His overseas tour included Korea and Panama. He further stood out from his peers by receiving NCO of the year in 1984, attended the Senior NCO School in residence at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.

By Staff
In 1992, he was promoted to the highest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, that of chief master sergeant. During his career he obtained associate's degrees in applied science in occupational technology from Vernon Regional College and applied science in aircraft accessory systems technology from the Community College of the Air Force.
He received his bachelor's degree in occupational education from Wayland Baptist University.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara; children, Chris D. Alford (USMC) of 29 Palms, Calif., and Sherry D. Alford; brothers, Willie Alford and his wife, Gloria, of Louisiana, Jimmie R. Alford and his wife, Rita, of Florida, Eddie Alford and his wife, Diann, Gary Alford and his wife, Penny, Jerry Alford and his wife, Katie, and Lemarcus Alford, all of Mississippi; sisters, Lillie Griggs and her husband, Rufus, Ella Winford and her husband, Leo, all of Mississippi; sisters-in-law, Linda F. Smith of Texas and Sharon R. Smith of Louisiana; a brother-in-law, the Rev. Charles R. Smith and his wife, Beverly, of Louisiana; grandchildren, Jean Taylor, Taylor Alford, Tiffani Alford, Chris N. Alford and Charles E. Alford II; 10 aunts, three uncles, several nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends and comrades-in-arms.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home in Meridian.
ELLA BELL TAYLOR CLARK
Homemaker
Services for Ella Bell Taylor Clark will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Rush Cemetery.
Ms. Clark, 52, of Meridian, died, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2002, at Riley Hospital.
Survivors include her two sisters, Johnnie Will Hardy of Meridian and Shanta Clark of Detroit; a brother, Donnie Clark of Detroit; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Visitation will be Friday 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
DR. SANDRA KING YOUNG
Psychologist in the U.S. Navy
Services for Dr. Sandra King Young will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Newell Chapel Methodist Church with the Revs. Kevin Carter and Gerald Hudson officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Dr. Young, 36, of Germantown, Md., died Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.
Survivors include her husband, Arthur Sandy Young of Germantown; a stepson, Armand Young of Santee, Calif.; her parents, Zeno King Sr. and Mary Alice King of Meridian; four sisters, Sylvia Cole and her husband, John, Marilyn Ivy and Pamela Odom and her husband, Stanley, all of Meridian, and Kathy Ruffin and her husband, Billy, of Marion; four brothers, Richard King and his wife, Linda, of San Francisco, Zeno King Jr. and his wife, Deborah, of San Bernadino, Calif., Gene King of Meridian and James Earl King and his wife, Melanie, of Gulfport.
Visitation will be Friday 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
DOROTHY TEMPEST MINCHEW PICKARD
Homemaker
Services for Dorothy Tempest Minchew Pickard will be held Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Long Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Tommie Jones officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with James F. Webb Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Pickard, 80, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include a brother, James Minchew and his wife, Lois; children, Jeanette Pickard Wilson, Louise Pickard Freeman, Gladys Pickard Davenport, Barbara Graham and Richard Pickard; grandchildren, Cheryl Pickard Gaskin and her husband, Kevin, Robert Arnold Pickard Jr., Delaney Pickard, Kim McCarty and her husband, Joel, Wanda Milstead and her husband, Scott, Brian Freeman and his wife, Darlene, Tony Freeman, Eddie Davenport and his wife, Liliana, Sharon Davenport Pickard and her husband, Brian, Susan Davenport Pickard and her husband, Juan Carlos, Kenny Graham and his wife, Kim, Amanda Brown and her husband, Donny, Nell Graham, Kathleen Graham, Kelly Dearman and her husband, Kevin, Will Pickard and Aimee Crawford and her husband, Glenn; great-grandchildren, Tracie Brannan, Nichols Brannan, Frank Freeman, Cassandra Freeman, Aliyah Freeman, Minda Moore, Nicolas Davenport, Anthony Ditmar, Ethan Brown, Kaylyn Dearman, Lynsey Dearman, Lauryn Crawford, Quinton Crawford and Wesley Crawford.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert H. Pickard; a son, R. Arnold Pickard; her parents, Dewey Lee and Ida Mae Minchew; brothers, Bill Minchew, Charles Minchew, Roy Minchew and Kenneth Minchew; and a sister, Cola Mae Minchew.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home and Friday 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at Mrs. Pickard's home.
SADIE BELL RUFFIN
Retired factory worker
Services for Sadie Bell Ruffin will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Fifth Street Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. W.C. Brown officiating. Burial will be in Salem Cemetery in Toomsuba with James L. Osby Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ruffin, 88, of Los Angeles, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2002, in Los Angeles.
Survivors include her daughter, Dorothy Graham Mathis and her husband, Joe, of Los Angeles.
Visitation will be Saturday one hour prior to the service at the church.
CHARLES R. CRAMPTON SR.
F.A. Hulett and Sons
Furniture Co. employee
Graveside services for Charles R. Crampton Sr. were held Saturday, Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. at Semmes Cemetery with the Rev. Jimmy Harrison officiating. James F. Webb Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Crampton, 60, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2002, in Meridian.
Survivors include his father, Roy E. Crampton Jr.; a brother, Roy E. Crampton III; sons, Charles R. Crampton Jr., Patrick S. Crampton and Christopher Michael Crampton; a daughter, Stephanie Crampton Buckley; and four grandchildren.
CHARLEY P. RAHAIM
Arrangements were incomplete at Wright's Funeral Home of Quitman for Charley P. Rahaim, 76, of Pachuta, who died Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
RUSSELL ADAMS
Arrangements were incomplete at Stephens Funeral Home for Russell Adams of Meridian, who died Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2002, in Meridian.