Obituaries for Friday, Oct. 24, 2003

By Staff
Homemaker
Graveside services for Mary Ann Thead will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Fellowship Cemetery in Bailey. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Thead, 59, of Hobbs, N.M., died Monday, Oct. 20, 2003, in her home.
Survivors include her mother, Daisy Dew of Quitman; daughters, Patricia Fresham of Hobbs and Carol Ann Rogers of Meridian; brothers, John Dew of Pearl, James Dew, Donald Dew, Willie Dew and Bobby Lafferty, all of Quitman and Jackie Dew of Hobbs; sisters, Elaine Reed of Hobbs, Kay Shivers of Pelahatchie, Hilda Ann Easterwood of Florida and Renee Perish of Ardmore, Okla.; four grandchildren, Johnathan Rodgers, Brandon Rodgers, April Gresham and LeRoy Gresham and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Thead, a son, Larry Gene Nelson; her father, John Dew; brothers, Bill Dew, Joe Dew and Jerry Jones.
Visitation will be today from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the funeral home.
Homemaker
Graveside services for Jessie Elizabeth "Betty" Taylor will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Magnolia Cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Taylor, 80, of Richmond, Texas, formerly of Meridian, died Monday, Oct. 20, 2003, in her home.
She was a former Pink Lady at Rush Foundation Hospital and was an avid golfer.
Survivors include her brothers, Van Peden, Rudolph Peden and Joe Peden; a daughter, Mona Conner and her husband, Jay Cook; a son, Wilson Conner and his wife, Barbara; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and a sister-in-law, Elizabeth Tatum.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Taylor.
Homemaker
NEWTON Services for Donna Jean Price Gibbon will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Dr. W.O. Seal, David Cowart and Dale Price officiating. Burial will be in Garlandville Cemetery.
Mrs. Gibbon, 70, of the Garlandville Community, died Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003, at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson. She was a member of Aimes United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Joe Gibbon Sr. of Newton; daughter, Jennifer Seal and her husband, Rob, of Meridian; sons, Joseph Gibbon Jr. and his wife, Juanita, of Soudan, Minn., David Gibbon and his wife, Kristi, of Middleton, Wis., Luke Gibbon of Hickory and Dan Gibbon of Garlandville; a brother, Robert Price and his wife, Nance, of Pittsburg, Pa.; grandchildren, Alicia Lustlin of Soudan, Minn., Jenna Seal and Hawk Seal, both of Meridian; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Dorothy Price.
Pallbearers will be Victor Coker, Greg Boggan, David Pitts, Wayne Johnson, Tim Dean, Gary Price, Dale Price, and Clarence Shimfessel. Honorary pallbearers will be Thomas McNeil and Buddy Rainer.
Visitation will be today from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Retired
Services for Cecil R. Sumrall will be held Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Magnolia Cemetery with the Rev. John Sweeney officiating. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.
Mr. Sumrall, 79, of Venice, Fla., formerly of Meridian, died Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003, in his home. He was born on Oct. 4, 1924 in Ovett, and moved to Venice, Fla., in 1997 from Meridian. He was a linesman for the Mississippi Power Company. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a Mason. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in World War II.
Survivors include his daughters, Diane Allen of Venice, Fla., and Sandra Grooms of Boise, Idaho; brothers, Morris of S.D. and Ferris of Meridian; a sister, Marie Newell of Meridian; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southwest Florida, 5955 Rand Boulevard, Sarasota, Fl 34238.
Visitation will be Saturday from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Columbus E. "Gene" Smith will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. George Pugh officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mr. Smith, 72, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include his wife, Annie Smith of Meridian; sons, John E. Smith and his wife, Dory, of Meridian, Columbus Lee Smith and his wife, Cecil, of Collinsville, Ind., and William L. Smith and his wife, Tiffany, of Columbus; a daughter, Gwendolyn Hawkins of Mobile, Ala.; step-daughters, Melissa LaShare and her husband, Charles, and Angela Boman and her husband, Dale, all of Meridian; step-sons, Bo Boutwell and his wife, Sabrina, and Wade Boutwell and his wife, Lucy, all of Meridian, and Michael Boutwell and his wife, Betty of Quitman; six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, 13 step-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren; his mother, Ruth Smith of Meridian; and a brother, Dennis Smith and his wife, Charie, of Vicksburg.
He was preceded in death by his father, Leslie E. Smith.
Visitation will be Friday 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Thomas C. Finley will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Galilee Baptist Church in Topton with the Rev. Willie Finley officiating. Burial will be in White Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Finley, 91, of Mobile, Ala., died Monday, Oct. 20, 2003, in Mobile.
Survivors include his wife, Lucille Finley of Mobile; a sister, Agnes O'Neal of Meridian; 13 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Homemaker
Services for Virgie Holton will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Roderick Smith officiating. Burial will be in Barker Cemetery in Marion.
Mrs. Holton, 91, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003, in her home.
Survivors include her sister-in-law and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.
Visitation will be today from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Joseph Bender, 73, of Pachuta, who died Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003, in his home.