Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
9:12 pm Sunday, July 20, 2003

Obituaries for Sunday, July 20, 2003

By Staff
FOREST Services for Earnest Dodson Shaw will be held today at 2 p.m. at Hillsboro Baptist Church in Hillsboro. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Ott &Lee Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Shaw, 79, of Forest, died Friday, July 18, 2003, at Lackey Memorial Hospital in Forest.
Survivors include a son, Keith Shaw; and a daughter, Karen Shaw, both of Forest.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah Shaw.
Visitation will be today from 12:30 p.m.-1:15 p.m. at the funeral home.
PHILADELPHIA Services for Henry Lee Robertson will be held today at 3 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Mike Sullivan officiating. Burial will be in Sandtown Cemetery in Neshoba County.
Mr. Robertson, 91, of Philadelphia, died Friday, July 18, 2003, at his home. He was a retired heavy equipment operator for the Neshoba County Road Department.
Survivors include a son. Lamar Robertson of Philadelphia; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; two stepdaughters, Jane Smitherman and Susan Murphey; and three stepsons, Robert E. Jones, Billy D. Jones and Jack N. Jones, all of Philadelphia; 10 step-grandchildren; 12 step-great-grandchildren; and four sisters, Christine Richardson of Preston; Lorene White of Charlotte, N.C., and Alene Chatam and Verdine Jones, both of Ridgeland.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marlene Robertson, who died in June, 2003.
Graveside services for Joyce W. Willson will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Collinsville with the Revs. Jim Snowden and Travis McManus officiating. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Willson, 77, of Meridian, died Saturday, July 19, 2003, in her home. She was a retired nurse who had worked at East Mississippi State Hospital.
Survivors include a son, Pete K. Zmitrovich; and a daughter, Karen D. Mitchell, both of Meridian; two brothers, Harold Williamson and his wife, Louise, of Collinsville, and Victor Williamson of Lucedale.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Willson; her parents, John E. and Etta H. Williamson; and a son, Kevin Zmitrovich.
Visitation will be held today from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Paul D. Irby will be held Monday at 1 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Paul Earley, Jerry Lowery and Tommy Jones officiating. Burial will be in Hebron Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mr. Irby, 80, of Meridian, died Friday, July 18, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was a retired plumbing contractor for Irby Plumbing. A member of Hebron Baptist Church, he was a former member and longtime deacon at Southside Baptist Church. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Pacific. He was a member of the VFW, a member of the Masonic Lodge and an avid hunter.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia Irby of Meridian; a granddaughter, Felisha Powell and her husband, Ryan, of Meridian; great-grandchildren, Taylor and Conner Powell; a niece, Cathy Irby of Meridian; and a nephew, Edwin Boswell of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by a son, Paul Irby Jr.; his parents, Richard and Vernie Irby; two brothers, Ray Irby and Maurice Irby; and a sister, Martha Jean Irby.
Pallbearers will be Tommy George, Sam Keeley, Clyde Welker, Bill Rollins, Lambert Irby and Bobby Davidson.
Honorary pallbearers will be Harold Carlisle, Willie Hagwood, Billy Irby, Leonard Bennett, Bobby Joe Martin, and Butch Hawkins.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Also on Franklin County Times
Drone contraband is becoming a problem
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Area law enforcement officials say they support the idea of more authority to stop drones from delivering contraband into jails. Alabam...
Oliver: Too many children are being abused
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County deputies investigated 85 cases involving child and sexual abuse in 2025. “For a county the size of Franklin County, tha...
Sentencing delayed again in manslaughter trial
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Brandy Dowdy will have to wait even longer to learn how long she will serve in prison after her sentencing was delayed for the second t...
Garden club hosts plant, bake sale
Columnists, News, Red Bay
In the Community
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RED BAY — The Red Bay Garden Club held its annual plant and bake sale Saturday at the high school greenhouse to raise funds for projects across the ci...
Has the city on a hill lost its shine?
Columnists, Opinion
April 15, 2026
Ronald Reagan used the “Shining City on a Hill” as a metaphor for the United States as a beacon for freedom and democracy in the world. Joe Biden ofte...
Delta Kappa Gamma learns gardening tips
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
April 15, 2026
Our April meeting of Delta Kappa Gamma at Calvary Baptist Church in Russellville featured a lively and practical program by Trace Barnett, a native of...
TVA president, CEO announces retirement
News
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
Less than a year after he was named president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority, Don Moul told members of the board of directors he will be re...
Students’ art selected for State Capitol exhibit
News, Russellville
By Maria Camp camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The art of three Russellville Elementary School students is on display at the Alabama State Capitol through April 28. Khloe Ball, a fou...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *