Obituaries for Thursday, March 25, 2004

By Staff
He was an active member of Clarke-Venable Memorial Baptist Church in Decatur, where he served as a deacon and trustee. He was past president of the Mississippi State Exchange Clubs, past district governor of Exchange Clubs and recipient of the Golden Deeds Award presented to him by the Decatur Exchange Club in 1966. He was also past president of the East Central Community College Alumni Association and was named Alumnus of the Year for ECCC in 1968. He served as board attorney for ECCC for approximately three years.
Survivors include his daughters, Nancy Rector and her husband, Rick, of Petal and Elizabeth Woodward of Pensacola, Fla.; two grandchildren, Seth Rector and Jordan Rector; a brother, John L. Johnson and his wife, Imogene, of Augusta, Ga.; a sister, Ruth Bush of Jackson; and a special friend, Jimmie Parker.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lizzie Butts Johnson; and his parents, William Harvey Johnson Sr. and Lela Johnson.
Memorials may be made to Clarke-Venable Baptist Church building fund or the Decatur Cemetery Association.
Pallbearers will be Jimmy Dowdle, Mickey Medlock, George Hayes, Jim Ledlow, Melvin Tingle and Harvey Trapp. Honorary pallbearers will be members of his Sunday school class.
Business owner
YORK, Ala. Graveside services for Betty Cooper Gordy will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at York Cemetery. Bumpers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Gordy, 74, of York, died Wednesday, March 24, 2004, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a successful business woman who was devoted to her work and her family. She was the owner and operator of the Piggly Wiggly in York.
Survivors include her son, Paul W. Gordy and his wife, Peggy, of Meridian; a sister, Frankie Jones of Livingston; grandsons, Jason Gordy and Grant Gordy, both of Livingston; and a granddaughter, Amanda Gordy of Meridian.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul F. Gordy.
Pallbearers will be Ed Mason, Allen Green, Mike Webb, Gilbert Williams, Mike Gordy, Joel Gordy, Zane Winfield and Keith Gordy. Honorary pallbearers will be the employees of Piggly Wiggly.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Homemaker
SEBASTOPOL Services for Beauty Ann Willis will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at Pearl River Baptist Church with the Rev. Travis Willis officiating. Burial will be in Simon Isaac Cemetery. Milling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Willis, 61, of Philadelphia, died Tuesday, March 23, 2004, in her home.
Survivors include her daughters, Priscilla Williams of Conehatta and Abbie Vaughn of Irving, Texas; sons, Merrill Vaughn of Philadelphia, Neal Vaughn of Walnut Grove and Vandall Vaughn of Conehatta; brothers, George Isaac, Philmon Isaac, Williamson Isaac and Emerson Isaac, all of Philadelphia; sisters, Vanida Lewis of Walnut Grove and Arnedia Duplessie of Biloxi; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation will be today beginning at 7 p.m. at 150 Oswald Road.
Homemaker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Lillie Florence "Ann" Douglas will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at Ocobla Baptist Church in Philadelphia with the Revs. Keith Grubbs and John Stephens officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. John E. Stephens Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Douglas, 73, of Meridian, died Tuesday, March 23, 2004, at The Specialty Hospital of Meridian.
Survivors include her sister, Daisy P. Wheat of Meridian; a brother, Henry Moorehead of Bailey; a sister-in-law, Velma Moorehead of Philadelphia; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William C. Douglas.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Retired Colonial Bakery employee
Services for Ella Oneda Blackwell will be held Friday at 1:30 p.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Nick Nicholson officiating. Burial will be in Blue Springs Cemetery in Chunky.
Mrs. Blackwell, 72, of Meridian, died Wednesday, March 24, 2004, in Meridian. She was a member of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church and the WMU at Mt. Vernon.
Survivors include her husband, Sam Clifford Blackwell of Meridian; a son, Emory "Lee" Littrell and his wife, Cindy, of Meridian; a daughter, Dolly Ann Turner and her husband, Kent, of Suqualena; step-children, Clay Blackwell and his wife, Sue, of Florida and Becky Hancock and her husband, Terry, of Tennessee; sisters, Delois Burnett and her husband, Wavell, of Union and Hazel Mabry of Meridian; brothers, Huey Freeman and his wife, Glenda, and Leaverne Freeman, all of Meehan; a sister-in-law, Dorothy Freeman of Meridian; 12 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her brothers, Doris, D.L., Ray and Arthur Freeman; a step-son, Craig Blackwell; and a great-grandchild, Jonathan Peebles.
Pallbearers will be her nephews.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.