Published: August 23, 2007 11:56 pm            

Friday, August 24, 2007

Claudia C. Hawkins

Retired textile worker



Services for Claudia C. Hawkins will be held today at 10 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Wilton Bennett officiating. Burial will be in Stonewall Cemetery.

Mrs. Hawkins, 81, of Stonewall, died Friday, Aug. 17, 2007, in her home. She was a member of Rolling Creek Baptist Church.

Survivors include her daughters, Grace Pearson and Jenelle Wilkerson, both of Stonewall and Darlene Gatewood of Meridian; a son, Jay Hawkins of Meridian; 14 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sisters, Mable Harper, Minnie Lee Stewart and Joyce Freeman.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George S. Hawkins; parents, Robert C. Cooley and Dooley Wilkins Cooley.



S. Carl Merritt

Retired



Services for S. Carl Merritt will be held today at 11 a.m. at First Christian Church with the Revs. Dr. Tom Sike and Lucian Lee officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Merritt, 93, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at Queen City Nursing Home. He was a lifelong member of First Christian Church, where he was a deacon and a charter member of the Bethany Sunday School Class. He was a youth leader, custodian and permanent committee member for the church’s annual Kentucky Ham Meal for more than 43 years. He was a Mason, a Scottish Rite and active Hamasa Shriner. He served as chief aide for five potentates and was a member of Hamasa’s Marching Patrol. He was a patron of the Meridian Symphony, the Art Museum and was a charter member of the Meridian Little Theatre’s first nighters. He was a member of the Meridian Community College Foundation, the Navy League and he was an avid supporter of the Boy Scouts and the Salvation Army. He and his wife loved to travel and had traveled throughout the world. He retired as conductor for the Meridian and Bigbee Railroad. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II for more than three and one half years.

Survivors include his wife of 73 years, Mabel L. Merritt of Meridian; a special niece, Peggy Randall and her family and several other nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel Rogers Merritt and Mattie Carlisle Merritt and a brother, E.L. Merritt.

Memorials may be made to First Christian Church and the American Diabetes Association.

Pallbearers will be Scott Morgan, Jimmy Hoffer, Jerrell Polk, Dr. David Gilmore, Jerome Kittrell, Bill Wolfe, Pete Willis and Billy Moore. Honorary pallbearers will be David Randall, Dr. W. M. Gilmore, Joe Johnson, Lonnie Randall, Nathan Kittrell, B.B. Archer and Charles Downey.

Visitation will be today one hour prior to the service at the Merritt House next to First Christian Church.



Elsie R. Croxton

Homemaker



Graveside services for Elsie R. Croxton will be held today at 11 a.m. at Eastern Cemetery with the Rev. Bob Followell officiating. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Croxton, 85, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, in her home.

Survivors include her daughter, Debbie Stewart and her husband, Ralph, of Meridian; a brother, Fred Bagley of Pascagoula; grandchildren, Coby Stewart and April Stewart, both of Meridian and one great-granddaughter, Leila Grace Butler of Meridian.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harland B. Croxton; parents, William Washington Bagley and Jennie Lynn Hegwood Bagley.



Carl E. Sanderford III



Services for Carl E. “Sandy” Sanderford III will be held today at 2 p.m. at Evangel Temple with the Revs. Mike Boles, Kim Culpepper and Bryan Culpepper officiating. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery in the Martin Community. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Sanderford, 48, of Collinsville, died Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, in his home. He was a member of Evangel Temple where he was member of the choir.

Survivors include his wife, Carla Sanderford of Collinsville; a daughter, Caitlin Sanderford of Pensacola, Fla.; a son, Phillip Culpepper of Meridian; his father, Carl E. Sanderford Jr., of Meridian; a brother, Todd Sanderford of Meridian; aunts, Patricia Smith and her husband, Ed, of Suqualena and Ruth Arledge of Meridian.

His was preceded in death by his mother, Betty Sanderford.

Memorials may be made to Evangel Temple Building Fund.

Pallbearers will be J.J. Jacobs, David Haggard, Frank Davidson, Jamie Sistrunk, Scott Reid, Caleb Culpepper, Justin Culpepper, and Jared Culpepper.

Honorary pallbearers will be the members of Evangel Temple Choir.

Visitation will be today from noon until service time at the church.



James Lee



QUITMAN — Services for James “Jack” Lee will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Wright’s Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Tony Davis and Jerry Griffin officiating. Burial will be in Stonewall Cemetery.

Mr. Lee, 80, of Stonewall, died Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, in his home. He was retired from Burlington.

Survivors include his wife, Ethel Lee of Stonewall; daughters, Faye Goldman and her husband, Ronnie, and Judy Andrews and her husband, Jimmy, all of Stonewall; sisters, Irene Skramstad of Laurel and Clara Mathis of Quitman; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Lorraine Lee and his parents, Jeff and Ada Satcher Lee.

Pallbearers will be Lavance Parker, Edwin Gunn, Denny Fleming, Sonny Spivey, Jackie McHenry and Jimmy Smith.

Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.- 9 p.m. at the funeral home.



Lavell Marzett Cole



Services for Lavell Marzett “Zett” Cole will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Anderson Temple Church of God in Christ with the Rev. George Murray officiating. Burial will be in Simmons Ridge Cemetery in DeKalb. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Cole, 37, of Meridian, died Monday, Aug. 20, 2007, in his home. He was the eldest child born on Christmas Eve in 1969 to Lavell Cole and Julia McWilliams Cole in Meridian. During his early life, the family moved to Killeen, Texas, where he attended Killeen Public Schools. Later in the early 1980’s, the family moved back to Meridian and he attended the Meridian Public Schools. He graduated from Meridian High School.

Survivors include his parents, Lavell and Julia Cole of Meridian; god-father, Dolphus “Sweat” Patrick of Meridian; brothers, Shawn Cole of Greenville, S.C., Reggie Cole of Marietta, Ga., Anthony Nicholson of Louisville and Johnny Gill of Meridian; sisters, Stephanie Whitsett Elerby and Certersa Bennoman, both of DeKalb.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Sam Cole and Lucille Rush Cole; maternal grandparents, Norman Patton and Mary Naylor McWilliams.

Visitation will be today from 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.



Lenetta Dean Brooks

Retired



Services for Lenetta Dean Brooks will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in DeKalb with the Rev. Jarvis Towner officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Clark’s Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Brooks, 65, of DeKalb, died Monday, Aug. 20, 2007, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.

Visitation will be today from 6 p.m.- 7 p.m. at the funeral home.



Julia Alexander

Retired



Services for Julia Alexander will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. at Oak Grove Church of God in Bailey with the Rev. J.R. Hopson officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Clark’s Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Alexander, 83, of Meridian, died Monday, Aug. 20, 2007, in her home.

Visitation will be Saturday from 5 p.m.- 6 p.m. at the funeral home.



John L. Scott Jr.



Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for John L. “Scope” Scott Jr., 47, of Meridian, who died Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007, in his home.



Luke Ball Jr.



Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Luke Ball Jr., 40, of Meridian, who died Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007, at Rush Foundation Hospital.

        

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