Dec. 8, 2002

By Staff
50th anniversary
John and Betty Elliott of the House Community will
celebrate their 50th anniversary at a reception today from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at Mount Olive Baptist Church in House. They were married Dec. 4, 1952, in Cleveland. The couple has four daughters, Jewell Parks, Mary Miles, Cheryl Webber and Karen Manning; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Family and friends are invited to attend.
44th anniversary
The children of Raymond and Dolores Thomas hosted a dinner in celebration of their parents' 44th wedding anniversary on August 30, 2002. The couple was married by Dr. C.C. Randall on Aug. 30, 1958, at Highland Baptist Church. The couple's
children are Mona Haskins and her husband, Kenneth; Becky Howard and her husband, Robby; and Richard Thomas and his wife, Rita, of Meridian. Their grandchildren are Shannon Crago and her husband, Erik, Brandi McDonald and her husband, Mardy; Collin and Angelina Thomas; and a great-granddaughter, Kaylen Crago. Mr. Thomas died Oct. 28, 2002.
60th anniversary
A reception honoring James and Maude Grant on their 60th anniversary will be Sunday, Dec. 15, 2002, from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church in Suqualena. The reception will be hosted by their children, Wanda Grabert of Gulf Shores, Ala., Jim and Jo Grant of Summerville, S.C., Juanita and Richard Rodriguez of Arvodo, Colo., David and Beverly Grant of St. Francisville, La., Lisa Sullivon of Collinsville and Richard Grant of Meridian. Family and Friends are invited. No gifts please.
93rd birthday
Naomi L. Bender will celebrate her 93rd birthday on Dec. 9, 2002. She will celebrate with family and friends by attending church today. She has five children, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
95th birthday
Eula Maude Britt will celebrate her 95th birthday Dec. 12, 2002. Her children, Sandra Day of Jefferson, Md., and Bennett Britt of Thibodaux, La., will hold a birthday celebration in her honor at Aldersgate Retirement Community, 6600 Poplar Springs Drive on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002, from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Mrs. Britt was born in Clarke County in 1907. She moved to Meridian in 1918 and has lived here continually since that time. She married B.C. Britt Jr., who was a longtime routeman for Reily's Cleaners until his death in 1965.
Mrs. Britt has been a loyal member of Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church for nearly 60 years. In her adulthood she was employed by Alden Mills and later babysat several generations of Meridian children. Mrs. Britt continues to be an active volunteer with the local chapter of the American Red Cross. She is the grandmother of Susan Day Pineda and Bryan Day.
Friends and relatives are invited to attend her birthday celebration. No gifts please.