Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
7:35 pm Wednesday, July 11, 2001

OBITUARIES FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 2001

By Staff
Graveside services for Nancy Jo Cooper will be held today at 2 p.m. at Springfield Baptist Church Cemetery in Morton with the Rev. James Watts officiating. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Cooper, 70, of Meridian, died Tuesday, July 10, 2001, at Guardian Angel Hospice. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Jackson.
Survivors include her sister, Norma Cooper Savell and her husband, Micah, of Merritt Island, Fla.; three nieces, Jorja Allen of Collinsville, Jill Metzger of Palm Harbor, Fla., and Joi Owens of Largo, Fla.; nine great-nieces and nephews; and a great-great-niece.
She was preceded in death by her father, the Rev. G. Austin Cooper; and her mother, Oleta Stamper Cooper.
The family requests memorials be made to Guardian Angel Hospice.
SUSIE MARDELLE THOMAS CHATHAM
Retired bookkeeper
Services for Susie Mardelle Thomas Chatham will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Toomsuba Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Dr. Clarence Roberts officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Stephens Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Chatham, 83, of Toomsuba, died Tuesday, July 10, 2001, in her home. She was a lifetime resident of Lauderdale County and a member of Toomsuba Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Patricia Chatham Clark of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; a son, Carroll Leon Chatham of Toomsuba; four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, W.W. Chatham; and two brothers, Robert Carroll Thomas and Kenneth L. Thomas.
Pallbearers will be Gary Pickett, Robbie Thomas, Bob Chatham, Bud Robinson, Kenny Thomas and John Thomas. Honorary pallbearers will be Guy Purvis, Charles Coker, Heath Mitchell, Peter Thomas and Kenneth Thomas.
Visitation will be today from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home and 30 minutes prior to the services.
REV. HUGH SMITH
Services for the Rev. Hugh Smith will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Rev. Smith, 91, of Meridian, died Monday, July 9, 2001, in Ocean Springs.
Visitation will be Friday one hour prior to the service.
GEORGE R. FURMAN JR.
Retired tool and die engineer
Private services for George R. Furman Jr. will be held at a later date. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Furman, 65, of Meridian, died Tuesday, July 10, 2001, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include eight children, George Furman III, Sandra Kerzrock, Chicky Hardwick and Ada Gable, all of Pennsylvania, Sherri Cox of California, James Lawson and Vickie Lawson, both of Stonewall; two sisters, 23 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
DENNIS HAYES JR.
Retired paper mill employee
Services for Dennis Hayes Jr. will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Clark's Memorial Funeral Home with the Revs. Ardell Gathright and Lavon Gathright officiating. Burial will be in All Day Cemetery in Enterprise.
Mr. Hayes, 67, of Meridian, died Monday, July 9, 2001, at Oakwood Home for Elderly in Bastrop, La.
Survivors include his wife, Annie Hayes of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by his father, Dennis Hayes Sr. and his mother, Mary Hayes.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
MINNIE E. WALL
Services for Minnie E. "Big MaMa" Wall will be held Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home with the Rev. Jim Meadows officiating. Burial will be in Longcreek Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Wall, 93, of Moss Point, formerly of San Francisco, died Monday, July 9, 2001, in Moss Point.
Survivors include a daughter, Ruth Jewell Butler and her husband, Norman, of Moss Point; four grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Lawrence Lovette and her former husband, Frank Wall.
The family requests memorials be made to Singing River Charitable Foundation Hospice of Light, 2101 Hwy 90, Gautier, MS 39553.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at O'Bryant-O'Keefe Funeral Home in Pascagoula and one hour prior to the service in Meridian.
LYNDON STEWART
Arrangements were incomplete at Clark's Memorial Funeral Home for Lyndon Stewart, 23, of Meridian, who died Tuesday, July 10, 2001, in his home.

Also on Franklin County Times
Text message signaled return to state
High School Sports, Main, Red Bay Tigers, ...
AHSAA NW REGIONAL FINAL RED BAY 64, COLD SPRINGS 52
David Glovach For the FCT 
February 25, 2026
HANCEVILLE — It was a simple text message, one sent by a mom of a former player. It was a six-year-old picture of Red Bay huddled together outside Leg...
An emotional loss for senior Fisher
Belgreen Bulldogs, High School Sports, Main, ...
COLD SPRINGS 45, BELGREEN 42
David Glovach For the FCT 
February 25, 2026
HANCEVILLE — Their hands found their faces quickly — something, anything, to absorb the tears. It only worked so well. “It’s hard,” Makenna Fisher sai...
Court asked to halt lot sales
Franklin County, Main, News, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County commissioners are seeking a court order to halt future sales of lots for the Lightning Ridge subdivision. Colbert Count...
Tellish named Rural Teacher of the Year
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Middle school teacher Carley Andrews Tellish has been named the 2026 Spezzini Rural Teacher of the Year, an honor that recognizes one K...
Students compete in annual beef cook-off
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE -- The annual Franklin County Cattlemen’s beef cookoff took place recently at Triple H Barn with students from Russellville, Red Bay, Bel...
Garden club revisits Lewis and Clark expedition
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
February 25, 2026
As the 250th celebration of the United States approaches, members of the Cultura Garden club have been revisiting American history through a series of...
Medicare Advantage must be funded
Columnists, Opinion
February 25, 2026
In a few short months, policymakers will decide the financial fate of the Medicare Advantage program and its millions of members. While the program is...
Guntersville ends season for RHS girls basketball
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
Brannon King For the FCT 
February 25, 2026
The memorable and successful 2025-26 girls basketball season came to an end for the Russellville Golden Tigers at the AHSAA Class 5A Northwest Regiona...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *