Obituaries for Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2004

By Staff
HOUSTON, Texas Services for Richard Dunn Allen were to be held today at 10 a.m. at Ascension Episcopal Church with the Rev. Dr. Walter Ellis officiating. Burial was in Austin Memorial Park Cemetery in Austin, Texas. Memorial Oaks Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Allen, 41, of Houston, died Sunday, Jan. 25, 2004, in Big Springs, Texas. He grew up in Mississippi with many friends and a large close-knit family. He attended Mississippi State University where he was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He later graduated from the University of Texas at Austin School of Business with highest honors.
He had a very successful career in human resources and software. He was one of the first employees of Austin based Hire.com and was instrumental in the growth of the company. He had a heart for others and gave of himself generously to help homeless downtrodden people.
Rich loved the outdoors and was happiest hiking, backpacking and enjoying nature. He loved music, books, movies, and was a life long avid golfer, sports fan, trivia buff and a great cook. Rich was a compassionate, tender and loving son, brother, nephew and friend. He was an especially amazing uncle, called "Bubba" by his niece and nephew, and was a very important and active part of their lives. He was a very unique, special and loving person who will be dearly missed.
Survivors include his parents, Glenda and Glenn Forgan of Houston, and Robert Allen of Destin, Fla.; a sister, Lenee Ezell and her husband, Bruce; a niece and nephew, Nicole and Jonathan Ezell, all of Austin; grandparents Malcolm and Earline Hodges of Collinsville, and Margaret Forgan of Houston.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Edna and P.E. "Nick" Nicholson, and Glenn Forgan Sr.
Memorials may be made to the Richard Allen Memorial Fund, c/o N.A.M.I. Texas, 611 S. Congress Suite 430, Austin, TX 78704 or by calling (512) 693-2000.
Pallbearers were Wylie Hodges, Adam Hodges, Mac Hodges, Randy Hodges, Rick Hodges and Mark Hodges.
Retired Mississippi Department of Transportation comptroller
COLUMBUS Services for Russell R. Shepard will be held today at 2 p.m. at Nowell-Tilghman Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. James Lowery and Bernell Daniels officiating. Burial will be in Dry Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mr. Shepard, 85, of Preston, died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004, in his home. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Gladys Burrage Shepard of Preston; daughters, Nancy McBrayer of West Point, Barbara Wilkins of Brandon, Brenda Morgan of Jackson and Lynn Lott of Tifton, Ga.; a sister, Marie Conway of Newton; brothers, Clyde Shepard of Mobile, Ala., and J.E. Shepard of Louisville; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a grandson, Russell Wilkins.
Visitation will be today noon-2 p.m. at the funeral home.
Homemaker
UNION Services for Annie Laverne Morrow will be held today at 2:30 p.m. at Conehatta Methodist Church with Rev. Tommy Anderson and Sister Sarah Windham officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Morrow, 86, of Conehatta, died Monday, Jan. 26, 2004, in her home.
Survivors include her sons, Charles Hugh Morrow and his wife, Dorothy, Kendall L. Morrow and his wife, Charlotte, and Garry M. Morrow and his wife, Linda, all of Conehatta, and Harlan W. Morrow and his wife, Louise, of Brookhaven; six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Garlon Worth Morrow.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons and great-grandsons.
Visitation will be today 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the funeral home and 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. at the church.
Homemaker
Services for Martha Lynn Harris Todd will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. at Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Roger Burke and Phillip Gandy officiating. Burial will be in Chunky Cemetery.
Mrs. Todd, 64, of Chunky, died Monday, Jan. 26, 2004, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a member of First Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Gerald Todd and a daughter, Deborah Lynne Todd, both of Chunky; grandchildren, Jesse Brown and his wife, Ashley, of Byram, Justin Brown and his wife, Amber, of Oceanside, Calif., and Austin Brown of the U.S. Army; sisters, Jeanette Robinson and her husband, Tom, of Hickory and Marlene Benson and her husband, Brown; a brother, William Harris and his wife, Jo, all of Brandon; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Fulton Green Harris and Thelma Laurene Harris.
Pallbearers will be Chris Cochran, Jason Williams, Jonathen Thorne, David Thorne, Mike Harris, Mark Harris and Brian Brashier.
Honorary pallbearers will be J.C. McElroy Jr., Bob Stagner, Gus Lisi, Andy Fenn, Leland Caudill, John Dow, Howard Lockey and Dr. Bradley Kennedy.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.