Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Published 7:10 am Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Dennis L. Sciple

Retired law enforcement officer



MACON — Services for Dennis L. Sciple will be held today at 10 a.m. at Calvary Baptist Church in Macon with the Rev. Greg Duncan officiating. Burial will be in Salem Baptist Church Cemetery in Preston. Cockrell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Sciple, 79, of Macon, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, at Noxubee County General Hospital in Macon. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

Survivors include his son, James Sciple; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and three sisters.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother.



James Rudolph Laird



UNION — Services for James Rudolph Laird will be held today at 10 a.m. at Hebron Baptist Church in Little Rock with the Revs. Harold Laird and James McMillan officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Laird, 88, of Little Rock, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, in his home.

Survivors include his wife, Dorris Laird; a son, James R. “Ricky” Laird Jr.; one grandson and two sisters.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and six brothers.



Ruby Pearson



PHILADELPHIA — Services for Ruby Pearson will be held today at 10 a.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Rev. Scott Boatner officiating. Burial will be in Emmanuel Cemetery in Neshoba County.

Mrs. Pearson, 92, of Philadelphia, died Monday, Aug. 28, 2006, at Hospice in His Hands in Leake County.



Oscar Euel Fleming

Retired



Services for Oscar Euel Fleming will be held today at 1 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Robert Horel officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Mr. Fleming, 84, of Meridian, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, at Poplar Springs Nursing Center. He was of the Baptist faith.

Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Mae Fleming of Meridian; sons, Tommy Fleming and his wife, Evelyn, of Poplarville, Ronnie Fleming and his wife, Teresa, of California, Tony Fleming and his wife, Debbie, of Tupelo, Michael Jay of Meridian and Danny Jay and his wife, Trish, of Chicago; a daughter, Carolyn Fields of Meridian; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Kathleen Anthony and a brother, Grover Fleming.

Pallbearers will be Bobbie Dees, Eddie Watkins, Elvin Jones, Roger Jones, Greg Townsend and Bobby Ray Branning.



Lettie Sanders

Homemaker



Services for Lettie Sanders will be held today at 2:30 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Clovis Lewis officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Mrs. Sanders, 61, of Meridian, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, at Guardian Angel Hospice.

Survivors include her husband, John W. Sanders I of Meridian; children, Gary Brown of Sylvania, Ala., John W. Sanders II and his wife, Kristi, Donna Fairchild and her husband, Larry, and Elizabeth Sanders, all of Meridian; brothers, Vester Doggett and his wife, Lily Mae of Meridian, Gene Doggett and his wife, Pat, of Texas, Marty Doggett and his wife, Claudie, of Hattiesburg, Edward Doggett and his wife, Jeanette, of Orlando; sisters, Doris Morgan of Butler, Ala., and Geneva Clay and her husband, Mike, of Meridian; special friends, Irma Porter, Peggy Taylor, David Hearn and J.H. Brown Sr.; grandchildren, Monica Brown, Jason Sanders, Gary Brown II, Dakota Brown, Evangeline Hearne, Dalton Sanders, Jarrett Hearne, Zachary Sanders, Brianna Stewart and Logan Sanders; three step-grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Vester and Arlettie Doggett; a brother, Webster Doggett; sisters, Pauline Bishop and Dorothy Miller.

Pallbearers will be Sam Bishop, Jerry Bishop, Howard Brannon, Greg Lashley and Larry Fairchild II.



Timothy Shane Billy

Delta catering employee



PHILADELPHIA — Services for Timothy Shane Billy will be held today at 3 p.m. at Hopewell Baptist Church with the Rev. Eddie Johnson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. John E. Stephens Chapel Funeral Services is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Billy, 19, of Forest, died Friday, Aug. 25, 2006, in Forest.

Survivors include his mother, Darlene Wishork; step-father, George Wishork; one sister and one brother.

He was preceded in death by his father

Visitation began Monday in the family home.



Mamie H. Woodfin

Homemaker



MACON — Services for Mamie H. Woodfin will be held today at 3 p.m. at Cockrell Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Doug Herring and Bobby Joe Butler officiating. Burial will be in Mashulaville Cemetery.

Mrs. Woodfin, 92, of Starkville, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, in her home.

Survivors include her daughter, Doris Pearson; sons, Thomas Woodfin and Jimmy Woodfin; nine grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren and one sister.

Visitation will be today one hour prior to the service at the church.





John Thomas Sherman

Retired



JACKSON — Services for John Thomas”Tom” Sherman will be held Wednesday at 3 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson. Burial be in Lakewood Memorial Park Cemetery. Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Sherman, 89, of Jackson, formerly of Meridian, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson.

He was born on Dec. 13, 1916, in Memphis, Tenn., where he spent most of his childhood years. His family moved to Meridian and he graduated from Meridian High School in 1934. He attended the University of Mississippi from 1934-1938 graduating with a bachelor’s degree in commerce. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.

After graduating from Ole Miss, he worked in Meridian as an accountant for Robert H. Crook, CPA, and remained there until joining the U.S. Navy in 1942. He served as a Navy Lieutenant in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. His ship, LST 628, participated in the Lingayen Gulf Landing, Jan. 9, 1945, and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, in May 1945. His ship had orders to invade Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped. LST-628 earned two battle stars for World War II service. He was released from active duty in April 1946.

After the war, Mr. Sherman moved to Jackson and worked for the Mississippi State Tax Commission. He served as chief of the Tobacco, Beer and Privilege Department until his retirement in 1982, after more than 36 years. He also worked part time for the MSTC Federal Credit Union as an accountant for 42 years, from 1949-1991.

He was an active member of First Presbyterian Church and the Brotherhood Sunday school class of which he was a member for more than 50 years. He enjoyed gardening, reading and spending time with his family and granddaughters. He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and was always a gentleman.

Survivors include his daughter, Sally Brown and her husband, Will; granddaughters, Bonnie Sherman Brown and Shellie Louise Brown, all of Jackson; a sister, Norma Sherman Woodward of St. Simon’s, Ga. and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 41 years, Augusta Louise Thompson; a sister, Mary Jane Harmon of Meridian and his parents, John Thomas Sherman and Mary Allen McBride of Meridian.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Expansion Fund, 1390 N. State Street, Jackson, MS 39202, Palmer Home for Children, P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703 or to French Camp Academy, One Fine Place, French Camp, MS 39745.

Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home and Wednesday 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.



Martin D. Rushing

Retired



Services for Martin D. Rushing will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Stephens Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.

Mr. Rushing, of Birmingham, Ala., died Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006, at Brookwood Medical Center. He was born on May 22, 1923, in Neshoba County to Irving and Eunice Rushing. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in World War II. He married Lorraine Roesch of Mankato, Minn., on Feb. 5, 1944, in Long Beach, Calif.

He retired from BellSouth in 1984, in Meridian after more than 37 years. He was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church for more than 34 years before moving to Birmingham in 2005. He was a member of the Telephone Pioneers and the Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Lorraine Rushing; his daughters, Mary Ann Konzelman and her husband, Dave, of Memphis, Tenn. Betty Rivers and her husband, Dusty, of Birmingham; his son, Donald Rushing of Atlanta; grandchildren, David Konzelman and Michael Konzelman, both of Memphis, Tod Rivers and Ashley Rivers, both of Birmingham and Stacey Rivers of Hattiesburg; a brother, Bernard Rushing and his wife, Johnnie, of Batesville and a sister-in-law, Mary Lou Rushing of Olympia, Wash.

He was preceded in death by his brother, James Rushing.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.



Cora Lee Thomas



Services for Cora Lee Thomas will be held Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Pine Grove Baptist Church in Bailey with the Rev. Devertis Savage officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Thomas, 71, of Meridian, died Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.

Visitation will be Wednesday from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.



Latonia Johnson



Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Latonia Johnson, 34, of Meridian, who died Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006, in Laurel.



Joe L. Yarrell



Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Joe L. Yarrell, 69, of Meridian, who died Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, at The Specialty Hospital of Meridian.



Robert Hersey



Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Robert Hersey, 60, of Meridian, who died Monday, Aug. 28, 2006, at Rush Foundation Hospital.



Roosevelt Shoemate



Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Roosevelt Shoemate, 81, of Meridian, who died Monday, Aug. 28, 2006, at Riley Hospital.