Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
3:28 am Sunday, April 7, 2002

GEORGE A. MELTON

By Staff
Retired machine operator
FOREST Services for George A. Melton will be held today at 12:30 p.m. at Pine Ridge Baptist Church. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Ott &Lee Funeral Home of Forest in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Melton, 79, of Lake, died Friday, April 5, 2002, at Lackey Memorial Hospital in Forest. He was a World War II Army veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Voncille Melton of Lake; a son, Jerry Melton of Newton; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his son, Roy A. Melton.
Visitation is today from 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
COLON LEE FAIRLEY
UNION Services for Colon Lee Fairley will be held today at 1 p.m. at Milling Funeral Home in Union with the Revs. Haskel Rhodes and Larry Harvard officiating. Burial will be in Reids Chapel Cemetery.
Mr. Fairley, 57, of Union, died Friday, April 5, 2002, in Madden. He worked for Nolan Sistrunk Trucking.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Fairley of Union; sons, Calvin Fairley and his wife, Jennie, of Pine Bluff, Ark.; Quinton Fairley of Union; and Randall Fairley and his wife, Jessica, of Big Creek; daughters, Lisa Ladner and her husband, Kerry, of Pass Christian; and Cindy Nettles and her husband, Larry, of Picayune; parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leon Fairly of Union; a brother, Elton Fairley of Kiln; sisters, Retha Rhodes of Conehatta; and Lorraine Henderson of Wiggins; a mother-in-law, Hazel Havard of Lucedale; five grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Robert Davis, Lee Rhodes, Shane Winstead, Gerald Byrd, Larry Loper and Larry Goss. Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Nettles, Charlie Harvard, Forbes Byrd and James Havard.
CLIFTON JENKINS
Retired maintenance inspector
PHILADELPHIA Graveside services for Clifton Jenkins will be held today at 2 p.m. at Spring Creek Cemetery with the Rev. John Stephens officiating. John E. Stephens Funeral Services is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Jenkins, 70, of Philadelphia, died Friday, April 5, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his daughters, Barbara Lewis and Debbie Bright, both of Union; Carolyn Driskell of Polkville; and Janett Brasier of Atworth, Ga.; a sister, Annie Ruth Cumberland of Morton; a brother, Pete Jenkins of Vicksburg; nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances Mae Jenkins, and a son, George Danny Bright.
JIMMY RILEY WEST
Timber buyer
QUITMAN Graveside services for Jimmy Riley West will be held today at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Church Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Hardee Kennedy officiating. Wright's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. West, 71, of Vossburg, died Saturday, April 6, 2002, at H.C. Watkins Memorial Hospital.
Survivors include his wife, Wilda West, a son, Larry Elkins and his wife, Angela, a daughter, Cindy Green and her husband, Edddie, and a brother, Marshall West, all of Vossburg; a sister, Frances Pell of Long Beach; two grandsons, Brad Green of Lake Eddins; and Lance Green of Vossburg.
He was preceded in death by his parents, W.L. and Nettie West, two brothers, W.L. West Jr., and Midd West, and a sister, Ima Jean West.
Pallbearers will be David West, Danny West, Andy West, Mike Culbreth, Ernie Culbreth and John Blackburn. Clarence Smith will serve as honorary pallbearer.
JOE A. RAWSON
Lockheed-Martin employee
Services for Joe A. Rawson will be held today at 3:30 p.m. at Russell Baptist Church with the Revs. Keith Thrash, Clay Chancelor, David Holifield, Wilton Bennett and Jewell Greer officiating. Burial will be in Old Marion Cemetery with James F. Webb Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Rawson, 60, of Russell, died Thursday, April 4, 2002, in his home. He was a member of Russell Baptist Church and a veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Sandra Butler Rawson of Russell; a son, Paul G. Rawson and his wife, Barbie, of Meridian; daughters, Leigh Anne R. Masters and her husband, Wayne, of Anderson, Ind.; and Kellie R. McMullen and her husband, Marty, of Meridian; mother, Orina H. Rawson, sisters, Kay R. Stegall and Jean R. Pippin, a grandson, Blake McMullen and a granddaughter, Lexie Rawson, all of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest V. Rawson.
The family requests memorials be made to Gideon's International.
Pallbearers will be Terry Powell, Bobby McElroy, Don Cagle, Butch Harper, Glenn McInnis, Jimmy Harper, Bobby Pugh and John Harper. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Men I Sunday School Class.
Visitation will be 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.
INA RUTH DOGGETT
GILBERTOWN, Ala Services for Ina Ruth Doggett will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Dr. Billy F. Hall and Tim Craddock officiating. Burial will be in Gilbertown Cemetery.
Mrs. Doggett, 88, of Butler, died Friday, April 5, 2002, in Butler.
Survivors include a daughter, Dianne D. Hollister of Butler; a brother, A. J. Allen and sisters, Maggie Pearl Cheault and Annie Laura Sims, all of Meridian, Miss.; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation will be today from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. at the funeral home.
GLADYS THOMPSON
Retired homemaker
Services for Gladys Thompson will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at John The Baptist Barnett with the Rev. Cornelius McDonald officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Moriah in Nanafalia, Ala. with Berry &Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Thompson, 67, of Quitman, died Tuesday, April 2, 2002, in Marion.
Survivors include four children, Mary Edwards of Meridian; Samie Lee Thompson of Huntsville, Ala.; Thelma Williams of Quitman; Deborah Scott of Jackson; a sister, Viola Colston and her husband, Charles, of Anniston, Ala.; 13 grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Also on Franklin County Times
2 pieces of turnout gear lost during fire
Main, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Two turnout jackets were damaged during a Thanksgiving Day structure fire while firefighters were conducting an interior attack. Fire ...
Council to renew fines and notices
Main, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Enforcement actions for a group of deteriorating downtown buildings will resume after council members voted Dec. 16 in favor of the ac...
Public donations make baby box possible
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
December 24, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — City Council members have approved the purchase of a Safe Haven Baby Box using funds donated for that purpose. Two different families, ...
EMS train for K-9 emergency treatment
Franklin County, Main, News, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
December 24, 2025
FLORENCE – Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Jaret Yancey and his K-9 officer Mateo have only been together for a few months, but the pair have already...
West Elementary hosts ‘Polar Express’ celebration
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- West Elementary School marked the Christmas season with a series of activities centered on music, generosity and long-standing holiday...
Innovate Alabama critical to state’s economic future
Columnists, Opinion
December 24, 2025
Alabama has long been recognized for its success in industrial and manufacturing recruitment. Our state offers aggressive incentives and support to at...
Cultura Garden Club celebrates Christmas
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
December 24, 2025
Christmas for Cultura Garden Club members this year meant gathering around a table, sharing food made with care and enjoying the kind of fellowship th...
THS assistant principal gets championship ring
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Tharptown High School’s faculty surprised Assistant Principal Sherry Parker with a championship ring recognizing her role on the 1981 V...

Leave a Reply

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