Obituaries for Friday, Jan. 2, 2004

By Staff
Services for Joseph Franklin "Frank" Pevey will be held today at 1 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Harold Pounders and Jason Davis officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church Cemetery.
Mr. Pevey, 73, of the Damascus Community in Kemper County, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003, in his home. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a military policeman in the Korean Conflict. He was a Blue Grass musician who was well known in the area for playing the mandolin, fiddle and guitar. He loved playing Blue Grass music.
Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Eleanor Pevey, of Damascus; a daughter, Betty Jo Bishop and her husband, Paul, of Collinsville; sons, Joseph Pevey Jr. and his wife, Marcia, of Biloxi and Britt Allen Pevey and his wife, Lisa, of DeKalb; grandchildren, Shonna Viner and her husband, Shane, of Grenada, Brandon Bishop and his wife, Jill, of Tupelo and Corey Bishop of Collinsville, Megan Pevey and Leslie Pevey, both of DeKalb; a sister, Rosie Lee and her husband, Lavell, of Picayune; half-brothers, Billy Briggs, Norman Briggs and Don Briggs; half-sisters, Florence Barnett, Leila Barnett, Arbudella Stockstill, Yolanda King and Doris McBeth and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph P. Pevey and Bertha Pevey Briggs and a sister, Geneva Lee Gilry.
BILOXI Grand Lodge graveside services for Cecil Aaron Thorn will be held today at 1 p.m. at Magnolia Cemetery in Meridian. Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Thorne, 104, of Ocean Springs, formerly of Greenwood and Meridian, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004. He was Past Grand Secretary/Recorder of the Grand Masonic Bodies of Mississippi. He served the Masonic Fraternity in its Meridian office from 1961 until he retired in 1975.
Survivors include his granddaughter, Pat East and her husband, Butch, of Ocean Springs; a great-grandson, Mike East and his wife, and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Emma Rovenhorst Thorn; a son, Cecil Aaron Thorn Jr.; and a grandson, Charles Alan Thorne.
DEKALB Services for Ella Boren Puckett will be held today at 2 p.m. at Bay Springs Baptist Church in Kemper County with the Revs. Martin Snowden and Docky Honeycutt officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Puckett, 87, of the Townsend Community in Kemper County, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004, at Riley Hospital in Meridian. She was a life long resident of the Townsend Community and was a homemaker and loving mother. She was a loyal friend to many and a blessing to all who met her. She was a member of Bay Springs Baptist Church.
Survivors include her children, Bolie C. Puckett Jr. and Carroll Puckett , both of Porterville, Linda Hathcock of Baton Rouge, La., Harry Puckett of Madison and Mary Foster of Water Valley; sisters, Pearl Collier and Margie McLain, both of Meridian; and two brothers, Att Boren of Meridian and Bolie Boren of Townsend; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bolie C. Puckett Sr.; her parents; and seven siblings.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.
Services for Willie E. "W.E." Foster will be held today at 2 p.m. at Stephens Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Thomas Broadhead and Dr. Thad Moore officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Foster, 78, of Meridian, died Friday, Jan. 2, 2004 at Guardian Angel Hospice. He was a retired owner of Meridian Fruit and Produce. He was a member of Poplar Springs Drive Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Opal Foster; two daughters, Elaine Foster of Meridian and Lynette Foster of Florence; a son, Billy Foster and his wife, Bonnie; a sister, Mayme Prevost of Tupelo; five grandchildren, Melissa Foster and Josh Foster, both of Meridian, Barry Madison of Laurel, Bryan Madison of Philadelphia and Byron Madison of Meridian; and three great-grandchildren.
The family requests memorials be made to Poplar Springs Drive Baptist Church Building Fund.
Visitation will be today from noon-2 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Doris Marie Hollingsworth Boler will be held today at 3 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. David Meadows officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Boler, 78, of Meridian, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004, in Meridian. She was a retired T.G.&Y. Customer Service Representative. She was a member of Druid Hills Methodist Church.
Survivors include her sons, Jack Boler and his wife, Kay, of Hoover, Ala., Donald Boler and his wife, Jacque, of Morristown, Tenn., Howard Boler and his wife, Crystal, of Meridian; grandchildren, Stephanie Menees and her husband, Jeremy, Chris Boler of Morristown, Tenn., Bo Boler, Derik Boler and Misty Boler, all of Meridian, Kimbraly Boler and Ashley Boler, both of Birmingham, Ala.; three great-grandchildren; a friend, Gary Huffmaster and his wife, Donna, of Meridian; sisters, Mattie Lou Butler and Francis Richardson; brothers, Dale Hollingsworth, Woody Jones and his wife, Debbie; and a sister-in-law, Clarice Hollingsworth; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Houston Lavon Boler, sisters, Betty Elzey and Effie Mae Hollingsworth; her parents, Grover and Lula Hollingsworth and a brother Wallace Hollingsworth.
Memorials may be made to Druid Hills United Methodist Church.
Pallbearers will be Chris Boler, Derek Boler, Bo Boler, Jeremy Menees, Gary Huffmaster and Ricky Reynolds.
Graveside services for William Martin "Billy" Laird will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Ridge United Methodist Church cemetery with the Revs. Jason Gross and Hal Bates officiating. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Laird, 51, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003 at Rush Foundation Hospital. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Collinsville, he served in the U.S. Army Reserves and was a parts salesman at O'Reilly's Auto Parts.
Survivors include his son, William Ray Laird of Virginia; a grandson, Dylan Laird; granddaughter, Delaney Laird, both of Collinsville; a brother, Sidney Ray Laird and his wife, Nita, of Illinois; and a special friend, Mildred "Lisa" Boykin of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ott "Jack" Laird and Erline Scarbrough Laird.
Pallbearers will be Lamar Griffin, Dudley Gressett, Kline Gressett, Kenneth Gressett, Billy Max Gressett, and Riley Scarbrough.
Honorary pallbearers will be O'Reilly's Auto Parts employees, Bumpers to Bumpers Auto Parts employees, Jonathan Smith and Diane Smith.
The family requests memorials be made to Pleasant Ridge United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund.
Visitation will be held today from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.