Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
7:28 pm Tuesday, March 12, 2002

MAVIS LUCILLE WILSON

By Staff
Retired nurse Rush Foundation Hospital
Graveside services for Mavis Lucille Wilson will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Wilson, 77, of Meridian, died Monday, March 11, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include her sons, Jerry Wilson of Meridian, Wayne Wilson of Huntsville, Ala., and Larry Wilson of Collinsville; a daughter, Janice Aveline of El Paso, Texas; a sister, Myrtle Ezell of Meridian; and nine grandchildren.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
BESSIE LOUISE CHANDLER
Homemaker
Services for Bessie Louise Chandler will be held Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jimmie Gunn officiating. Burial will be in Macedonia Cemetery.
Mrs. Chandler, 90, of Suqualena, died Sunday, March 10, 2002, in her home. She was a member of Suqualena Methodist Church.
Survivors include four daughters, Janell Pogue and her husband, Brooks, Peggy Boatner and her husband, Bill, Lucille Arledge and her husband, Lee, and Norma Chandler; a sister, Loraine Evans and her husband, Charles; a brother, Homer Husband; six grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, C.S. Chandler; two brothers and a sister.
Pallbearers will be Gerald Castle, Daniel Arledge, Justin Alexander, Jacob Alexander, Steve Stewart, Kenny Castle and David McInnis.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
JIMMIE BURGE
Graveside services for Jimmie Burge will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Toomsuba. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Infant Burge died Friday, March 8, 2002, at Riley Hospital.
Survivors include his father, Jimmie Burge and his mother, Rochelle Brown, both of Meridian; and his grandparents.
MARY ELLA R. MERRITT
Retired nurse Riley Hospital
Services for Mary Ella R. Merritt will be held Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Larry Teasley officiating. Burial will be in Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Merritt, 86, of York, Ala., died Monday, March 11, 2002, at Hill Hospital of Sumter County in York. She was a member of First Christian Church of Meridian.
Survivors include a daughter, Glenda Clowers and her husband, Algie, of York; a son, Everett Merritt Jr. and his wife, Alice, of Meridian; four grandchildren, Algie Clowers Jr., Gwyn Tanner, Sharon Fox and Christie Thomas; 11 great-grandchildren, Lorraine, Lucas, Morgan and Nicholas Clowers, Brenda, Pam, Angie and David Tanner, Mallory, Misty and Mitchell Fox; a brother-in-law, Carl Merritt and his wife, Mabel, of Meridian; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Everett Merritt Sr.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
PAUL DUMAS
Retired Burlington Industry
Services for Paul Dumas will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Samuel Ezell officiating. Burial will be in Musgrove Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Dumas, 62, of Enterprise, died Friday, March 8, 2002, at Baptist Hospital in Southaven.
Survivors include a brother, John Calvin Dumas of Cheyenne, Wyo.
Visitation will be Wednesday 7 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home in Quitman.
C.L. MINCHEW
Services for C.L. "Bill" Minchew were held Jan. 9 at American Heritage Funeral Home. Burial was in Houston National Cemetery.
Mr. Minchew, 71, died Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002, in Columbia, Mo. He proudly served his country as a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War where he was wounded and awarded a Purple Heart.
During his working career he drove a truck for Robertson Tank Lines, Parker Bros., Consolidated Freightway and Rawson-Koening. The original recycler, who never met a stranger, assisted stranded motorists and animals.
Survivors include his loving family, a son, Tony and his wife, JoAnn and child, William Andrew; a son, Randy and his wife, Cindy, and children, Susan Lee, Samantha Lee, Randall Claburn Lee, Cassandra Emmalee; a daughter, Rene Fullick and her husband, Eric, and children, Erika Marie, Allen James, Emilee Rose; a sister, Dorothy Pickard; a brother, James A. Minchew and his wife, Lois; several nieces and nephews; and lastly his dogs, Jackie and Speckles.
He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Shirley Marie; parents, Dewey Lee and Ida Mae Minchew; three brothers, Charles, Roy and Kenneth Minchew; and a sister, Cola Mae Minchew.
The family requests memorials be made to Citizens for Animal Protection.
AMOS NAYLOR
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Amos Naylor, 80, of Lauderdale, who died Sunday, March 10, 2002, at Riley Hospital.
HAROLD MORGAN
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Harold Morgan, 40, of Toomsuba, who died Sunday, March 10, 2002, at the University Medical Center in Jackson.
EDD MANNING
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home of DeKalb for Elder Edd Manning, 93, of Meridian, who died Saturday, March 9, 2002, at H.C. Watkins Memorial Hospital in Quitman.
ALBERT WARD JR.
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home of DeKalb for Albert Ward Jr., 72, of Meridian, who died Sunday, March 10, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
RUBEN BRANCH
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Ruben Branch, 35, of Atlanta, Ga., who died Saturday, March 9, 2002, in Atlanta.

Also on Franklin County Times
Dowdy sentencing delayed due to medical emergency
News, Russellville, Z - News Main
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
January 7, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The sentencing of Brandy Dowdy will have to wait until another day after her defense attorney suffered a “medical emergency” on Tuesday...
Legislative session opens Jan. 13; Kiel prefiles 2 bills
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
January 7, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE -- State Rep. Jamie Kiel has prefiled two bills ahead of the 2026 Alabama legislative session. The bills, which will be considered when l...
Hollimon reflects on 40 years in education
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 7, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Dr. Deanna Hollimon always felt she was called to be an educator. After 40 years as a teacher, reading coach, administrator and educati...
Firefighters train for vehicle rescues
News, Russellville, Z - News Main
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 7, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — City firefighters trained last week on how to stabilize overturned vehicles and remove trapped occupants. Fire Chief Joe Mansell said t...
Neighbors helping neighbors, one soda pop tab at a time
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
January 7, 2026
Most people don’t think twice about the small aluminum tab on top of a soda can. But those tiny pieces of metal have quietly helped families stay clos...
2025: A year of results for Alabama families
Columnists, Opinion
January 7, 2026
The past year has certainly been a memorable one — and, more importantly, a rewarding one. Beginning the year by leading the Laken Riley Act through t...
Author’s collapse was motivation for comeback
News
Chelsea Retherford For the FCT 
January 7, 2026
When Pete Key collapsed on the bathroom floor in 2024, it didn’t feel like a turning point. It felt like an ending. He had been sick for days — dehydr...
Phil Campbell’s Elliott hits 1,000th career point
High School Sports, Phil Campbell Bobcats, Sports
Bart Moss For the FCT 
January 7, 2026
The Phil Campbell Bobcats kicked off the 2026 calendar year in style Saturday night, securing a decisive 54-37 victory over the visiting Belgreen Bull...

Leave a Reply

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