Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
12:15 pm Tuesday, May 4, 2004

Obituaries for Tuesday, May 4, 2004

By Staff
Retired
Services for H. Joseph "Joe" Godeaux will be held today at 11:30 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Allen Singletary, Matthew Simmons and Sean Atkinson officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Godeaux, 83, of Meridian, died Saturday, May 1, 2004, at Riley Hospital. He was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church and an honorary member of Jones Memorial Presbyterian Church. He was a member of Meridian Moose Lodge No. 1628 since 1952. He achieved the highest degree of the order, The Pilgrim Degree of Merit. He was a member of Veteran's of Foreign Wars and retired from GM&O Railroad. He was owner of the Golf Shack. He was also served in the C.C.C., the Knights of Columbus and an amateur radio operator. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II. He was instrumental in the construction of the railroad museum at Montana's Restaurant.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Elois Taylor Godeaux of Meridian; a grandson, Joey Powell of Madison; a granddaughter, Cathy Powell of New Orleans; a brother, Jimmy Goudeau and his wife, Janice, of Meridian; step-children, Jimmy Taylor and his wife, Jenny Lynn, Rita Taylor Flint and her husband, Alan, and Pat Taylor and his wife, Danita, all of Meridian; 10 step-grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; a sister-in-law, Angeline Vance of Meridian; and a son-in-law, David Powell of Wildwood, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Willie "Vee" Greer Godeaux; and a daughter, Billie Powell.
Memorials may be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church, Moose Charities, Jones Memorial Presbyterian Church or a charity of choice.
Pallbearers will be Charlie Maggard, Tommy Black, Ted Burton, Larry Richards, Jimmy Crane and Jerry Wiggins.
Security supervisor Pinkerton's Detective Agency
BUTLER, Ala. Graveside services for Christian Germain "Chris" Thompson will be held today at 1 p.m. at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Bumpers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Thompson, 68, of Mobile, died Friday, April 30, 2004, at Mercy Medical Center in Mobile. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Survivors include his son, Christian G. Thompson III of Norcross, Ga.; and a daughter, Heather Lois Thompson of Butler.
Visitation will be today 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Bookkeeper
MCCOMB Services for Doris Faye Etheridge will be held today 3 p.m. at Catchings Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Harold Gartman officiating. Burial will be in Rushing Cemetery in Tylertown.
Ms. Etheridge, 67, of McComb, died Saturday, May 1, 2004, at Heartfelt Hospice in Meridian.
Survivors include her brothers, Cloy Etheridge and his wife, Mable, of Baton Rouge, La., Clarence Etheridge and his wife, Janice, of McComb and Harold Etheridge of Maurepas, La.; sisters, Willeen O'Quin and her husband, Larry, of River Ridge, La., and Jean Fortenberry Clark and her husband, Lenard, of Meridian; a sister-in-law, Shirley Bellevue Etheridge of Baton Rouge; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter Dave and Bernice Crawford Etheridge; a brother, Wilkie Dave Etheridge; and sisters, Bernell Etheridge Height and Glenda Etheridge.
Visitation will be today 1 p.m. until service time at the funeral home.
Homemaker
THOMASVILLE, Ala. Graveside services for Ruth Parker Whitley will be held today at 2 p.m. at Sweet Water Cemetery with the Rev. Rick Slingluff officiating. O'Bryant Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Whitley, 89, of Sweet Water, died Saturday, May 1, 2004, at Beverly Health Care-Broadmoor.
Survivors include her son, James Whitley of Collinsville; sisters, Carolyn Parker Lewis of Sweet Water and Eleanor Parker Crim of Monroeville; and one granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by her husband, T.J. Whitley.
Visitation will be today 11 a.m.-noon at the funeral home.
Retired from Ethyl Corporation
HATTIESBURG Services for Loyd Lyle Conerly will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Green Oaks Memorial Park Cemetery in Baton Rouge, La., at 4 p.m.
Mr. Conerly, 92, of Hattiesburg, formerly of Baton Rouge, died Sunday, May 2, 2004, at Forrest County General Hospital. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Wilkie S. Conerly of Hattiesburg; a daughter, Barbara Fortenberry and her husband, Rick, of Hattiesburg; a sister, Thyra Tafaro of New Orleans; a brother, Maxwell Conerly of Lawton, Okla.; and one granddaughter.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Millwright at James River Paper Mill
BUTLER, Ala. Graveside services for Paul Dean Cox will be held Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Butler City Cemetery. Bumpers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Cox, 69, of Butler, died Monday, May 3, 2004, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Survivors include his daughter, Kathy Cox Caldwell and her husband, Robert, of Butler; a half-brother, Jim Cox of Texas; and three grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bessie Marie Cox.
Visitation will be Wednesday 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Student
NEWTON Services for Dustan E. "Junior" Todd were held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Winnie McMahon and Wayne Campbell officiating. Burial was in the Chunky Cemetery.
Mr. Todd, 20, of Chunky, died Wednesday, April 28, 2004, in Hickory. He was a member of Chunky Baptist Church and a 2002 graduate of Newton County High School. He was a student at East Central Community College in Decatur. He was a member of Phi Theta Kappa at ECCC and was nominated for Who's Who in College Students, the National Dean's List, and he was an award winner for the United State Achievement Academy. He was an avid fisherman, hunter and loved golf and especially enjoyed being with his family and friends.
Survivors include his parents, David and Ann Todd of Chunky; a brother, Travis Todd and his wife, Brenda, of Hickory; his fianc, Yvette Richardson of Chunky; his grandmother, Ethel Cain of Chunky; grandparents, W.A. and Janie Todd of Hickory; a niece, Tanna Todd, and a nephew, Taylor Todd, both of Hickory; and several aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, E.L. Cain Sr.
Pallbearers were Jackie Knight, Kevin Mayes, Ricky Harrison, Matthew Jackson, Jamie Wright, Chris Ferguson, Jeremy Joiner and Matt Owens.
Honorary pallbearers were Polly Mayes, Casey Robinson, Samantha Partridge, Josh Sansing, Barry Nowell, Nick Meeks, Jabri Mapp and Jim Dilly.
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home for James E. Perice, 53, formerly of Porterville, who died Monday, May 3, 2004, at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Fla.

Also on Franklin County Times
Waterpark opens amid repairs, planned upgrades
Main, News, Red Bay, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 27, 2026
RED BAY — The Red Bay Waterpark has opened for the season with city officials approving fee increases and planning for upgrades following a record att...
Oliver secures his fifth term as sheriff
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Brady Petree, Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
May 27, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Incumbent Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver will remain in office for at least four more years after he overwhelmingly won re-elec...
Repairs are approved for PC Fire Engine 2
News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 27, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Councilmembers have approved up to $2,500 in repairs for a malfunctioning water tank gauge on Engine 2. Fire Chief Andy Marbutt said t...
Why every law that’s made is a moral choice
Columnists, Opinion
May 27, 2026
When the debate over vice laws, those governing drugs, gambling, or pornography, reaches the halls of our Legislature, a familiar, hollow cry rings ou...
Roxy presents ‘Murder in the Magnolias’
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
By Susie Hovater Malone Columnist 
May 27, 2026
One of the things I enjoy most about being involved with the historic Roxy Theatre is watching local people come together to create something fun for ...
TVA stays ‘in lockstep’ with energy needs
News
By Anthony Campbell For the FCT 
May 27, 2026
GUNTERSVILLE — Tennessee Valley Authority interim CEO Mike Skaggs knows that as north Alabama grows in population, so too will the demand for more ele...
Clark unseats Adcox for coroner’s post
News, Russellville
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
May 27, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Jeff Clark defeated incumbent Charles Adcox in the Republican primary for Franklin County coroner Tuesday night, winning 75.25% of the ...
Runoff for D-1 commission race is June 16
News, Russellville
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
May 27, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Residents of District 1 will have to wait a little longer to learn who their representative on the Franklin County Commission will be a...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *