Obituaries for Sunday, May 4, 2003

By Staff
Retired Air National Guard
Services for Ross O. Boykin were held Friday at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Byrd Hillman officiating. Burial was in Pine Forest Cemetery.
Mr. Boykin, 79, of Clinton, died Wednesday, April 30, 2003, at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland. He was a member of First Methodist Church of Clinton.
Survivors include his sons, Charles E. Boykin and his wife, Gena, of Brandon and Johnathon "Jody" Boykin and his wife, Bridgett, of Clinton; and three grandchildren, Amanda, Emily and Zachery Boykin of Brandon.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris Boykin.
Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association or the Leukemia Foundation.
Retired aircraft machinist
UNION Services for Donald Ervin Taylor will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Milling Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Jerry Germany and Steve Moore officiating. Burial will be in New Ireland Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mr. Taylor, 63, of Conehatta, died Saturday, May 3, 2003, at Heartfelt Hospice in Union. He was a member of Conehatta Baptist Church and a U.S. Navy veteran. From his family: "He was the most loving husband, father and friend to all."
Survivors include his wife, Afton Taylor of Conehatta; two sons, Don R. Taylor of Conehatta and Billy Taylor of Union; a sister, Rebecca Alexander of Duffee; two brothers, James Taylor of Birmingham, Ala., and Eddie Taylor of Pensacola, Fla.; his mother, Helen Taylor of Newton; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Gary Taylor.
Visitation will be today from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Retired railroad employee
Services for Ollie C. Yarbrough will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Hermese Broadhead and Rusty White officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Mr. Yarbrough, 90, of Meridian, died Thursday, May 1, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital. He was a retired engine foreman for Illinois Central Railroad and was a member of the United Transportation Union since 1955.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Yarbrough; and a daughter, Betty Knight, both of Meridian; a grandson, Robert Knight of Boyle; a granddaughter, Elaine Harris of Meridian; a great-grandson, Earl Hamilton; a great-great-granddaughter, Alexis Hamilton; two sisters, Elisabeth Baucum of Newton and Fredna White of Meridian; special friends and neighbors Ray Grayson and Shine Gray.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude H. Yarbrough and Cora Ann Raley Yarbrough; two brothers, Johnny and Leroy Yarbrough; and a sister, Nell Nause.
Pallbearers will be his nephews.
Visitation will be today from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. at the funeral home.
Homemaker
Services for Lena Dean will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church with the Rev. Elvin Sunds officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Cemetery. Berry &Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Dean, 78, of Meridian, died Thursday, May 1, 2003, at her home.
Survivors include a daughter, Betty Dean McGruder; a granddaughter, Yolanda Jones; and a great-grandson, Xavier Jones, all of Meridian; two brothers, Luther Dubose and his wife, Edna Earl, of Meridian and Norman Patton of Fort Worth, Texas; four sisters, Earnestine Kelly and Christine Brown, both of Meridian, Earline Collins of Enterprise and Betty Joe Burns and her husband, Gus, of Chicago; and two sisters-in-law, Hazel Patton of Meridian and Estel Dean Price of Collins.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Johnnie W. Dean; and her parents.
Visitation will be Monday one hour prior to the service at the church.
Homemaker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Barbara Divine will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Neshoba County with the Rev. David Hamm officiating. Burial will be in Tucker Cemetery in Neshoba County. McClain-Hays Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Divine, 67, of Lamar, Mo., died Wednesday, April 30, 2003, at Barton County Memorial Hospital in Lamar. She was born in Meridian but lived in Barton County since 1976. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lamar and was a volunteer worker in the Good Samaritan Shop in Lamar for 17 years. She was previously a volunteer worker for Parks and Recreation in Long Beach, Calif., for 14 years. She also worked for two years in housekeeping at O'Sullivan Industries in Lamar.
Survivors include her husband of 38 years, Robert Lee "Bob" Divine of Lamar; four daughters, Dottie Rucker of Houston, Texas, Sue Biby of El Dorado Springs, Mo., Liz Helvey of Lamar and Sherry Decker of Sikeston, Mo.; four sons, Lewis Divine, Allen Divine, and Andy Divine, all of Lamar, and Bill Divine of Rogers, Ark.; a brother, Richard Edward Switzer of Little Rock; 16 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William Edward and Lizzie Isabella Switzer; a brother, William Elmore Switzer; a sister, Eva Belle Switzer Duncan; and a brother-in-law, David Henry Duncan.
Visitation will be held today from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at the funeral home and Monday at 9 a.m. with Rosary at 10 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church.
Homemaker
SEBASTOPOL Services for Rachel Mae Watkins will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Morton United Pentecostal Church with the Revs. Dee Hughes and Lloyd Adcock officiating. Burial will be in Morton City Cemetery. Milling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Watkins, 47, of Morton, died Friday, May 2, 2003, at University Medical Center in Jackson.
Survivors include her husband, Mike Watkins; her mother, Mary Prestage; two stepdaughters, Rebecca Watkins and Latasha Holmes, all of Morton; nine sisters, Bonnie Scott and Ina Bryant, both of Carthage, Maggie Creel, Judy Carr, Patricia Shepard, Melissa Walley and Carol Mann, all of Forest, Liz Gonzales of Lake and Lorretta Petty of Cleveland; six brothers, Joe Fortenberry and Huie Prestage Jr., both of Carthage, James Moore of Forest, Luther Prestage of Lake, Arther Prestage of Morton and Earl Nicholson of Nevada, Texas; and six grandchildren.
Visitation will be today after 3 p.m. at Morton United Pentecostal Church and will continue until service time Monday.