Obituaries for Thursday, Dec. 20, 2001

By Staff
MYRL GILMORE DAVIDSON
Homemaker
CARTHAGE Services for Myrl Gilmore Davidson will be held today at 1 p.m. at High Hill Baptist Church. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Wilcox Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Davidson, 99, died Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001, at Hospice in His Hands in Madden. She was an active and faithful member of High Hill Baptist Church where she spent many years teaching Sunday school, discipleship training and vacation bible school. Her daughter, Peggy Thaggard, stated that the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians describes her mother because of the love she gave first to God, then church, family and friends.
Survivors include a son, Belton "Jeff" Davidson and his wife, Ann, of Van Cleave; daughters, Bobbie Riordan and her husband, Bill, of Monroe, La., Peggy Thaggard and her husband, Joe Mack, of Carthage, and Jane McNair of Walnut Grove; 13 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Marcille Anthony of Meridian; bothers, J.W. Gilmore and Loyd Gilmore, both of Union, and Hubert Gilmore of Jackson; several nieces, nephews, friends and relatives.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dock Davidson in 1964.
Visitation will be today one hour prior to the service at the church.
LENA MAE ELLINGBURG
Retired factory worker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Lena Mae Ellingburg will be held today at 2 p.m. at John E. Stephens Chapel with the Revs. John Stephens and Barron Pilgrim officiating. Burial will be in Cedarlawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Ellingburg, 65, of Philadelphia, died Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001, at Madden Memories Personal Care Home.
Survivors include two daughters, Jessie Mae Ladd and Kathy D. Ladd, a stepson, John Ellingburg, her mother, Vestrie Pilgrim, two sisters, Margie Jayroe and Nell Ryals, all of Philadelphia; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leslie Ellingburg in 1996.
MYRTICE RAY HIGGINBOTHAM
Registered nurse
MACON Services for Myrtice Ray Higginbotham will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Mashulaville Baptist Church with the Revs. Hugh Poole and Allen Mapp officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Cockrell Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Higginbotham, 69, of Macon, died Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001, in her home.
Survivors include her husband, Odell Higginbotham of Macon; a daughter, Carol Faye Pruitt of Macon; two sons, Larry Higginbotham of Shuqualak and Raymond Higginbotham of Waskom, Texas; two sisters, Elizabeth Rutledge of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Bernice Brown of Kissimmee, Fla.; her mother, Ovie K. Syring of Macon; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The family requests memorials be made to MUW Foundation, Garrett/Higginbotham Nursing Scholarship, P.O. Box W-1618, Columbus, MS 39701 or Columbus Lowndes Humane Society, 13 Airline Rd., Columbus, MS 39702.
Visitation will be today 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
CLAUDE COOLEY
Retired factory worker
Services for Claude Cooley will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Spring Hill Baptist Church in Shubuta with the Rev. Hubert Walker officiating. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Cooley, 89, of Quitman, died Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001, at H.C. Watkins Memorial Hospital.
Survivors include several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents and wife.
Visitation will be Friday 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home in Quitman.
MARY GORDON
Homemaker
Services for Mary Gordon will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home with the Rev. Roderick Steele officiating. Burial will be in Gordon Cemetery.
Mrs. Gordon, 80, of Meridian, died Monday, Dec. 17, 2001, at Riley Hospital.
Survivors include her husband, Havord Gordon Sr. of Meridian; three sons, Havord Gordon Jr. of Coldwater, Mich., Willie Lee Gordon and Howard Gordon, both of Meridian; 25 grandchildren and 42 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two sons and one daughter.
Visitation will be Friday 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
LUCILLE PAYNE
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home of DeKalb for Lucille Payne, 63, of Scooba, who died Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001, in her home.
MILTON PERSON
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home of DeKalb for Milton Person of Meridian who died Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001, at the University Medical Center in Jackson.