Obituaries for Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004

By Staff
Services for Mary Frances Helton will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Herbert Baptist Church with the Rev. Lynn Wedgeworth officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Helton, 68, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003 at Rush Hospital. She was retired from Avery-Dennison.
Survivors include her daughter, Faith Cross of Meridian; a son, James Love and his wife, Teresa of Lauderdale; eight grandchildren, Charlotte Love, James Daniel Love, Valerie Ainsworth, Dwan Fitzgerald, Nick Love, Justin Fitzgerald, Jessica Love and Malany Fitzgerald; five great-grandchildren; brothers, Howell Glenn Wedgeworth of Seattle, Willie Ray Wedgeworth of Meridian and Dan Wedgeworth of Flomation, Ala.; sisters, Hazel Green of Meridian, Dora Mae Wilson of Bailey, Claudia Ruth Burt and Lois Allen, both of Meridian, and Annie Jane DuBose of Birmingham, Ala.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Howell Jessie and Annie Ruth Wedgeworth, and a brother, Johnny Wayne Wedgeworth Sr.
Pallbearers will be Travis Allen, Donald Wedgeworth, Glynn Wedgeworth, Ken Wilson, Harold Glenn Green, Bo Green, John Wedgeworth and Tim Wedgeworth.
Visitation will be Friday from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home
Services for Alice Faye Dewitt Ulfers will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Harrison officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Ulfers, 63, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003 in Meridian. She was a member of Bonita Methodist Church and worked many years at Kay's Dress Shop.
Survivors include her husband, Joe Ulfers of Meridian; daughter, Laura Rodda and her husband, Mike, of Dallas; two grandchildren, Reagan and Morgan Rodda; her mother, Ulmalee Dodge and her husband, Mike, of Meridian; mother-in-law, Edwina Ulfers of New Orleans; and two step-sons, Kirt Ulfers and Keith Ulfers, both of New Orleans.
She was preceded in death by her father, Bernard Dewitt; and a brother, Bubba Dewitt.
Visitation will be held Friday from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
BUTLER, Ala. Graveside services for Hiram Lowell Brewer will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Rock Springs Cemetery with the Rev. William Gary Smith officiating. Bumpers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Brewer, 68, of Meridian, died Sunday, Dec. 28, 2003, in his home. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Survivors include his daughters, Johanna Fraiser of Meridian and Marie Chatham of Causeyville; brother, Huey Brewer of Meridian; sisters, Audrey Mae Constantine of Mobile and Artis Pierce of Meridian and Evelyn Bridges of El Paso, Texas and five grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
NEWTON Services for William "Rusty" Pearson will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Steve Robinson officiating. Burial will be in Newton County Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Pearson, 43, of Hickory, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003 in Hickory. He worked for Universal Ensco Co. He graduated from Hickory High School in 1978 and served four years in the U.S. Marines. He also attended East Central Community College.
Survivors include his wife, Gay Culpepper Pearson; three sons, Dusty Pearson, Lee Pearson and John Pearson; parents, Martha and Jerald Pearson, all of Hickory; two sisters, Gail Pierce and her husband, William, of Newton and Debbie Pearson of Meridian; brother, Jerry Pearson and his wife, Tina, of Meridian; and several other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be Saturday from noon-2 p.m. at the funeral home.
QUITMAN Services for Sammie Lee Edwards will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Spring Hill Baptist Church in DeSoto with the Rev. Herbert Walker officiating. Burial will be in New Hope Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Edwards, 57, of Shubuta, died Monday, Dec. 29, 2003 at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include five daughters, Ida Glenn of Enterprise, Olivia Edwards and Janice Edwards, both of Shubuta, Lynette Thornton of Laurel and Allison Walker of Quitman; four sons, Sammie Edwards Jr., Jeffrey Edwards, Jemel Robinson, all of Shubuta, and Marcus Robinson of Quitman; five sisters, Lorene McIntosh of Mobile, Ala., Inetta Edwards of New York, Donna Moss of Shubuta and Ruby Sellers of Indianapolis and Gracie Rogers of Meridian; and four brothers, Allen Edwards of Shubuta, Curtis Edwards Jr. of Cleveland, Ohio, Alfred Davis of Quitman and Eddie Edwards of Akron, Ohio.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be held Friday from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Fannie Clayton will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Haven Chapel United Methodist Church with the Rev. Timothy Thompson officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Olive Cemetery.
Mrs. Clayton, 87, of Meridian, died Friday, Dec. 26, 2003 in her home.
Survivors include her four daughters, Katie Campbell, Frances Brown, Hester Brown and Elizabeth Moultry, all of Ft. Worth, Texas; a son, Nathaniel Clayton; and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held Friday from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Graveside services for Hazel A. Knott will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Magnolia Cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Knott, 80, of Pensacola, Fla., died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003 in Pensacola.
Visitation will be Sunday from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at the funeral home.
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for William Martin Laird, 51, of Meridian, who died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003 at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home in DeKalb for Mattie B. Moore, 88, of Porterville, who died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003, at Riley Hospital.
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for Joseph Franklin "Frank" Pevey, 73, of the Damascus Community in Kemper County, who died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003 at his home.