Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
9:47 pm Wednesday, March 20, 2002

JOE MAY

By Staff
Heavy equipment operator
PHILADELPHIA Services for Joe May will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Rev. Charles Barnett officiating. Burial will be in Good Hope Cemetery.
Mr. May, 71, of Union, died Tuesday, March 19, 2002, in his home. He was a veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Lois May and a daughter, Judy Gazaway, both of Union; his mother, Virgie Lee May, sisters, Carolyn Williamson, Sarah Luke and Shirley Sharp; brothers, Tom May, Jack May, Charles May and James "Tater" May, all of Philadelphia; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, Vardaman May; and a son, James Lee May.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
DORIS J. MAGGART
Homemaker
Graveside services for Doris J. Maggart will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Maggart, 81, of Meridian, died Monday, March 18, 2002, in Meridian.
Survivors include a son, Robert J. Maggart of Tucson, Ariz.; a daughter, Carol Ann Johnson of McKinney, Texas; four grandchildren, David E. Maggart, Michael A. Maggart, Robert W. Johnson and Jennifer M. Kaufman; two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Jima Neal of Meridian.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Edward Maggart; and her mother, Esther Bounds Jenkins.
Visitation will be Thursday one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
BESSIE W. FUNDERBERG
Retired nurse
WILMINGTON, N.C. Services for Bessie W. Funderberg will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at Ephesus Seventh Day Adventist Church. French I. Davis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Funderberg died Saturday, March 16, 2002, at Cepshus Nursing Home in Wilmington.
Survivors include a sister, Mamie J. Brown of Meridian; and a niece and nephew of California.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the church.
WILLIE ISOLA MCLAIN PITTS
Retired dietitian
PHILADELPHIA Services for Willie Isola McLain Pitts will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Revs. Dennis Duvall and Brian Hill officiating. Burial will be in Cedarlawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Pitts, 71, of Bay St. Louis, died Monday, March 18, 2002, in her home.
Survivors include two daughters, Scherrie Thornton Berry of Bay St. Louis and Lynn Rux of Pelahatchie; sons, J.M. McLain of Philadelphia, Freddie McLain and Phillip McLain Sr. of Bay St. Louis and Ray McLain of Perkinston; sisters, Nancy Wright of DeKalb, Frances Stokes of Preston and Linda Eastman of Meridian; brothers, James Jones of Hurley, Edd Jones of Hickory and Cecil Jones of Philadelphia; 21 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today 4 p.m.-10 p.m. at the funeral home.
BENJAMIN TYRONE ROGERS
Services for Benjamin Tyrone Rogers will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Clark's Memorial Funeral Home with the Rev. Richard Parker officiating. Burial will be in Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Rogers, 26, of Meridian, died Sunday, March 17, 2002, in his home.
Survivors include his mother, Gloria Jean Rogers of Meridian; brothers, Derrick Rogers of Houston, Texas, and Thomas Rogers of Meridian; a sister, Chiquita Rogers of Meridian; and several other family members.
Visitation will be Friday 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
ZADA BRAND WILLIS
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home of Newton for Zada Brand Willis, 85, of Newton, who died Tuesday, March 19, 2002, at Woodland Court in Newton.
S.E. ALEXANDER
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for S.E. Alexander, 85, of Meridian, who died Wednesday, March 20, 2002, in his home.
MINNIE RILEY
Arrangements were incomplete at Stephens Funeral Home of DeKalb for Minnie Riley, 81, of DeKalb, who died Tuesday, March 19, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
JOSEPH L. BAIER
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for Joseph L. Baier, 87, of Meridian, who died Tuesday, March 19, 2002, at Mississippi Veteran Home in Oxford.

Also on Franklin County Times
Text message signaled return to state
High School Sports, Main, Red Bay Tigers, ...
AHSAA NW REGIONAL FINAL RED BAY 64, COLD SPRINGS 52
David Glovach For the FCT 
February 25, 2026
HANCEVILLE — It was a simple text message, one sent by a mom of a former player. It was a six-year-old picture of Red Bay huddled together outside Leg...
An emotional loss for senior Fisher
Belgreen Bulldogs, High School Sports, Main, ...
COLD SPRINGS 45, BELGREEN 42
David Glovach For the FCT 
February 25, 2026
HANCEVILLE — Their hands found their faces quickly — something, anything, to absorb the tears. It only worked so well. “It’s hard,” Makenna Fisher sai...
Court asked to halt lot sales
Franklin County, Main, News, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County commissioners are seeking a court order to halt future sales of lots for the Lightning Ridge subdivision. Colbert Count...
Tellish named Rural Teacher of the Year
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Middle school teacher Carley Andrews Tellish has been named the 2026 Spezzini Rural Teacher of the Year, an honor that recognizes one K...
Students compete in annual beef cook-off
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE -- The annual Franklin County Cattlemen’s beef cookoff took place recently at Triple H Barn with students from Russellville, Red Bay, Bel...
Garden club revisits Lewis and Clark expedition
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
February 25, 2026
As the 250th celebration of the United States approaches, members of the Cultura Garden club have been revisiting American history through a series of...
Medicare Advantage must be funded
Columnists, Opinion
February 25, 2026
In a few short months, policymakers will decide the financial fate of the Medicare Advantage program and its millions of members. While the program is...
Guntersville ends season for RHS girls basketball
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
Brannon King For the FCT 
February 25, 2026
The memorable and successful 2025-26 girls basketball season came to an end for the Russellville Golden Tigers at the AHSAA Class 5A Northwest Regiona...

Leave a Reply

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