Obituaries for Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2003

By Staff
Rev. Earl Howard
Retired United Methodist minister
Services for the Rev. Earl Howard will be held today at 2 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Davey Wilkerson and Hollis Howell officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Howard, 83, of Lauderdale, died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, at Beverly Health Care Center. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II.
He was a Mason and served many United Methodist churches including, Unity in Smith County, Lorman in Jefferson County, Rose Hill Charge in Jasper County, Sandtown in Neshoba County, Cokers Chapel in Lauderdale, Pulaski Charge in Scott County, Wayne Haven in Wayne County, DeSoto Charge in Clarke County, Fifth Street in Lauderdale County and Harpersville in Scott County.
Survivors include his wife, Odessa Howard of Lauderdale; sons, Aubrey R. Howard of Toomsuba, Gwyn Howard and his wife, Terry, of Mobile, Ala., and Cleo Howard of Stonewall; daughters, Melba H. White and her husband, James, of Meridian and Alma H. Mahaffey of Macon; 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; four nieces and nephews, Thurman Howard and his wife, Bonnie, and Mildred Freeny and her husband, Bill, all of Lena; Marie Hoover and her husband, Donnell, of Jackson and Floy Grafton and her husband, Mac, of Carthage; two sisters-in-law, Josie Howard of Lena and Charlotte Howard of Mesquite, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Ora McDonald Howard; and brothers, Marshall and Kenneth Howard.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Kidney Foundation.
Pallbearers will be John Canor, John Felder, Ralph Morgan, George Parks, Minor Lagendyk, Mac McClain, Buddy Taylor and Perry Gordon.
James Hammack
Security guard for Blue Cross/Blue Shiel
DEKALB Graveside services for James Hammack will be held today at 2 p.m. at Springhill Methodist Church Cemetery in DeKalb with the Rev. Joe Landrum officiating. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hammack, 64, of Pearl, died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson.
Survivors include his wife, Ann Philley Hammack of Pearl; his mother, Levie Conlee of Morton; a sister, Joann Wadsworth of Morton; brothers, Clifford Ray Hammack of Gretna, La., Robert Hammack of Pelahatchie, Phillip Hammack of Sulligent, Ala., and Harold McKay of Jackson.
Roger Agent
Retired retail grocery store manager, bookkeeper
PHILADELPHIA Services for Roger Agent will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Rev. Tim Parker officiating. Burial will be in Old Pearl Valley Cemetery in Neshoba County.
Mr. Agent, 90, of Louisville, died Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2002, at Winston County Nursing Home in Louisville.
Survivors include his daughter, Marilyn Belding of Louisville; sons, Kenneth Agent of Louisville and Norman Rush Agent of Ridgeland; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Ruby Hill of Jackson, La.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marzine Nowell Agent.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Shirley Ann Simmons
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Memorial services for Shirley Ann Simmons will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Johns Ridout's Southside Funeral Home Chapel.
Mrs. Simmons, 61, of Irondale, Ala., died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, in Birmingham.
Survivors include her sons, Daniel Webb and his wife, Tracey, of Irondale and Steven Webb and his wife, Hope, of Pinson, Ala.; a daughter, Rachel Callahan and her husband, David, of Meridian; eight grandchildren, Joshua, Jonas, Keshia, Tasha, Brannon, Alex, Chase and Ashley; brothers, Floyd Cardwell of Birmingham and Bobby Joe Cardwell of Columbiana, Ala.; sisters, Irene Bradshaw of Birmingham, Faye Headley of Brantleyville, Ala., and Ruth Franklin of Pleasant Grove, Ala.
Memorials may be made to U.A.B. Hospice.
James C. Burton
Lumber inspector
DEKALB Services for James C. "Brother" Burton will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at St. John Primitive Baptist Church in DeKalb with the Rev. Greg Watkins officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. E.E. McDonald Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Burton, 55, of DeKalb, died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2003, at Delta Regional Medical Center in Greenville.
Survivors include his daughter, Nicky Boyd; sons, Antonio, Terry and Michael Burton, all of DeKalb, and Allen Boyd of Chicago; Elias "Dad" Burton of DeKalb; two grandchildren; a brother, Sam H. Burton and his wife, Pearlie, of Meridian; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother and a brother.
Visitation will be today 1 p.m.-5 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mikel Monroe Brashier
Retired auto dealer
Services for Mikel Monroe Brashier will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Jason Bird officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mr. Brashier, 43, of Meridian, died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2003, at University Medical Center in Jackson. His love for his daughter and grandchildren was inspirational. His fiancee, Lisa, dedicated herself to his care and Mikel loved her for sticking with him where others would have left.
Among the loves of his life were his mother and grandmother. His greatest enjoyment came through auto racing. He enjoyed being a part of Riley Racing at local dirt tracks, following NASCAR races and collecting NASCAR replicas. He lived and breathed racing. He was his brother's best friend and inspiration.
Survivors include his daughter, Brandi "Niki" O'Mell and her husband, Chris, of Meridian; two grandchildren, Gage and Slade O'Mell; his mother, Eva Lou Brashier Pace of Meridian; a brother, Jimmy Brashier and his wife, Barbie, of Collinsville; nieces, Christy, Jessie, Ashton, and Amanda Brashier, all of Meridian, and Toni Haywood of Jackson; a nephew, John "Billy" Brashier and his fiancee, Lisa Stanton, of Meridian.