Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
7:21 pm Tuesday, October 29, 2002

Survivors include his wife, Dolores Thomas of Meridian; daughters, Mona Haskins and her husband, Kenny, and Becky Howard and her husband, Robby, all of Meridian; a son, Rick Thomas and his wife, Rita, of Meridian; his mother, Helen Riffle of Florida; brothers, Richard Thomas of Florida and Robert Thomas of Meridian; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

By Staff
He was preceded in death by his father, Orville Royal Thomas.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or a favorite charity.
Pallbearers will be Kenneth Haskins, Robert Howard, Curtis Thompson, Mardy McDonald, James Dominici, Derek Lasher, Eric Crago and Bobby Toms.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
LENA RUSSELL
Homemaker
Services for Lena Russell will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church in Clarke County with the Rev. Advil McKenzie officiating. Burial will be in James Chapel Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Russell, 90, of Quitman, died Saturday, Oct. 26, 2002, at H.C. Watkins Memorial Hospital.
Survivors include a daughter, Dorothy Crosby of Quitman; five grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband and parents.
Visitation will be today 7 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home in Quitman.
ELLIE MAE RAINER
Homemaker
NEWTON Services for Ellie Mae Rainer will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Aubrey Howard officiating. Burial will be in Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Rainer, 83, of Chunky, died Monday, Oct. 28, 2002, in her home. She was a member of Chunky Methodist Church, the church choir and Chunky Homemaker Club.
Survivors include her husband, James E. Rainer of Chunky; daughters, Delores Erwin of Lindale, Texas, and Loretta Evans and her husband, Terry, of Hickory; sons, James H. Rainer and his wife, Dale, of Philadelphia, Larry W. Rainer and his wife, Christie, and Charles L. Rainer and his wife, Penny, all of Hickory; a sister, Mary Bufkin of Hickory; seven grandchildren, James Erwin, Kathy Campbell, Terry Evans Jr., Kristina McMillan, Karen Beckham, Kim Anderson and Miranda Rainer; five great-grandchildren, Whitney Erwin, Lauren Campbell, Logan Beckham, Ashtan McMillan and LeAnn Anderson.
Memorials may be made to Horizon Hospice.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
CLAUDE E. SPELLER
Retired truck driver
Services for Claude E. Speller will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home with the Rev. Terry Anderson officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Speller, 68, of Meridian, died Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was a retired truck driver for Schneider National.
Survivors include his wife, Annie R. Speller of Meridian; daughters, Jacqueline McDowell and her husband, Bernard, of Jersey City, N.J., Martha Langston, Laura Bell and her husband, James, Vivian Tingle and her husband, David, and Jessie Houston and her husband, James, all of Russell; sons, Claude Speller Jr. and his wife, Yolanda, of Charlotte, N.C., Bobby Speller and his wife, Vickie, of Monroe, N.C., Gary Langston of Chicago, Lewis Langston and Ben Langston, both of Meridian; a sister, Bernice Stallings of New York, N.Y.; a brother, Richard Speller of Staton Island, N.Y.; 24 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Wednesday 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
CECILIA DEAN SCOGGIN
NEWTON Graveside services for Cecilia Dean Scoggin were held Monday at Midway Baptist Church Cemetery with the Rev. David Rives officiating. James F. Webb Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Scoggin, 53, of Newton, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2002, in her home.
Survivors include her mother, Nelda Dean Scoggin; daughters, Jane Baird Pope, Rachel Franc'sca Tijerina and Victoria Consqualla Tijerina; a son, Paul Cameron Tijerina; and her sisters, Carol Scoggin Lee and Donna Scoggin.
She was preceded in death by her father, Edward Scoggin.
Memorials may be made to Midway Baptist Church.
FREDA HOLDINESS FOSTER
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for Freda Holdiness Foster, of Meridian, who died Monday, Oct. 28, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
FRANK BECK
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Frank Beck, 89, of Meridian, who died Saturday, Oct. 26, 2002, at VA Medical Center in Jackson.
ANNIE WILHITE
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for Annie Wilhite, of Kemper County, who died Monday, Oct. 28, 2002, in her home.
JEANNIE MCCOY
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home for Jeannie McCoy, 67, of Meridian, who died Saturday, Oct. 26, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
ANNIE CATHEY
Arrangements were incomplete at Stephens Funeral Home for Annie Cathey, of Meridian, who died Monday, Oct. 28, 2002, at Hospice Ministries.

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 ...
Protect local deposits which power growth
Columnists, Opinion
April 8, 2026
Most conversations about new digital payment tools often miss a crucial reality: When money exits community bank deposits, local lending is directly i...
Meeting highlights service, awards
Columnists, News, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
April 8, 2026
Members of the GFWC Book Lovers Study Club reported more than $2,700 was raised for community causes, and the chapter received multiple awards during ...
Waypoint Church hosts Easter egg hunt
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Waypoint Church held an Easter event at Sloss Lake Friday afternoon. The free event included photos with the Easter bunny, music (inclu...
Band turns life’s stories into songs
Features, News
Chelsea Retherford For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
For the band OTIS, the road isn’t just for touring and performance. Between shows, in parking lots and back rooms, the band gathers stories from the p...

Leave a Reply

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