Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
12:55 am Thursday, October 25, 2001

OBITUARIES FOR THURSDAY, OCT. 25, 2001

By Staff
JAMES L. HARRIS
Retired grocery clerk
Services for James L. Harris were held Saturday at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Claude Fleming and Doug Stone officiating. Burial was in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Harris, 82, of Meridian, died Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001, at Heartfelt Hospice of Meridian. He was a veteran of World War II, a member of United Commercial Travels, Highland United Methodist Church and the Disabled American Veterans.
Survivors include his wife, Annie B. Harris; two sons, Donald Ray Harris and his wife, Glenda, of Philadelphia and Jerry Wayne Harris and his wife, Elizabeth, of Marion; two grandchildren, Jennefer Harris and Jared Harris; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Mattie Harris.
Pallbearers were Melvin Burnett Jr., Melvin Burnett Sr., John Vincent, Wilton S. Holston Jr., James Kain and Lidge Fulton.
The family requests memorials be made to Highland Methodist Church or a favorite charity.
ROSE MARY TOWNSEND
Retired legal secretary/secretary for State Farm Insurance
Services for Rose Mary Townsend will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Highland Baptist Church with the Revs. Carl White and Hal Bates officiating. Burial will be in Oddfellows Cemetery in Quitman with Stephens Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Townsend, 61, of Collinsville, died Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2001, in Meridian. She was a member of Highland Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Jerry Townsend and a daughter, Pam Townsend, both of Collinsville; a son, Richard Townsend and his wife, Sherry, two grandchildren, Mary Katherine Townsend and John Peyton Townsend, all of Senatobia; three sisters, Anne Waller of Quitman, Betty Bonner of Grenada and Nancy Waller of Madison; and a brother, John Waldrup of Hattiesburg.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John C. Waldrup and Mary Moore Waldrup.
Pallbearers will be Doug Neal, Jim McCay, Tony Mills, Elwood Vick, Charlie Smith, Leonard Cobb and Bobby Joe Griffin.
Honorary pallbearers will be deacons of Highland Baptist Church.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
HELEN NEWTON SPIVEY CARPENTER
Retired from Allied Enterprises
Services for Helen Newton Spivey Carpenter will be held Friday at 1:30 p.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Fellowship Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Carpenter, 80, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2001, in her home. She was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Janet Donald, two grandchildren, David Driggers and his wife, Leia and Brittany Donald, all of Meridian; a sister, Myrtis Williams and her husband, Hershel, of Collinsville; a brother, James Newton of Bailey; and several very special nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Spivey.
Pallbearers will be her nephews.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
LEO FLETCHER CLARK
Services for Leo Fletcher Clark will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at New Prospect Baptist Church in Savoy with the Rev. Charles Ray Thomas Sr. officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Clark, 74, of Ellisville, died Sunday, Oct. 21, 2001, at Wayne General Hospital.
Survivors include four sisters, Helen Clark Thomas and Mildred C. Carr, both of Meridian, Lucille Curry of Gulfport and Wilhemina Hayes and her husband, Wilford, of Apopka, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marion and Minnie Clark and one sibling.
Visitation will be Friday from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service at the church.
EARNEST KIRKLAND
Retired motor company employee
DEKALB Services for Earnest Kirkland will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Philadelphia with the Rev. James Osby officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with E.E. McDonald Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Kirkland, 67, of Philadelphia, died Sunday, Oct. 21, 2001, at the University Medical Center in Jackson.
Survivors include his wife, Mary A. Kirkland of Philadelphia; five children, Elaine Kirksey of Clinton, Md., Bettie Clemons of Philadelphia, Gloria Proctor of Jackson, Albert Clemons and his wife, Katherine, of Preston and Mark Kirkland and his wife, Tracy, of Philadelphia; five grandchildren; three brothers, Frank Kirkland and his wife, Judy, of Denver, O.C. Kirkland of Moss Point and Joe Lee Kirkland and his wife, Odessa, of Lower Peach Tree, Ala.; two sisters, Gwendolyn Kirkland of Philadelphia and Ophelia Kirkland of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by three siblings.
Visitation will be Friday from noon-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Also on Franklin County Times
Gray named president of Red Bay, Helen Keller hospitals
Main, News, Red Bay
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
July 15, 2026
SHEFFIELD — Red Bay hospital will soon be under new leadership as Jeremy Gray, who has been hired as the new president of the Franklin County facility...
5 properties are designated nuisance
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Five properties within the city have been designated public nuisances, and city workers soon will begin tearing down a burnedout partia...
Condemned downtown building to be demolished, replaced
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The condemned building that used to house the Faith Mission Outreach will be demolished and a new structure rebuilt in its place. In an...
Jones says he’ll listen to Alabamians
Main, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 15, 2026
SHEFFIELD — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones shared a vision July 9 of an Alabama government who listens to its constituents and focuses ...
Stage being renovated for W.C. Handy Fest
News
By Ella Seaton For the FCT 
July 15, 2026
SHEFFIELD — Stage renovations at Riverfront Park face a fast-approaching completion deadline prior to the W.C. Handy Music Festival. With “Riverside J...
A $174M penalty families can’t afford
Columnists, News, Opinion
July 15, 2026
Recently, the federal government published “scores” that will determine how much each state will have to pay toward its SNAP program starting in 2027....
Friendships more precious as years pass
Columnists, Features, Lifestyles, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 15, 2026
Friends are wonderful gifts. Throughout different stages of life, friends serve as anchors, confidants and sources of strength. While many people come...
Sparks is youngest miracle worker yet
News
By Addi Broadfoots For the FCT 
July 15, 2026
For 65 years, audiences have watched the story of Helen Keller come to life on the outdoor stage behind Ivy Green in Tuscumbia. This summer, that trad...

Leave a Reply

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