Obituaries for Friday, May 14, 2004

By Staff
Graveside services for Brendarius R. Blackshear will be held today at 11 a.m. at Mt. Olive Cemetery in Lauderdale with the Rev. Greg Williams officiating. Berry &Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Infant Blackshear, 2 months, of Meridian, died Saturday, May 8, 2004, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his mother, Latasha R. Jones; his father, Shade Blackshear; two brothers, Dupri Blackshear and Caleb Blackshear, all of Meridian; and his maternal and paternal grandparents.
Homemaker
BUTLER, Ala. Services for Clara May Collins will be held today at 1 p.m. at Bumpers Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jim Halliday officiating. Burial will be in Rest Haven Memorial Gardens in Butler.
Mrs. Collins, 82, of Butler, died Wednesday, May 12, 2004, in her home.
Survivors include a daughter, Rebecca A. Jackson of Butler; five sons, James Farley of Oneona, Jerome Farley of Birmingham, Leonard Farley and Gilath Collins, both of Port Royal, S.C., and Gilbert Collins of Boston; two sisters, Margaret Chapple of Birmingham and Betty Lou Johnston of Montevallo; 17 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
The family requests memorials be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to local hospice units.
Retired
NEWTON Services for Fay Martin Johnson will be held today at 2 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church with the Revs. Allen Gibson and Jerry Jones officiating. Burial will be in Bethel Cemetery. James F. Webb Funeral Home of Newton is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Johnson, 91, of Newton, died Wednesday, May 12, 2004, at Guardian Angel Hospice of Marion. She was a retired insurance clerk for a medical clinic and a member of Bethel Baptist Church.
Survivors include a brother, Lewell Martin of Lawrence; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter R. Johnson; and her parents, Lafayette and Laura Hammett Martin.
Visitation will be 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.
Homemaker
Services for Naomi Flowers Riley will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Michael Jones officiating. Burial will be in Union Baptist Cemetery in Clarke County.
Mrs. Riley, 91, of Meridian, died Wednesday, May 12, 2004, at Beverly Health Care. She was a longtime member of Highland Baptist Church and a graduate of Clara High School.
Survivors include a daughter, Julia Pittman Reece and her husband, J.L. "Bo" of Meridian; two grandsons, Jeff A. Pittman of Terry and Dr. Tracy B. Pittman and his wife, Melissa, of Ocean Springs; great-grandchildren, Josh, Katy, Kirsten, and Michael; brothers, Howard G. Flowers and his wife, Barbara, of Montgomery, Ala., and Guy Lavalle Flowers and his wife, Marion, of Petaluma, La.; sisters, Ernestine Bodie of Alabaster, Ala., and Dolly Welch of Quitman; a sister-in-law, Doris Brown of Quitman; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James F. "Jimmy" Riley; her parents, James G. and Claudie Stallings Flowers; a brother, Flavy Flowers; and a son-in-law, Homer W. Pittman.
Visitation will be today from noon until service time at the funeral home.
Former director of Meridian's Foster Grandparents Program
Services for Debi Kreutz Clark will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church with Father Kevin Slattery and Father Elvin Sunds officiating. Burial will be in Meridian's Catholic cemetery with James F. Webb Funeral Home in charge of local arrangements.
Mrs. Clark, 52, of Birmingham, Ala., died Tuesday, May 11, 2004. She was a native and longtime resident of Meridian. She retired as the director of the Meridian Foster Grandparents Program after 25 years of service. She a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church. She was the owner of the Quest Club and several other Birmingham area businesses.
Survivors include her son, John Kreutz and his wife, Julia; a daughter, Keri Hopkins and her husband, Kevin; grandchildren, Kevin Jr. and Kristen Hopkins, all of Hoover, Ala.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Clark; parents, William B. and Nellie Stafford; and a brother, Garland Reeves.
Memorials may be made to the Birmingham Aids Outreach or LOVE's Kitchen in Meridian.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the funeral home, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m.
Homemaker
CARTHAGE Services for Annie Frank Davidson will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at High Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Ray Files officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Wilcox Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Davidson, 90, died Thursday, May 13, 2004, at Neshoba County Hospital.
Survivors include three sons, Jimmy Davidson of Madden, Gerald Davidson of Meridian and Scott Davidson of Brandon; a brother, Jack Johnson of Baker, La.; eight grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Retired contractor and farmer
PHILADELPHIA Graveside services for Webb Riley will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at New Hope Cemetery with the Revs. Owen Gordon and Sam Hull officiating. Burial will be in New Hope Cemetery in Kemper County. McClain-Hays Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Riley, 84, of DeKalb, died Wednesday, May 12, 2004, at Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include three daughters, Sheron Riley of Biloxi, Sandra Purnell of DeKalb, and Jackie Scheffler of Borger, Texas; a son, Johnny Riley of DeKalb; eight grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; a sister, Jean Casey of Pearl; and a brother, Ray Riley of Grand Bay, Ala.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Emma Riley.
Visitation will be today from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.