Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
9:26 am Monday, November 19, 2001

OBITUARIES FOR MONDAY, NOV. 19, 2001

By Staff
CHARLES WAGGENER
Retired electronic technician, radio announcer
Graveside services for Charles Waggener will be held today at 1:30 p.m. at Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Clarence Roberts officiating. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Waggener, 88, of Meridian, died Saturday, Nov. 17, 2001, at Silverleaf Manor. He was a member of Eighth Avenue Baptist Church and the King Solomon Lodge No. 333, where he was a past grand master. Mr. Waggener was an announcer with WCOC radio station in Meridian and an amateur ham radio operator. He was the former owner of Waggener Grocery and Meat Market.
Survivors include two daughters, Sharlene Ethridge and her husband, Louis, of Bailey and Lois Laird and her husband, Burlon, of Columbus; a son, Charles E. Waggener and his wife, Mary, of Gardendale, Ala.; eight grandchildren, Rachel Ethridge, Laura Ethridge, Scott Ethridge, Tracy Laird, Dan Laird, Kate Laird, Joy Waggener and Charles E. Waggener Jr.; and his brother and sister-in-law, Harold and Jo Robinson of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Allene Waggener and a grandson, Brian Ethridge.
JESSIE CARAWAY
Services for Jessie Caraway will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Caraway, 82, of Meridian, died Sunday, Nov. 18, 2001, in his home.
LAURA M. BEASON
Homemaker
DEKALB Services for Laura M. Beason will be held Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Walker Chapel AME Zion Church-Sand Flat, with the Revs. Robert Newson and Sarah Rivers officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with E.E. McDonald Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Beason, 87, formerly of Meridian, died Monday, Nov. 12, 2001, in her home in Philadelphia.
Survivors include her husband, Robert Beason of Philadelphia; a sister, Lorene Curry of Meridian; and several other relatives and friends.
JOE B. FAIRCHILD JR.
Arrangements were incomplete at Stephens Funeral Home for Joe B. Fairchild Jr., 69, of Meridian, who died Sunday, Nov. 18, 2001, in his home.
FRANCES SYKES
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home of Newton for Frances Sykes, 82, of Newton, died Saturday, Nov. 17, 2001, at Camden Nursing Home in Alabama.

Also on Franklin County Times
Phil Campbell High School dismisses early due to water leak
News, Phil Campbell, Phil Campbell Bobcats
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
February 2, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL – Student and faculty were sent home early Monday morning as a result of the high school facilities being without water. A post to the o...
Rural hospitals face challenges: New state tax credit could help
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County’s two hospitals face the same financial pressures confronting rural health care across Alabama even as they remain esse...
Phil Campbell gets ‘clean opinion’ on audit
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Certified public accountant Don Wallace told town council members on Jan. 20 there were no problems with this year’s audit. “This is w...
MLK’s legacy: Blueprint we must follow
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Rev. Bennie “B.J.” Bonner stood before an audience gathered Jan. 19 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration March and described ho...
Elementary students begin Super Citizen program
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
Second and third graders from West Elementary and Russellville Elementary began Liberty Learning Foundation’s Super Citizen program during an event ki...
Book Lovers Study Club explores tea’s role in history
Columnists, News, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
January 28, 2026
Our Book Lovers Study Club’s January meeting highlighted both the Boston Tea Party boycott of English tea and the traditions of afternoon tea. One of ...
Moving from excuses to action in 1 year
Columnists, Opinion
January 28, 2026
In just 12 months, the Trump administration has delivered real results that Americans can see in their daily lives by restoring law and order at our b...
Higgins hired as RHS football coach
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Darrell Higgins has been hired as the new head football coach at Russellville High School. His hiring was announced Saturday following ...

Leave a Reply

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