Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
12:00 pm Saturday, December 30, 2000

OBITUARIES FOR SATURDAY, DEC. 30, 2000

By Staff
CARTIS L. MASSENGALE
Retired Navy veteran
CARTHAGE Services for Cartis L. Massengale were held Tuesday, Dec. 19, at Wilcox Funeral Home with the Revs. John Adams and Chris Hollingsworth officiating. Burial was in Freeny Cemetery.
Mr. Massengale, 72, of Freeny, died of cancer Sunday, Dec. 17, 2000, in his home. He was a resident of Newton County until he moved to Freeny in 1989. He was a member of New Bethel Primitive Baptist Church and loved to play the fiddle. He was a retired Navy veteran who served in the Korean Conflict aboard the U.S. Hamul.
Survivors include his wife, Irene Massengale of Freeny; two brothers, Wilbur Massengale and J.C. Massengale, both of Union; three sisters, Zara Ricketts of Union, Mildred Waugh of Chesapeake, Va., and Shirley Covington of Iverness, Fla.; three step children, Jimmy Williams, Donna Long and Woody Herrington; five step grandchildren; three nieces, four nephews, seven great nieces, four great nephews and one great-great niece; and several friends and neighbors.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Alvis L. Massengale and Nellie Belk Massengale, and a brother, Hubert A. Massengale.
Pallbearers were Micheal Power, his nephew, and friends from Freeny.
MILDRED RATCLIFF HEDGPETH
Homemaker
Services for Mildred Ratcliff Hedgpeth were held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. John Kaufman officiating. Burial was in Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Hedgpeth, 85, of Bailey, died Monday, Dec. 25, 2000, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was born in Obadiah and lived there until adulthood. After her marriage, she moved to Meridian, residing there until her return to Obadiah in 1965. Mrs. Hedgpeth was an active member of Fellowship Baptist Church for many years. She lovingly kept the children in the church nursery until health problems forced her retirement. For many years, she cared for children in her home. Mrs. Hedgpeth was a member of and attended Wesley United Methodist Church with her daughter and son-in-law until her death. She was a gracious lady and was greatly loved by her family, friends, neighbors and customers of Little Acre, with whom she enjoyed talking with.
Survivors include a daughter, Rita H. Morse, and her husband, Bob, of Bailey; a grandson, John J. Morse of Memphis, Tenn.; a son, John Wayne Hedgpeth of Bailey; two grandchildren, John Wayne Hedgpeth Jr. of Bailey, and Lauren Hedgpeth of Atlanta; and a great-granddaughter, Casey Kay Hedgpeth of Bailey.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John P. Hedgpeth, and her parents O.P. Ratcliff and Naomi Shepard Ratcliff.
Pallbearers were Grady Joe Richardson, Mike Ratcliff, Zane Riddle, Todd Ratcliff, Ray Dennis Whitaker and Harlyn Whitaker.
Honorary pallbearers were nephews and great-nephews.
KERMIT F. MOORE
Retired carpenter
PHILADELPHIA Services for Kermit F. Moore were held Thursday at 2 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel. Burial was in Ebenezer Cemetery.
Mr. Moore, 75, of Carthage, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000, in his home. He served in the Navy during World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Edith Joy Moore of Carthage; two daughters, Elaine Johnston and Jackie Manuel, both of Pearl; two sons, Paul R. Moore and Phillip R. Moore, both of Carthage; two sisters, Byrdia McKinney of Philadelphia, and Lois Staten of Woodland; a brother, Arthur Ray Moore of Carthage; and eight grandchildren.
JOSEPH A. BASS
Carpenter
Services for Joseph A. Bass will be held today at 10:30 a.m. at Stephens Funeral Home with the Revs. Sam Hull and Charles DeVane officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mr. Bass, 70, of Meridian, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2000, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was born in Mineral Point, Mo. and served in the Army National Guard in the Korean Conflict. He was a business agent for Carpenters Local #2313 and an active member of East End United Methodist Church. Mr. Bass loved gardening. He was a Mason and a Shriner.
Survivors include his wife, Elsie Bass, and a son and daughter-in-in law, Joseph A. Bass Jr. and his wife, Susan, all of Meridian; three daughters, June Burge and her husband, Doug, of Picayune, Inga Bass of Meridian, and Sandra Fleming of Concord, N.C.; two stepchildren, Frank D. Besecke of Meridian, and John Baldridge of Forest; one sister, Sally Laws of Meridian; one brother, William Bass of St. Louis; six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
The family requests memorials be made to East End United Methodist Church.
Visitation will be today until the service at the funeral home.
DOROTHY M. DAVIS
Retired from Peavey Electronics
Services for Dorothy M. Davis will be held today at 11:30 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home with the Rev. Richie Ables officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mrs. Davis, 69, of Meridian, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2000. She was a member of the Church of God of Prophecy.
Survivors include a sister, Glenda Bacon of Lamont, Ill.; and two brothers, Ed Cardwell and his wife, Maggie, of Ward, Ala. and James Cardwell and his wife, Virgie, of Toomsuba.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James E. and Idella Cardwell, and a sister, Agnes Dawson.

Also on Franklin County Times
Safety, appearance shape cleanup operation
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 11, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE -- City crews have started working through a list of 11 unsightly properties as part of a cleanup and code-compliance effort. Mayor David...
NWSCC launches first nursing apprenticeship
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 11, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Northwest Shoals Community College has launched a paid nursing apprenticeship program with Decatur Morgan Hospital. The partnership co...
HB67 clears House
Main, News, Russellville
February 11, 2026
Rep. Jamie Kiel’s bill to prohibit the state from selling voters’ phone numbers for comm ercial purposes moved a step closer last week to final passag...
Clubs support American Heart Month
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
February 11, 2026
Most of us can name a family member or friend who heart disease has touched. I can. That is why heart health does not feel abstract to me. It does not...
Health care reform starts with insurers
Columnists, Opinion
February 11, 2026
Every president promises to fix health care, but the system rarely seems to change for the better. Even when so-called reforms pass, prices remain unp...
Community honors Army veteran Weidman
Franklin County, News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 11, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Veterans and community members gathered Feb. 2 at Pinkard Funeral Home to honor John Weidman, a U.S. Army veteran who retired as a staf...
Newspaper dresses create walk through fashion history
News, Phil Campbell, Phil Campbell Bobcats
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 11, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Students in Aleah Harris’ fashion classes created dresses from newspapers with each group picking a different decade. Senior Ava Hall ...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *