Obituaries for Monday, Sept. 29, 2003

By Staff
Retired owner Watkins Trim Shop
Services for Virgil C. Watkins will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Keith Grubbs and Bill Webb officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Watkins, 72, of Meridian, died Saturday, Sept. 27, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
He was a member of Midway Baptist Church and served as deacon and Sunday school teacher. He was a veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Jennie Watkins of Meridian; sons, Mickey Watkins and his wife, Jeanie, of Jackson and Tim Watkins and his wife, Kristi, of Meridian; sister, Peggy Cumberland and her husband, Roy, of Lauderdale; a brother, Billy Watkins and his wife, Glenda, of Meridian; grandchildren, Mandy, Katie, Lori Beth, Jake, Miller and Merrick; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his son, William Mark Watkins, parents, Chester Clay Watkins and Ann Watkins Shults and a sister, Dot Jones.
Pallbearers will be Howard Watson, Robert Pierce, James Davidson, Jim Thompson, Jimmy Arledge, Pruitt Smith, Dale Nicholas, and Danny Miles.
Honorary pallbearers will be the deacons and members of the Fellowship Sunday school class of Midway Baptist Church.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Regions Bank branch manager
BUTLER, Ala. Services for Helen Hamby will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Bumpers Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Buddy Braddock officiating. Burial will be in Corinth Cemetery.
Mrs. Hamby, 74, of Toxey, died Saturday, Sept. 27, 2003, at Cogburn Health Center in Mobile.
Survivors include her daughter, Janet Hillman and her husband, Rod, of Semmes; a sister, Beatrice Hearn of Nashville; two granddaughters; step-sons, Lavon Hamby and Billy Ray Hamby and a step-daughter, Ann Hamby.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Retired librarian
JACKSON Services for Loula Zell McKay Ray will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Northside Baptist Church in Clinton. Burial will be in Trinity Mausoleum at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland. Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ray, 75, of Clinton, died Saturday, Sept. 27, 2003, in Jackson.
Survivors include her daughter, Gloria Ray Crittenden and her husband, John of Maryville, Tenn.; two grandchildren; brothers, Bobby McKay of Louisville, Richard McKay of Preston and a half sister, Gladys Carr Sullivan of Louisville.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Ovin Caston Ray.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home and Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church.
Retired school administrator
JACKSON Services for Dr. Ovin Caston Ray will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Northside Baptist Church. Burial will be in Trinity Mausoleum at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland. Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Dr. Ray, 76, of Clinton, died Saturday, Sept. 27, 2003, in Jackson. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in World War II.
Survivors include his daughter, Gloria Ray Crittenden and her husband, John, of Maryville, Tenn.; two grandchildren; a brother, Olen E. Ray and his wife, Ann, of Brandon; a sister, Ora Mae Balentine of Weir and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Loula Zell McKay Ray.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.
Restaurant worker
Graveside services for Marjorie "Margie" Whitaker Morgan will be held Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Magnolia Cemetery with the Revs. Earl Wheatley and Jim Harrison officiating. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Morgan, 94, of Meridian, died Saturday, Sept. 27, 2003, at Beverly Healthcare Broadmoor. She was a member of Central United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her sons, Lenard "Sonny" Morgan and his wife, Ruth, of Meridian and Lynwood "Bubber" Morgan and his wife, Shirley, of Upland, Calif.; grandchildren, Sharon Mathews and Jimmy Morgan, both of Meridian, Marilyn Smith of San Bernadino, Calif., Randy and Larry Morgan of San Clemente, Calif. and Louise Forney of Grand Junction, Colo.; nine great-grandchildren, including, Josie Mathews of Meridian and one great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lynwood and Frankie Whitaker; a sister, Frances; a son, Billy Morgan; grandson, Bill Morgan and a great-grandson, Gabriel Goodson.
Pallbearers will be Fred Henderson, Jere Gunn, Jackie McLimore, Harold Catlett, Robert Goss, Sammy Foy, Jimmie Townsend and Joe Boswell. Honorary pallbearers will be Simon Watson, Dr. Stephen Tartt, Dr. Donald Adler, Dr. Todd Clayton, Tommy Hampton and Howard Beeland.
Visitation will be Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Homemaker
Memorial services for Aileen Wiggin will be held Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Robert Horel officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Episcopal Church Cemetery in Portsmouth, R.I. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Wiggin, 100, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles B. Wiggin.
Retired from Chata Enterprises
SEBASTOPOL Services for Tommie Jean Billy will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. from Mt. Zion Indian Baptist Church in Carthage with the Rev. Eugene Tubby officiating. Burial will be in Old Mt. Zion Cemetery. Milling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Billy, 69, of Carthage, died Saturday, Sept. 27, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include her daughter, Alice Dixon and her husband, Samuel, of Carthage; a daughter-in-law, Zonie Parkhurst of Oklahoma; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her son, James William Billy.
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for John W. Ellis, 83, of Meridian, who died Sunday, Sept. 28, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.