Obituaries for Friday, April 9, 2004

By Staff
Dispatch deputy
Services for Shandy LaToya Bell-Hudson will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Fitkins Church of the Nazarene with the Rev. Dr. Charles Johnson officiating. Burial will be in New Hope Blackwater Baptist Church Cemetery. Enterprise Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Hudson, 24, of Meridian, died Tuesday, April 6, 2004, in Kemper County. She was born on April 8, 1979 to Angela. She united with Fitkins Church of the Nazarene at an early age, where she served faithfully. She attended Meridian Public Schools where she graduated in the class of 1997. Shandy was a dispatch deputy for the Kemper County Sheriff's office.
Survivors include her husband, Fredrick Hudson; her mother, Angela Bell; a brother, Jordan Cole; her mother-in-law, Lois Hudson; maternal grandparents, Dr. Charles and Shirley Johnson; aunts, Nikki Bell of Oakland, Calif., Amelia Portis and her husband, Michael, of Meridian, Sheryl Dixon and her husband, Reynaldo, of Jacksonville, Fla., Chris Callaham and her husband, Darryl, of Killeen, Texas, Janyce Spruill and her husband, Nigel, of Jacksonville, Fla., Sabrina Johnson, Tonya Austin and Amy Amerson, all of Meridian and uncles, Eugene Bell III of Jackson and Charles Johnson Jr. and his wife, Angela, of Russell and several cousins, friends, other relatives, in-laws and friends.
She was preceded in death by her maternal grandfather, Eugene Bell Jr.; great-grandfather, Eugene Bell Sr. and her great-grandmother, Geneva Hopson Bell.
Homemaker
Services for Gladys Spragg Ethridge will be held Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Bill Webb and Dr. Malcolm Lewis officiating. Burial will be in Arkadelphia Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Ethridge, 75, of Meridian, died Wednesday, April 7, 2004, at Aldersgate Retirement Center. She was a graduate of Meridian High School and worked as a secretary at Clarkdale High School, Arrowhead Clinic and the Statement Department at Citizens National Bank. She was a Pink Lady Volunteer at Rush Foundation Hospital. She was a Christian and member of Northcrest Baptist Church and will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Survivors include her children, Amy Ethridge Driskill and her husband, Wayne, and Mary Ethridge Griffis and her husband, Frankie, all of Meridian; grandchildren, Chris Ethridge and his wife, Laurel, of Meridian, Paige Ethridge Walton and her husband, Rusty, of Little Rock, Justin Keith Hike and Alexis Jordan Griffis, both of Marion; great-grandchildren, Logan Ethridge and Colin Ethridge; a sister, Lillian Plummer of Mobile, Ala.; nephew, William Craig Plummer and his wife, Julie, of Mobile and a great-niece, Hanna Plummer.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Robert Lee Ethridge; a son, Robert Walter Ethridge and her parents, William "Bill" and Mary Spragg.
Pallbearers will be Lewis Davidson, Billy Ray Ethridge, Chris Ethridge, Freddie Galyean, Danny O. Miles, Danny R. Miles, Craig Plummer, Flint Tedder and Howard Weathers.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service.
Homemaker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Nell Ward will be held today at 11 a.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Alex Lawson and Herschel Kilpatrick officiating. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery in Neshoba County.
Mrs. Ward, 71, of Soso, died Wednesday, April 7, 2004, at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel. She was born and reared in Neshoba County and lived in Meridian for a number of years. She had made her home in Soso for the past 23 years and was a member of Herbert Baptist Church.
Survivors include her daughter, Patricia Frierson and her husband, Darwin, of Pigeon Forge, Tenn.; sons, Mike Ward and his wife, Donna, of Collins; and Sammy Ward and his wife, Pam, of Gulfport; granddaughters, Amanda Ward of Gulfport; and Amy Ward of Collins; her grandson, Scott Ward of Collins; and her brother, the Rev. Herschel Kilpatrick and his wife, Carol, of Philadelphia.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charley Ward.
Pallbearers will be Scott Ward, Darwin Frierson, Willie Kilpatrick, Robert Kilpatrick, Reed Kilpatrick and David Kilpatrick.
Homemaker
Services for Lena Harper Riley will be held today at 2 p.m. at Union Baptist Church in Clarke County, with the Revs. Greg Massey and John Edwards officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Riley, 90, of Quitman died Thursday, April 8, 2004, in her home. She was an active member of Union Baptist Church.
Survivors include her daughters, Anna Jo Eldridge and her husband, Grady, of Houston, Ramona Balaski of Quitman and Sandra Cafalu and her husband, Joe, of Baton Rouge, La.; a son, James Ronald Riley and his wife, Kay, of Quitman; 13 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charlie Morris Riley.
Memorials may be made to The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering at Union Baptist Church.
Pallbearers will be Barry Eldridge, Chris Eldridge, Clay McLemore, Ryan McLemore, Joseph Cefalu, Robbie Riley, Alan Tibbetts, Bobby Knox, David Simth and Brach Parker. Honorary pallbearers will be Budd Mott, Billy Williams, Vivian Mathis, R.E. Williams, Earl Calahan, Everett Webster and Thomas Riley.
Visitation will be 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.
Veteran
SEBASTOPOL Services for Anthony William Martin will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church with the Rev. David Hamm officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Milling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Martin, 69, of Choctaw, died Thursday, April 8, 2004, at Choctaw Health Center. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Survivors include his sons, Anthony W. Martin Jr. of Philadelphia and Matthew G. Martin of Heidelberg; a brother, Phillip Martin of Choctaw; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Agnes Hazel Stephens Martin and a son, Raymond C. Martin.