Obituaries for Thursday, Jan. 29, 2004

By Staff
Retired teacher
Services for Emma Ruth Corban will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. David McIntosh, Jim Wall and Calvin Cosnahan officiating. Burial will be in Fayette Cemetery at 3:30 p.m. Friday.
Miss Corban, 97, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2004, at King's Daughters and Sons Rest Home. Miss Corban, the last surviving member of her family, was a native of Fayette and the youngest of six children to the late Judge and Mrs. Robert Lee Corban. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Mississippi.
Her 43 years of teaching included six years at Northwest Junior College in Senatobia and 37 years at Meridian Junior College. During her career at MJC, she served as chairperson of the division of social science from 1964 until her retirement in 1973. Miss Corban received the Junior College Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Service in 1977.
She was active in the field of alcohol education and taught the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program for 11 years. She was president of the Lauderdale County Council on Alcohol from 1971-1973 and played a key role in getting the Weems Mental Health Center in Meridian in 1975.
Miss Corban became the state coordinator of the Community Alcohol Awareness Program. She served as president of numerous organizations including Meridian Teachers Association, State Department of Classroom Teachers and the Mississippi Education Association.
In her leadership roles, she strongly encouraged legislators to enact laws to improve education in Mississippi. The Exchange Club of Meridian recognized her outstanding service to education by presenting her The Book of Golden Deeds Award.
Since 1939, she was a loyal and dedicated member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honorary society for women educators. Miss Corban was active on all levels within the society serving on local, state, national and international committees. She was the state president from 1950-1953 and local chapter president from 1994-1996. The Woman of Distinction Award was presented to her for her outstanding service.
Her interest in education did not end with her retirement. She was president of the Meridian-Lauderdale Retired Educators and was on the board of the Mississippi Retired Teachers Association.
In 1936, she became a member of Central United Methodist Church and became actively involved in all phases of church life. She was a member and frequent teacher of the Birdie Brooks class. Miss Corban served her church in numerous leadership roles at all levels.
Her life is a testament to her faith, integrity, strength of character and as all who knew her thank her for her lasting legacy. She left a tangible gift to her family by writing and publishing a book "Ellsmere," which contains a history of the R.L. Corban family in Jefferson County.
Survivors include her nieces, Lois Corban Akin of Jackson and Kathy Corban Gunn of Moss Point; nephews, Frank Corban of Rolling Fork, Harry Corban of Fayette, Larry Corban of Biloxi and Magruder Corban of Long Beach; 25 great-nieces and great-nephews, 52 great-great-nieces and nephews, and 11 great-great-great-nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by four nieces, Mamie Ruth Davis, Mildred Farr, Pattie Gunn and Ruby Lyon; and one great-nephew, Ed Farr.
Memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church, 1004 23rd Ave., Meridian, MS 39301; or the Emma Ruth Corban Endowment, Meridian Community College, 910 Highway 19 North, Meridian, MS 39307.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
TRENTON, N.J. Services for Walter Eugene Bowen will be held Friday at noon at Our Lady of the Divine Sheperd with the Rev. Edward Tetteh officiating. Anderson Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bowen, 61, of Trenton, formerly of Meridian, died Saturday, Jan. 24, 2004, at Mill House Nursing Home.
Visitation will be Friday 10 a.m. until service time at the church.
Retired from East Mississippi Electric Power Association
Services for Myra Franklin will be held Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Battlefield Baptist Church in Collinsville with the Revs. Willis Hales and Johnny Lee Robinson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Enterprise Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Franklin, 95, of Collinsville, died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2004, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Franklin of Collinsville; sons, Curtis Franklin of Fort Mead, Fla., G.L. Franklin of Collinsville, Mike Franklin and his wife, Sonya, of Mulberry, Fla., George Franklin of Beacon, N.Y., Thomas Franklin and his wife, Ollie, of Collinsville and Myra Franklin Jr. of Fort Mead; daughters, Dorothy Young and her husband, Eugene, and Barbara Avery and her husband, Arvell, all of Collinsville; a brother, Sallie Franklin of Shubuta; 13 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday 5 p.m.-6 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Victor V. Hearn will be held Saturday at 3 p.m. at Little Hope Baptist Church in Toomsuba with the Rev. Hinton officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hearn, 36, of Toomsuba, died Sunday, Jan. 25, 2004, in his home.
Survivors include his mother, Essie Cole of Chicago; a sister, Edith Hearn of Toomsuba; brothers, Elton Hearn of Toomsuba and Lashon Hearn of Jackson.
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home for Bessie L. Marsh, 89, of Meridian, who died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.