Survivors include his wife, Ann Baine Fortson of Madison; daughters, Susan Fortson York of Madison and Sally Fortson Treppendahl and her husband, Adolph W., of Woodville; sisters, Kathleen Fortson Tolbert and Sara Fortson Smith, both of Brandon; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

By Staff
He was preceded in death by his father, L.T. Fortson; and mother, Jewel Cox Fortson of Meridian.
Visitation will be will be Friday 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m. at the church.
Retired Mississippi Power Company
Services for L.H. "Barney" Barnhill will be held Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Dr. David Wood and Jamie Lamoreax officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Barnhill, 81, of Meridian, died Wednesday, March 5, 2003, in his home.
He was a member and past elder of Trinity Presbyterian Church. He was active in the Boy Scouts, Meals on Wheels, and past president of the Lauderdale Safety Commission. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served in World War II and the Korean Conflict.
Survivors include his sons, Richard Barnhill and his wife, Diane, of Brandon, Terry Barnhill and his wife, Kathi, of Monroe, La., and Michael Barnhill and his wife, Lory, of Houston, Texas; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; sisters, Myrtle Johnson and Nell Evans, both of Meridian, and Joan Bishop and her husband, Larry, of Nashville, Tenn.; brothers, Neil Barnhill and his wife, Fran, of Houston, Texas, James Barnhill and his wife, Pat, of Lauderdale, and Paul Barnhill and his wife, Susette, of Triangle, Va.; and a special friend, Willie Merle Reynolds of Meridian.
Memorials may be made to the Jeremy Barnhill Foundation for Christian Teens, P.O. Box 15052, Monroe, LA 71207 or a favorite charity.
Pallbearers will be Larry Johnson, Michael Johnson, Daniel Johnson, Randall Johnson, Ty Reynolds and Lynn Drake.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Homemaker
Services for Viola Coleman will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Peter United Methodist Church in Marion with the Rev. Kelvin Carter officiating. Burial will be in Barker Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Coleman, 65, of Meridian, died Monday, March 3, 2003, at Riley Hospital.
Survivors include her daughters, Ava Roundtree of Marion, Barbara Coleman of Detroit, Mary Coleman and Martha Coleman, both of Meridian; sons, Henderson Christian Jr. of Laurel, Jimmy Christian and Walter Coleman Jr., both of Detroit, and Columbus Coleman of Marion; sisters, Annie Louise O'Neil of New York and Louise Warren of Meridian; brothers, Fred Warren and Pete Warren, both of Meridian; 21 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday 1 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Cosmetologist
Services for Joann Grace Sparrow will be held Saturday at noon at East Mount Moriah Church with the Rev. Bennie Hopkins officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Latimer Metropolitan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Sparrow, 57, of Lauderdale County, died Sunday, March 2, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include her mother, Rosie Mae Grace and her husband, James Sparrow, both of Meridian; sons, Donnie Lashawn Sparrow of Meridian and Timothy Johnson of Tampa, Fla.; sisters, Jennifer Gowdy of Lauderdale, Daisy Jimmerson of Meridian and Sarah Carter of Detroit; brothers, Jimmy D. Grace, Willie Grace, Dewey Grace and James Grace, all of Meridian; and six grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday 2 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Sawmill plant employee
DEKALB Services for O.C. "Jeff" McCoy will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Simmon Ridge Baptist Church with the Rev. Roosevelt officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. E.E. McDonald Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McCoy, 82, of Bailey, died Saturday, March 1, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include his sisters, Ethel Gordon of DeKalb and Rosie Mae Mathis and her husband, Willard, of Willacoochee, Ga.; brothers, Willie Joe McCoy of Bailey and Milton McCoy of Meridian; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two siblings.
Visitation will be Friday 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at E.E. McDonald Community Chapel in Meridian.
Homemaker
Services for Margaret Johnson will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at St. Mary Baptist Church with the Rev. Tony Burks officiating. Burial will be in Zion Hill Cemetery. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Johnson, 52, of Meridian, died Monday, March 3, 2003, at Guardian Angel Hospice.
Survivors include her husband, Robert Johnson; daughters, Shelia Bester, Wanda Crowell, Teresa Tucker and Prisciala Crowell, all of Meridian; a son, Raymond Crowell of California; step-daughters, Hester Johnson and Tessie Johnson, both of Enterprise; 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Visitation will be Friday 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
MONROEVILLE, Ala. Services for John J. Wiggins will be held Friday at Johnson Funeral Home Chapel.
Mr. Wiggins, 78, of Monroeville, died Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian.
Arrangements were incomplete at Clark's Memorial Funeral Home for Fred Brown, 63, of Collinsville, who died Wednesday, March 5, 2003, in his home.
Arrangements were incomplete at Clark's Memorial Funeral Home for John A. Thedford, 62, of Meridian, who died Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.