Obituaries for Thursday, May 30, 2002

By Staff
CLIFFORD L. KELLEY
Services for Clifford L. Kelley will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Stephens Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mr. Kelley, 88, of Forkland, Ala., died Tuesday, May 28, 2002, at Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital. He was the former co-owner of Kelley-Williams Company in Meridian for more than 21 years before retiring and moving to Alabama.
In his retirement years he continued the business as Kelley-Williams Marina for more than 31 years in Forkland. Clifford was known as the Mercury Master Mechanic throughout East Mississippi and West Alabama as "Kelley." He was awarded the honor of Master Mechanic by Mercury Marine for more than 47 years of experience. He served with the 275th ordnance maintenance company and was part of the fourth D-Day Invasion as a 10 ton wrecker driver bringing in heavy equipment for the troops in France, Germany and Belgium.
Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Williams Kelley of Forkland; a brother, Howard Kelley of Baker, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Josephine Kelley; brothers, Carl Kelley, Frank Kelley and Randall Kelley; and a sister, Florence Strickland.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
DANA K. PAYTON
Student at Meridian Community College
Services for Dana K. Payton will be held Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Fitkins Memorial Church of the Nazarene with the Rev. Charles Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Payton, 23, of Meridian, died Sunday, May 26, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his mother, Dianne Jenkins of Meridian; a brother, Alexander Jenkins of Meridian; a maternal grandmother; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Visitation will be Friday 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
THOMAS MABRA TOWNSEND
Retired mechanic
Services for Thomas Mabra Townsend were held Wednesday at Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jason Gross officiating. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Townsend, 86, of Collinsville, died Sunday, May 26, 2002, at Guardian Angel Hospice.
Survivors include his sons, Gerald Townsend and his wife, Annette, of Cochran, Ga., Larry Townsend and his wife Elizabeth, of Hattiesburg; a daughter, Sandra Scardino and her husband, Leonard, Columbia, Ms; six grandchildren, Lenny Scardino and his wife, Theresa, of Long Beach, Anthony Scardino of Columbia, Stephen Townsend of Atlanta, Phillip Townsend of Cochran, Ga., Christopher Townsend and Brian Townsend, of Hattiesburg; a sister, Pearl Smith of Columbus and a brother Howard Townsend of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Elzie Townsend.
Pallbearers were his grandsons, Lenny Scardino, Anthony Scardino, Stephen Townsend, Phillip Townsend, Christopher Townsend and Brian Townsend.
LOIS H. STEWART
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for Lois H. Stewart, 84, of Meridian, who died Wednesday, May 29, 2002, at Riley Hospital.
LINDA BROWN
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for Linda Brown, 66, of Rose Hill, who died Wednesday, May 29, 2002.
BESSIE BOYD
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for Bessie Boyd, 100, of Meridian, who died Wednesday, May 29, 2002, in Meridian.
CELESTE STRICKLER
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for Celeste Strickler, 93, of Meridian, who died Thursday, May 30, 2002, in her home.