Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
3:41 am Saturday, November 3, 2001

OBITUARIES FOR SATURDAY, NOV. 3, 2001

By Staff
THOMAS EARL LEWIS
Crane operator
QUITMAN Services for Thomas "Tommy" Earl Lewis will be held today at 3 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Methodist Church with the Revs. Kenneth Ray Owen and Ray Daniel officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery in Jasper County with Wright's Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Lewis, 53, of Enterprise, died Thursday, Nov. 1, 2001, at Heartfelt Hospice in Meridian. He was born on Aug. 19, 1948, and raised in Rose Hill. Mr. Lewis worked 27 years in Venice, La., as a crane operator and four years at Burlington Industries. He was a veteran of Vietnam.
Survivors include his wife, Dian Lewis of Enterprise; a son, Johnny Irby III and his wife, April, of Pachuta; two daughters, Lynn Dickerson and her husband, Billy, and Jessica Irby, all of Enterprise; three brothers, Leonard Lewis and his wife, Mary Francis, Preston Lewis and his wife, Mazie, and James H. Lewis and his wife, Shirley, all of Rose Hill; four sisters, Emma Hammrick of Stonewall, Martha Jane Welborn and her husband, Johnny, of Quitman, Christine Owen and her husband, Ray, of Enterprise and Wanda Sue Morris and her husband, J.B., of Laurel; seven grandchildren, Meagan Irby, Matt Irby, Mindy Sullivan, Daniel Dickerson, Cody Dickerson, Summer Irby and Brooke Irby.
Visitation will be today 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.
FRANCIS PALMER JAQUA
Retired U.S. postal employee
Graveside services for Francis Palmer Jaqua will be held today at 3 p.m. at Magnolia Cemetery with the Rev. Robert Horel officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Jaqua, 79, of Meridian, died Friday, Nov. 2, 2001, at Rush Foundation Hospital. He was a retired U.S. postal employee, a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Meridian and a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Loraine Jaqua of Meridian; a daughter, Susanne Johnson and her husband, Bill, of Meridian; a son, David Jaqua and his wife, Joy, of Memphis, Tenn.; three stepchildren, Diane Guy and her husband, Pat, of Mobile, Ala., Ginger Cooper and her husband, Ron and Johnny Hill both of Meridian; a sister, Rosalyn Brantley of Meridian; a brother, James Jaqua of Jackson; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be grandsons and a nephew.
Visitation will be today from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
R.L. WILSON
Produce driver
SEBASTOPOL Services for R.L. Wilson were held Wednesday at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Burial was in Wilson and Willis Cemetery in Carthage. Milling Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wilson, 46, of Philadelphia, died Saturday, Oct. 27, 2001, at Neshoba General Hospital.
Survivors include a son, Fabian Wilson of Kings Bay, Ga.; three sisters, Shirley Cotton, Brenda Wilson and Carolyn Steve, two brothers, Vincent Wilson and Norman Wilson, all of Philadelphia; an uncle, and several nieces and nephews.
JAMES M. GREGORY
Retired bus driver for
City of Meridian
Services for James M. Gregory will be held today at 11:30 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Robert Horel officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery in Bonita.
Mr. Gregory, 95, died Thursday, Nov. 1, 2001, at Guardian Angel Hospice. He was a native of Sumter County, Ala., and a resident of Meridian for more than 65 years. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church and a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Survivors include two sons, Bill Gregory of Dalewood and Tom Gregory of New Orleans; a daughter, Margaret Suggs of Scottsdale, Ariz.; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at the funeral home.
ZULA JOE BELL
Homemaker
SEBASTOPOL Services for Zula Joe Bell will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Sandy Hill Baptist Church in Philadelphia, with the Revs. John Joe Farve and John Lee Gibson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Milling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Bell, 77, of Philadelphia, died Friday, Nov. 2, 2001, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include three sons, James Joe Bell, Jimmy Bell and Ronnie Bell; three daughters, Lillie Wallace, Linnie Bell and Sandra Willis; and a sister, Roma Bell all of Philadelphia; and six grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Homer Bell and two sons.

Also on Franklin County Times
First Metro Bank donates $250K to hospital
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville Hospital has received a $250,000 donation from First Metro Bank through a state tax credit program. “All rural hospitals a...
PC grad had role in Artemis II launch
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
By Bernie Delinski and María Camp 
April 8, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Noah Williams stood in a grassy field at Kennedy Space Center on April 1 about seven miles from the Artemis II launch pad. It was the ...
Locals react to US’s 10-day space flight
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Rocky Stone, former Russellville High School principal, called last week’s Artemis II launch a “milestone” in the United States’ space ...
Gray hired as UNA director of bands
News
Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
FLORENCE — Joseph Gray has been named the next director of bands for the University of North Alabama. He will also serve as an associate professor of ...
Students take part in ‘Adulting 101’ event
Franklin County, News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – About 200 Franklin County high school seniors took part in an “Adulting 101” event at the Franklin County Career Technical Center in Be...
Kiwanis Club returns; Key Club planned
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 1, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The Kiwanis Club has returned to Russellville. Members gathered last week at Calvary Baptist Church to review bylaws, elect officers an...
Bridge work moves forward on SR 243
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
April 1, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Construction of a new bridge over Cedar Creek on SR 243 is moving forward as crews recently completed a major step in the project. Last...
Neighbors steps down as chairman of Democrats
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 1, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Rick Neighbors has stepped down as chair of the Franklin County Democratic Executive Committee, citing personal commitments he said no ...

Leave a Reply

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