Obituaries for Monday, May 5, 2003

By Staff
Retired aircraft machinist
UNION Services for Donald Ervin Taylor were to be held today at 10 a.m. at Milling Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Steve Moore officiating. Burial was to be in New Ireland Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mr. Taylor, 63, of Conehatta, died Saturday, May 3, 2003, at Heartfelt Hospice in Union. He was a member of Conehatta Baptist Church and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was a loving husband, father and friend to all.
Survivors include his wife, Afton Taylor of Conehatta; sons, Don R. Taylor of Conehatta and Billy Taylor of Union; a sister, Rebecca Alexander of Duffee; brothers, James Taylor of Birmingham, Ala., and Eddie Taylor of Pensacola, Fla.; his mother, Helen Taylor of Newton; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Gary Taylor.
Retired insurance auditor
Services for James W. "Jimmy" Stone Jr. will be held today at 11:30 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Allen Singletary officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mr. Stone, 77, of Meridian, died Friday, May 2, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was a member of Jones Memorial Presbyterian Church where he served as deacon. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Moose Lodge. He was a veteran of the Fifth U.S. Marine Corps Division, 28th Regiment, Second Battalion. He served in Hawaii March-August, 1945 and in Japan from September 1945 to July 1946. He was a 1950 graduate of the University of Alabama. He retired after more than 35 years with USF&G.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Eloise Braddock Stone of Meridian; two sons, John Scott Stone and his wife, Deborah of Eutaw, Ala., and James Marcus Stone and his wife, Diane, of Columbus; four grandsons, Matt Stone, Kevin Stafford, and Justin and Christopher Smith; a sister-in-law, JoAnn Braddock of Meridian; a niece, Tracy Jones of Harrisonburg, Va.; two nephews, Chuck and Andy Braddock of Meridian; and several great-nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James W. Stone and Eunice Harris Stone.
The family requests memorials be made to Jones Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Pallbearers will be Bill Warren, Lytle Stewart, Fred Moring, Dwight Callens, Heyward Dillard and Paul George.
Honorary pallbearers will be men of the Jones Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Retired school teacher
MACON Service for Bess Ellison Ferris will be held today at 1 p.m. at Macon Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Phillip Palmertree officiating. Burial will be in Oddfellows Cemetery in Macon. Cockrell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ferris, 84, of Macon, died Friday, May 2, 2003, at West Meade Place in Nashville, Tenn.
Survivors include her sons, Robert Ellison Ferris of Nashville and William Lawrence Ferris Jr. and his wife, Lisa, of Mt. Juliet, Tenn.; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today one hour prior to the service at the church.
Homemaker
Services for Lottie Sims Ford will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Paul Earley and Helman Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Ford, 86, of Meridian, died Saturday, May 3, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital. She was a member of Glad Tidings Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Survivors include her sisters, Willard Stewart of Meridian and Roberta Maggard of Grand Bay, Ala.; a special nephew, Ray Butler and his wife, Bobbie, of Meridian; a special friend, Faye Latham of Meridian; a brother-in-law, Lamar Ford and his wife, Elberta, of Meridian; sisters-in-law, Mamie Mathews of Rhode Island and Faye Ford of Meridian; several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gilder Ford; parents, Mollie and R.K. Sims; a brother, Robert Wilson Sims; and a sister, Venila Davidson.
Pallbearers will be W.M. Grasom, Benton Latham, Lynn Latham and Dewitt Singleton.
Visitation will be Tuesday 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Retired owner of Belmont Grocery
DEMOPOLIS, Ala. Services for Frances Spidle Hale will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Old Belmont Church with the Rev. Scott Jones officiating. Burial will be in Old Belmont Church Cemetery. Kidd Robbins Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Hale, 82, of Livingston, died Saturday, May 3, 2003, at Baptist Monte Clair Medical Center in Birmingham.
Survivors include her daughters, Glenda Gilbert and her husband, David, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Gloria Martin and her husband, Chad, of Palmerdale, Ala.; a sister, Elizabeth McCormick of Belmont; brothers, John J. Spidle, James D. Spidle and Ted Spidle, all of Belmont; two grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.