OBITUARIES FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2001
By Staff
INEZ HUFF
Homemaker
Services for Inez Huff were held Monday at New Jerusalem Baptist Church with the Rev. W.R. Brown officiating. Burial was in Elmwood Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Huff, 75, of Meridian, died Thursday, April 19, 2001, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
She is survived by her niece, Dr. Frankie Lingitz of St. Paul, Minn.; a devoted friend, Leon Walk, a stepsister, Beverly Buck, cousins, Carolyn Kennedy, Cynthia Kennedy and LaVerna Bourage, and her life-long friend, Omera T. Brown Austin, all of Meridian; a goddaughter, Monique Brown; and other family members and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. J.E. Huff, and her parents, Sam and Mattie Ruffin.
JACKIE TAYLOR
Oil company manager
Graveside services for Jackie Taylor will be held today at 10 a.m. at Oak Grove Cemetery with the Rev. Norman Arthur officiating. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Taylor, 45, of Meridian, died Tuesday, April 24, 2001, in Meridian.
Survivors include his wife, Christine Taylor, two sons, Lamone Taylor and his wife, Angela, and Adam Taylor, his father, Thomas Jackson Taylor and a grandson, Preston Lamone Taylor, all of Meridian; a stepson, Jeffery Leathers of Nashville; a sister, Shirley Gray of Orlando, Fla.; and a stepsister, Tammie Williams of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Betty Louise Taylor.
PETE GIBSON
Retired machinist
Graveside services for Pete Gibson will be held today at 1 p.m. at Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. Everette Bonner officiating. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Gibson, 75, of Jackson, died Wednesday, April 25, 2001, in his home.
Survivors include his wife, Tommie Jean Skinner Gibson, a daughter, Robin Gibson Bales and a son, Billy Gibson, all of Jackson; three grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.
WILLIE B. REED
Homemaker
Graveside services for Willie B. Reed will be held today at 2 p.m. at Blackwater Cemetery in Kemper County with the Revs. Pearly M. Ethridge and Chuck Overby officiating. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Reed, 89, of Lauderdale, died Thursday, April 26, 2001, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a member of the Pentecostal Faith.
Survivors include her children, Billy Earl Reed and his wife, Lois, of the Causeyville community, Fred E. Reed and his wife, Yannie of Chester, N.Y., Frank Reed and his wife, Lola, of Meridian, Ronnie E. Reed of Texas, Jeannette Wright of Milton, Fla., Dolly Kilpatrick of the Valley Road community and Hazel Bennett of the Bonita community; a half-brother, Charlie Kilgore and his wife, Pauline, of Meridian; numerous grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie Irvin Reed.
BEATRICE CHERRY
Homemaker
DEKALB Services for Beatrice Cherry will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Mt. Arrat Baptist Church in Scooba with the Rev. Marcus Lawrence officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with E.E. McDonald Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Cherry, 61, of Scooba, died Sunday, April 22, 2001, in her home.
Survivors include her husband, John W. Cherry Sr.; her children, John W. Cherry Jr., Mary L. Cherry and Fred L. Cherry, all of Scooba; James E. Cherry and his wife, Mattie Sue, and Johnnie M. Houston, both of Porterville; Robert L. Cherry and his wife, Antoinette, of Preston; Willie E. Cherry of Greenwood; Jimmy D. Cherry of DeKalb; a brother, Albert Jones and his wife, Raben, of Harlan, Ky.; ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by five children and seven siblings.
Visitation will be today from 7-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
S.T. ADAMS
Services for S.T. Adams will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Little Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Cleveland Hayes officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery with Latimer Metropolitan Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Adams, 76, of Collinsville, died Thursday, April 19, 2001, in Collinsville.
Survivors include a daughter, Irene Adams of Chicago; three sons, Willie Earl Adams of Collinsville, Willie Gene Adams of Philadelphia and George Adams of Wier, W.Va.; a sister, Willie Mae McClelland of Meridian; and four brothers, the Rev. C.W. Watson of Collinsville, Curtis Watson, Lewis Watson and L.C. Watson, all of Chicago.
Visitation will be today from 2-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
MILTON ROLFE MCMULLAN
Director of Newton County Bank
NEWTON Services for Milton Rolfe McMullan will be held Saturday at 4 p.m. at Newton Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Dr. Charles Douglas officiating. Burial will be in Newton Masonic Cemetery with James F. Webb Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McMullan, 97, of Newton, died Tuesday, April 24, 2001 at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was a Newton businessman, conservationist, and community servant. Mr. McMullan was born in Sylvarena, on January 25, 1904, to Minnie Huff McMullan and Dillard McMullan. Sylvarena means beautiful woods in Latin. He was one of nine children. He graduated from Smith County Agriculture High School in 1920. He continued to get a classical education at Ole Miss in the 1920's. After leaving Ole Miss, he continued to be a veracious reader. Milton taught history and civics at the Lake High School. He and his father sold the first Model T and Model A cars and Chryslers, Dodges, and Plymouths at McMullan Motors in Lake. After his father died, Milton served as Vice President of the Lake Bank and ran the Motor Company.
His college roommate, Jim Eastland, asked Milton to come to Washington to head the powerful Senator's office. Milton declined the offer to stay and raise his children in his home state. He was on a committee that persuaded La-Z-Boy and the Newton Company to open factories in Newton.
McMullan married his soul mate, Thelma Inear Boozer, in 1928. They were happily married for seventy-one years. He considered marrying Thelma, and helping his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren his greatest accomplishments. Milton and Thelma put their family first. The couple was devoted to their parents, brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, in-laws, and outlaws. They had four children, 11 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. They owned and operated McMullan Motors for more than thirty years. He was a Newton County Bank loan officer and Board of Directors member.