Obituaries for Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004

By Staff
Homemaker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Gladys Taylor Brown will be held Wednesday at 1 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Rev. Dwight Fleming officiating. Burial will be in Spring Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Brown, 96, of Philadelphia, died Monday, Jan. 5, 2004, at Neshoba County Nursing Home.
Survivors include her daughters, Florence Ryals, Betty Hall, Verley Richardson and Kate Dearing, all of Philadelphia, Dorothy Storey of Morton and Lucille Hodge of Forest; sons, Alwyn Brown, Roger Brown and Billy Brown, all of Philadelphia, and Hamett Brown of Moss Point; 32 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Madie Williamson; and a son, Earnest Brown.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Butler Flower Shop owner
BUTLER, Ala. Services for Eleanor Means Christopher will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Butler. Burial graveside service for the family will follow at Bethany Cemetery in Whynot, Miss. Bumpers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Christopher, 81, of Butler, died Monday, Jan. 5, 2004, in her home.
Survivors include her children, John Y. Christopher Jr. of Kingwood, Texas, Pamela C. Brilbeck of Naples, Fla., and Bryan S. Christopher of Columbus, Ga.; a sister, Clara Dee Turner of Mt. Sterling; and six grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Choctaw County Public Library or First United Methodist Church of Butler.
Visitation will be Wednesday beginning at noon at the church.
Services for James Roy Thompson will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery with Barham Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Thompson, 86, of Meridian, died Monday, Jan. 5, 2004, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Visitation will be Wednesday 4 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
A&H Tire Co. repairman
Services for Leroy Johnson Sr. will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at Mt. Olive Baptist Church with the Rev. Zachary Operton officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Johnson, 90, of Meridian, died Friday, Jan. 2, 2004, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include his wife, Thelma L. Johnson; a daughter, Rosetta Robertson and her husband, Charles; sons, Robert Johnson and his wife, Mildred, Lamar Johnson and his wife, Cassandra, and Leroy Johnson Jr. and his wife, Betty, all of Meridian; a sister, Louisa Hayden and her husband, Johnson, in Willowtree Nursing Center of Butler, Ala.; 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two brothers and a son.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Homemaker
MACON Services for Hazel Combs Flora will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Cockrell Funeral Home with the Rev. Roy Hawkins officiating. Burial will be in Shuqualak Cemetery.
Mrs. Flora, 101, died Friday, Jan. 2, 2004, in Athens, Texas.
Survivors include her son, Henry E. Flora Jr. of Murchison, Texas; a sister, Christine Combs Goodwin of Downey, Calif.; four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren and five great-great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry E. Flora; and a brother, Lamar L. Combs Jr.
Memorials may be made to Baptist Children's Village, P.O. Box 27, Clinton, MS 39060 or to Methodist Children's Village, P.O. Box 2589, Madison, MS 39130.
Visitation will be Friday one hour prior to the service.
Retired from Kerr McGee Corp.
James Eugene Griffith Sr., 78, of Meridian, died Monday, Jan. 5, 2004, in his home. No services will be held. His wishes were to be cremated and taken home to Wisconsin. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.
Mr. Griffith was a decorated veteran of World War II serving in the U.S. Army. He drove for Meridian Cab Company and was parts manager for Bills Small Engines.
Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Rosalie Griffith of Meridian; daughters, Joan Blythe and her husband, John, Micki Scruggs and her husband, Bill, and Mary Proctor and her fiance, Kenny Boone; a son, James Griffith Jr. and his wife, Polly; 10 grandchildren, Joel Griffith, Denny Bracken Jr., Melissa Bracken, Lola Blythe, William "Kit" Briggs Jr., Frank Briggs, Naomie Gilbert and her husband, William, James E. Griffith III, Justin Griffith and Joseph Griffith; and a great-grandson, Austin Gilbert.
The family requests memorials be made to Hospice South in Meridian or the Veteran's Association or Hospital.