Obituaries by Friday, Jan. 31, 2003

By Staff
Ida Boardman
Homemaker
Services for Ida Boardman will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at Goodwater Baptist Church with the Revs. Hal Ethridge and Paul Harris officiating. Burial will be in the Goodwater Cemetery. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Boardman, 97, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include her daughters, Deloris Joiner of Meehan, Betty Harris and her husband, Raymond, and Carolyn Smith, all of Meridian and Rachel Kamper and her husband, James Robert, of Enterprise; sons, Bobby Boardman and his wife, Virginia, Kenneth Boardman and his wife, Fran, all of Meehan and Wayne Boardman of Meridian and a sister, Louise Parker of Meridian and a caregiver, Margie Stewart; 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Guy Boardman, a daughter, Opal Grace Boardman and a son, Larry Olan Boardman, and a grandson, Tony Harris.
Cheryl Elizabeth Hargon
Retired Registered Nurse
Graveside services for Cheryl Elizabeth Hargon will be held today at 2:30 p.m. at Magnolia Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Tom Sikes officiating. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Miss Hargon, 64, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at Riley Hospital. She was a member of First Christian Church. She was a retired R.N. for Riley Hospital after more than 21 years. She received her nursing degree and training from Caraway Methodist Center in Birmingham, Ala.
Survivors include her cousins, Dr. Walter M. Gilmore of Meridian, Melwyn Miller Taccone of Selma, Ala., Joellyn Jones Woodward of Bay St. Louis, Suzanne Jones Thomas of Glenview, Ill., and Robin Jones Dunham of Madison; nieces and nephews, Dr. David M. Gilmore of Meridian, Donna Miller Hollis, Lisa Miller Harding of Birmingham, Ala., Leslie Boykin of Hollindale and David Taccone Jr. of Selma, Ala.; and several great-nieces and great-nephews and a special friend, Clare Sims.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Vera Jones Hargon and John H. Hargon.
Visitation will be today 30 minutes prior to the service at the graveside at Magnolia Cemetery.
Henry Wallace Gilreath
Federal government mechanic
FOREST Services for Henry Wallace Gilreath will be held today at 2 p.m. at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Homewood Methodist Church Cemetery in Scott County.
Mr. Gilreath, 83, of Forest, died Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003, at Lackey Memorial Hospital in Forest. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Ella Mae Baty Gilreath of Forest; his son, Henry Wayne Gilreath and his wife, Glenda, of Raleigh; daughters, Judith Ann Traxler, Patricia G. Cole and her husband, Rick, and Carol Sue Durr, all of Forest; sisters, Mary Sue Womack and Nancy Beth Andrews, both of West Point; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Earl Gilreath, James Hubert Gilreath and William Carradine Gilreath.
James A. Pace Jr.
Retired
PEARL Services for James Alsa Pace Jr. will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside services and burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Meridian.
Mr. Pace, 88, of Pearl, died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson. He was born on Feb. 17, 1914, in Kemper County and had lived in Pearl for more than 25 years. He worked for many years as a baker and semi-retired and became weekend caretaker at the Pearl City Park.
He was better known as Papa or Pace, he loved sitting in his recliner with his little dog Abby at his side. He enjoyed playing dominoes and checkers, and teasing the staff at Crossgates Manor Nursing Home where he spent the last months of his life. But, what he most loved was watching things grow, especially children and his garden. He loved to pick up each of his great-grandchildren when they were small and speculate on their current weight. Even after his physical strength declined, there was still room in Papa's lap for any great-grandchild who wanted to spend time with him wheeling through the halls of Crossgates Manor. The image that most people will remember about Papa is that of his garden. He spent countless hours nurturing his plants, especially the tomatoes. He grew the best tasting tomatoes and would never reveal his "secret recipe." Perhaps it was the immense pleasure he took in his patch of dirt, or perhaps it was his knowledge that the produce he grew was for family and friends who loved him dearly.
Survivors include his daughter, Maydra Voelker of Pearl; two granddaughters Joy Sandifer and her husband, Todd, of Canton, Ohio, Donna Ruffin of Clinton; great-grandchildren, Haley Katherine Ruffin, William James Ruffin and Vivian Pace Sandifer; sisters, Juanita Beasley of Raymon and Alma Rae Pye of Arkansas; sisters-in-law, Marie McKee of DeKalb, Christine Garrison of Napolieonville, La. and Viva Colley of Talladega, Ala.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Rubye Pace.