Obituaries for Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003

By Staff
Retired carpenter
PHILADELPHIA Services for Morris Rudolph Matthews will be held today at 10 a.m. at John E. Stephens Chapel with the Revs. John Stephens and Lyn Chesney officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
Mr. Matthews, 78, of Philadelphia, died Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2003, at Rush Specialty Hospital in Meridian. He was a U.S. Army veteran where he served in World War II.
Survivors include three daughters, Gwen Welburn of Jackson; Diane Johnson and Beverly Ann Agent, both of Philadelphia, two sons, Danny Charles Matthews and Morris Dewayne Matthews, both of Philadelphia; one sister, Kathleen Mabry of Meridian; one brother, Clark Matthews of Philadelphia; nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mattie Grace Matthews.
Retired
Graveside services for Ruby S. Stephens will be held today at 10 a.m. at Duffy Baptist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Davey Wilkinson officiating. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Stephens, 75, of Meridian, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003, at Beverly Healthcare Center. She was a retired telephone operator for South Central Bell Telephone Company.
Survivors include her son, Aubrey Stephens; grandchildren, Deidra Stephens and William Stephens, all of Cold Water; and a brother, Gene Seals of Norwood, La.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Ellis Stephens.
Retired heavy equipment operator
QUITMAN Services for Andrew Jackson Shirley will be held today at 11 a.m. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Clay Chancelor officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Wright's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Shirley, 73, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local No. 653.
Survivors include his wife, Voncille Shirley; a daughter, Kelly Shirley; a brother, Hollis T. Shirley, of Snell; sisters, Lola Mae Till of Fairhope, Ala. and Larue Harris of Riderwood, Ala.; and two grandchildren, Brandon Turner and Whitney Turner, both of Snell.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John Doy Shirley Sr. and Nancy Smith Shirley; a brother, J.D. Shirley; sisters, Thelma Harrison and Velma Langston.
Pallbearers will be Bobby Koonce, Van Fleming, Ronnie Parten, Billy Joe Jay, Dr. Michael Locke and Carl Long. Honorary pallbearers will be the members of the Clarke County Road Crew.
Homemaker
Services for Nema Gaddis Corey will be held today at 1p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Carl White officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Corey, 93, of Meridian, died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at The Regency Hospital of Meridian.
Survivors include her sons, Dr. Marion W. Corey and his wife, Nancy, of Kansas City, Mo., Lyle V. Corey Jr. and his wife, Nellrose, of Grenada and Robert E. Corey and his wife, Patsy, and Alfred E. Corey and his wife, Paulette, all of Meridian; a daughter, Rachel Hardee of Monroeville, Ala.; grandchildren, Mark Corey, Scott Corey, Nanette Woods, Celeste Corey, Vernon Corey, Janet Kincard, Brenda Shelton, Bob Corey, Steve Corey, Marsha Hodo, Eddie Abdeen, Jason Corey, Nema Hinchey, Melanie Spooner, Courtney St.Onge, and Justin Hardee; and 20 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lyle V. Corey Sr.; parents, Eugene and Mary Catherine Gaddie; brothers, Hines Gaddie, Truman Gaddie, Leon Gaddie, Rooker Gaddie and sisters, Annie King and Donnie Bryant.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons.
Visitation will be today from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the funeral home.
Homemaker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Dessie S. McCown will be held today at 2 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Revs. Dr. Lavon Boatner and Scotty Boatner officiating. Burial will be in Mars Hill Cemetery in Winston County.
Mrs. McCown, 90, of Philadelphia, died Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2003, at Neshoba County General Hospital in Philadelphia.
Survivors include her daughters, Ilene Spears of Pelahatchie and Hilda Franklin of Union; a son, Glynn McCown of Jupiter, Fla. six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Lessie Burroughs and Zola Black both of Louisville, Willard Ingram of McCool and Zona Burchfield of West Memphis, Ark.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Edward McCown.
Homemaker
MACON Services for Christine B. Beasley will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Macedonia United Methodist Church near Shuqualak with the Revs. Bobby Joe Butler and Del Blackmon officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Cockrell Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Beasley, 79, of Shuqualak, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003, at Noxubee General Hospital in Macon. She was a member of Macedonia United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her two daughters, Ann White and Eddie Pearl Fox, both of Shuqualak; eight grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Preston Beasley.
Visitation will be today from 6:30 p.m. -9 p.m. and 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.
UNION Services for Joseph Dale Golden will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Stephens Funeral Home Chapel in Union with the Revs. Junior Price and Larry Yates officiating. Burial will be in the Zion Church of God cemetery in Sebastopol.
Mr. Golden, 57, of Philadelphia, died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at his home near Dixon. He was employed with Peco Foods of Mississippi.
Survivors include his mother and step-father, Margaret Price and Marzine Price, both of Philadelphia; a sister, Margaret Jane Asbil of Langster, Texas; three sons, Samuel Curtis Golden of Oklahoma; and Charles David Golden and Michael Dale Golden, both of Ector, Texas; and four grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Edward Golden.
Visitation will be today from 4:30 p.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday two hours prior to the service at the funeral home.