Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
5:07 pm Tuesday, March 5, 2002

Obituaries for Tuesday, March 5, 2002

By Staff
REV. BILL HARWELL
Retired Baptist minister
Services for the Rev. Bill Harwell were to be held today at 10 a.m. at Pine Forest Baptist Church with the Revs. Hal Bates, Buford Usery and Taylor Wallace officiating. Burial was to be in the church cemetery. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Rev. Harwell, 89, of Collinsville, died Sunday, March 3, 2002, at Guardian Angel Hospice. He was a retired Baptist minister of 40 years. He pastored churches all over the state of Mississippi.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Abbie Smith Harwell; two sons, Jerry Harwell and his wife, Sue, and Darrel Harwell and his wife, Judy, all of Collinsville; four grandchildren, Steve Harwell and his wife, Debbie, of Pearl River, La., Lisa Arendell and her husband, Patrick, of Elgin Air Force Base, Fla., Regina Sonak and her husband, Russell, and Monica Akin and her husband, David, all of Collinsville; nine great-grandchildren, Hunter, Holden and Hayden Harwell, Josh and Chase Sonak, Tiffany and Candace Arendell, and Brooklee and Amberlee Akin; two sisters, Mabel Moran of Taylorsville and Eleze Walker of Collinsville; a brother, George of the Herbert Springs Community.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Les and Carrie Harwell; three brothers, Richard, "Shorty" and J. D. Jones.
Pallbearers were be Rod Hitt, Danny Luke, Leslie Harwell, Clarence Butler, Tommy Moran and Larry Harwell.
IRENE WILLIS
Homemaker
SEBASTOPOL Services for Irene Willis were to be held today at 10 a.m. at the Pearl River Facility Building with the Rev. Thomas E. Ben Jr. officiating. Burial was to be in Isaac Cemetery in Philadelphia. Milling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Willis, 75, of Philadelphia, died Saturday, March 2, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include a daughter, Linda Alex, a son, Curtis Willis, and a sister, Nancy Lee Isaac, all of Philadelphia; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews; and a foster daughter, Peggy Williams.
ISAAC PHILIP SHELTON
Retired logger
Graveside services for Isaac Phillip Shelton will be held today at 11 a.m. at Salem Baptist Church Cemetery with the Revs. Shane Freeman and Thomas Parker officiating. James F. Webb Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Shelton, 84, of Toomsuba, died Sunday, March 3, 2002, at Heartfelt Hospice.
Survivors include three daughters, Juanita Yeager of Toomsuba, Alma Shelton of Causeyville and Mary McLemore of Meridian; three sons, James "Bud" Shelton and Jimmy Shelton, both of Toomsuba, and Jearold Shelton of Vimville; three sisters, Hazel Shelby, Josephine Shelby and Elvin Shelton, all of Toomsuba; 16 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Amelia Hurtt Shelton; a granddaughter, Amanda Yeager Clinton; and a grandson, Randy Shelton.
LOUISE MCDONALD NORRIS
QUITMAN Graveside services for Louise McDonald Norris will be held today at 11 a.m. at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Quitman. Wright's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Norris, 86, died Sunday March 3, 2002, at Golden Meadow Nursing Home.
Survivors include a brother, C. E. McDonald of Quitman; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John D. Norris; a son, John Douglas Norris; her parents, William Cleveland and Earline Baker McDonald; four sisters, Mamie McDonald Johnson, Edna McDonald Griffin, Marie McDonald Gilbert and Grace McDonald Kosteck.
ALATHA BROWN
Homemaker
UNION Services for Alatha Brown will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Union United Methodist Church with the Rev. Tom Samson officiating. Burial will be in Union City Cemetery with Milling Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Brown, 89, of Union, died Monday, March 4, 2002, in her home. She was the daughter of Dr. W.A. McMahen and Cora Nicholson McMahen.
Mrs. Brown was born in Little Rock. At age of 3 she moved with her family to Union, where her father practiced medicine until his death in 1937. She attended Whitworth College and East Central Junior College, where she majored in music. She was a member of Union United Methodist Church, where she served as organist and choir director for more than 45 years. She also taught the Electra Sunday school class for more than 40 years.
Survivors include a son, Larry Neal Brown and his wife, Peggy Ryan, of Canton; a daughter, Susan Donohue, and her husband, John, of Hattiesburg; a sister, Margie McMahen Davis of Union; granddaughter, Cori Brown of Canton; grandsons, Ryan Brown of Canton, David Donohue and Douglas Donohue of Hattiesburg; a brother, W.A. "Dubb" McMahen Jr. of Union; and several nieces, nephews and particularly Angie Rash, who was her principle care giver during her extended illness.
She was preceded in death by her husband, L.N. Brown; her sisters, Coralyn Luke Richardson and Arwin Corder.
The family requests memorials be made to Union United Methodist Church.
Pallbearers will be Bill McMahen, Steve McMahen, Mike McMahen, Joe Blount, Douglas Donohue and Ryan Brown.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home and 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
ARBRA SHAMBURGER
Services for Arbra Shamburger will be held today at 1 p.m. at Latimer Metropolitan Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Gordon Cemetery in Russell.
Ms. Shamburger, 80, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2002, at Reginald P. White Nursing Facility at East Mississippi State Hospital.
Survivors include her daughter, Earline Thomas Tucker of Chicago; a son, Elrie Shamburger of Rancho Cardova, Calif.; two sisters, Christine Collins of Meridian and Lois Terrell of Cleveland, Ohio; eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the funeral home.

Also on Franklin County Times
County school board adopts $52M budget
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE Franklin County Schools has adopted a $52 million budget for fiscal year 2026, reflecting a $2.5 million increase over last year. The bud...
Judge denies YO status for Phinizee
Main, News, Z - News Main
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
September 17, 2025
FLORENCE — Youthful offender status was denied Tuesday for a 17-year-old charged with the death of a 13-yearold during what authorities said was a rob...
RCS passes $43.3M budget
Main, News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- The city school board has approved a $43.3 million budget for the 2025-26 school year. Chief Financial Officer Lisa Witt said revenues...
Program tackles stress of caregiver burnout
News, Records, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- Many people deal with caregiver burnout. Kids and Kin childcare partner Marquita Wilson presented a program at the Russellville Public...
Flavil Wayne McCaig
Obituaries
September 17, 2025
Flavil Wayne McCaig Sept. 12, 2025   Flavil Wayne McCaig, 82, of Russellville, passed away Sept. 12 at his residence. He was born March 3, 1943, to Au...
Cultura Garden Club begins its year with roses and plans for fall
Columnists, News, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
September 17, 2025
The Cultura Garden Club held its first meeting of the year. President Cheri McCain presided. She provided information on projects and programs for the...
We can’t afford to lose electric vehicle industry
Columnists, Opinion
September 17, 2025
In Alabama, we understand what it means to build things that matter. We’ve long been home to builders and winners – our steel won wars and built the s...
Firefighters, cadets honor 9/11 with stair climbs
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Firefighters and RHS JROTC cadets participated in a stair climb in recognition of the 24th anniversary of 9-11. Sgt. Grant Tarascou and...

Leave a Reply

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