons, spoke movingly about Mr. Zera, who was married to Mrs. Mattie for more than 60 years: “What an amazing person she was, too.”

Tony Storey spoke about how his grandfather and grandmother endured hard economic times to lovingly raise their family. They started out on their new farm on Springhill Road with two horses and two mules, and advanced to a one-row Super 8 Farmall tractor.

Still, the old gentleman kept songs in his heart with his group, Zera Storey and his Quartet. His grandson remembered how he would get out hymnals for the whole family to sing from at gatherings.

The advice he offered to his grandson about being successful in life was, “Go to town, make a good name, and keep it.”

Tony Storey quoted Proverbs 22:1 (KJV) as being the best verse to describe Mr. Zera: “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Tony added, “He did that. He displayed that to us.

“Work ethic has never been a problem with this family. He was a very, very wise man.”

Mr. Zera lived from the time that the Western frontier was still out there in the U.S., 28 years after the Battle of Little Bighorn, to the 1980s, when 747s were flying in our skies.

Mr. Zera passed away at the age of 80 on June 19, 1985, in Cook County. Mrs. Mattie passed away at the age of 90 on Oct. 14, 1997. They are buried among other family members in Sparks City Cemetery.