Obituaries for Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003

By Staff
Retired photographer
Memorial services for Elmer G. Nettles will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Greenwell Springs Baptist Church in Greenwell Springs, La., with Barham Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Nettles, 75, of Meridian, died Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his daughters, Lauri Gentry and her husband, Lynn, of Canton, Texas and Cristi Jay Williams of Franklin, Tenn.; grandchildren, Hayley Williams and Zach Jay, Lachelle Gentry Caudillo, and Nicole Gentry; a sister, Betty Thibodeaux and her husband, Jimmy, of Baton Rouge, La.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William Wall Nettles and Sarah Mae Ritterman Nettles and a brother, J.T. Nettles.
PLANT CITY, Fla. Services for Rebecca Brookins will be held today at 10 a.m. at Charlow Funeral Chapel.
Mrs. Brookins, 60, of Plant City, died Thursday, Oct. 14, 2003, at South Florida Baptist Hospital. She was born in Poplarville, Miss. and was a resident of Meridian, Miss. for many years before moving to Plant City in 1998. She was a member of Calvary Gospel Tabernacle.
Survivors include her mother, Hattie Crowell McClelland, her son, Jason Brookins of Jackson, Miss.; two daughters, Lisa Brookins Mercer of Winter Haven; and Ava Brookins Reaves of Plant City; and five grandchildren.
Homemaker
Services for Saramel Repsher Crooks will be held today at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Meridian with the Revs. Raymon Leake and Buddy Petty officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Crooks, 82, of Meridian, died Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003, in her home. She attended Gulf Park College and was a lifetime member of the First Baptist Church, Women's Church Circle and the 20th Century Garden Club.
Survivors include two daughters, Saramel Crooks Evans of Jackson and Sally Crooks Holst of Atlanta; two granddaughters, Saramel Repsher Evans and Hannah Knighton Holst; a grandson, John Austin Evans III; and a special friend, Annice Williams.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Battle Crooks Jr.
The family requests memorials be made to the American Diabetes Association or the First Baptist Church.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Tom Singley, Bill Elliott, Michael Harper, Greg Williams, Dr. Paul Parker, Dr. Dan Singley III, Freddie Poitevent and Dr. Hank Singley.
Honorary pallbearers will be William "Bill" F. Kahlmus Jr., Thomas "Tommy" Hampton, Ernest E. Morrison, Walter Eppes, Joe Covington, Sonny Montgomery, and John Sumpter Thompson.
Services for Bradia Thedford will be held today at 11 a.m. at Pilgrim Rest Church in Porterville with the Rev. Cary McDonald officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Latimer Metropolitan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Thedford, 96, of Porterville, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 2003, in Porterville.
Survivors include her daughters, Annie Bell Wright of Chicago, Ivera Love of Meridian and Verna Louise McQuarters of Detroit and Mary Alice Wright of Lexington, Ky.; sons, the Rev. John L. Thedford of University City, Mo., Thomas Alton Thedford and W.C. Thedford, both of Porterville; sisters, Florida Lee Delk of St. Louis and Rebecca Helen Casson of Chicago; and a brother, Leonard Moore of Porterville.
Visitation will be today one hour prior to the services at the church.
Homemaker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Mary Seale Thomas will be held today at 11 a.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Fred Read officiating. Burial will be in Cookes Chapel Cemetery in Neshoba County.
Mrs. Thomas, 88, of Meridian, died Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003, at Beverly Healthcare Broadmoor in Meridian.
She was born and raised in Neshoba County and made her home there most of her life. She was a lifelong member of Cooks Chapel United Methodist Church in Neshoba County and attended Oakland Heights United Methodist Church after moving to Meridian in 1979 making many friends over those years.
Survivors include her daughter, Mary Ann Marshall and her husband, Sam, of Meridian; a son, Wayne Thomas and his wife, Janice, of Philadelphia; granddaughters, Martha Gore of Meridian and Jennifer Gressett of Lake; grandsons, Alan Marshall of Ashburn, Va., Scott Marshall of Meridian and Jeremy Thomas of Philadelphia; step-granddaughters, Amy Martin and Heather Irby, both of Philadelphia; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Thomas; her parents, William E. and Emma Seale; a brother, Billy Seale and sisters, Jewel Willoughby, Eugene Cooper and Tommie Kennedy.
Pallbearers will be Scotty Marshall, Alan Marshall, Jeremy Thomas, Tony Gore, Brad Gressett and Ted Marshall.