Thursday, August 23rd, 2007
Published 9:40 pm Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Rev. James Ellis Gresham Sr.
Retired
Services for James “Brother Jim” E. Gresham will be held today at 11 a.m. at Druid Hills United Methodist Church with the Revs. David Meadows and Randy Scarbrough officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Rev. Gresham, 74, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at Heartfelt Hospice. He was a retired minister of the Independent Methodist Church of Meridian, where he served for more than 26 years. Prior to this, he also served as interim chaplain at East Mississippi State Hospital.
He was a past master and chaplain at Saints John Lodge No. 507, member of Meridian Scottish Rite Bodies, member of Hamasa Temple and he was a member of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans.
He was born in Forest, on July 16, 1933. He married his high school sweetheart in 1951. Shortly after, he worked as a finance man, moving frequently with his job. Over the years, he and his family moved between Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and California. In 1964, he went to work for the Mississippi State Tax Commission in Jackson. He made one final move in 1967 when he was transferred to Meridian. It was around that time that he accepted his call to preach. He spent many nights commuting to Jackson to attend seminary and began preaching in 1972. Following a life threatening auto accident in 1982, he took medical retirement from the State of Mississippi but continued to preach until 1998.
Rev. Gresham will be remembered as a gracious and loving man. He was a loving husband as well as a devoted father and grandfather. He was the type of man that could talk for hours at a time but could also stop and listen. God blessed him with a deep, resounding voice that could shake a pulpit and get the message through. He was and still is cherished by those who had the pleasure to know him, for he was a true son of God in every way.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Jean Jolly Gresham, of Meridian; a daughter, Sissy Ellsworth and her husband, Garry, of Lauderdale; a son, Jerry Gresham of Meridian; grandchildren, Kimberly Ellsworth and Matthew Ellsworth, both of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by his sons, James “Jimmy” E. Gresham Jr. and Keith D. Gresham and his parents, Fern and Elizabeth Katherine Gresham.
Pallbearers will be Jay Hancock, Ed Brewer, Andy Thomas, Robert Barham, Robert Delk, Robert Strickland, Dewitt L. Jones and Dale Cornwell.
Honorary pallbearers will be Ed Owen, K.V. Jordan, Everett Fox, Charles Stewart, and the men of Druid Hills United Methodist Church.
Lee O. Clarke
Retired
BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. — Services for Lee O. Clarke will be held Friday at noon at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church with the Revs. Clarence Pilgrim officiating. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 at Clark’s Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Meridian. Burial will be in Kemper Springs Cemetery in Meridian. McDonald-Horne Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements and Clark’s Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.
Mr. Clarke, 71, of Blytheville, died Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007, in his home. He was born in Meehan, Miss. to the late Ardis “Bill” Clarke and Ola Hunter Clarke.
He married the late Bonnie Clark on June 28, 1958. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1959. The family traveled the world as part of his military duties. They moved to Blytheville in December 1974 from the Phillipines. He came to Eaker Air Force Base as part of the 97th FMS. While stationed here, he served as a motorcycle monitor, as a counselor, a movie theater projectionist. Upon his retirement in 1986, he continued with the motorcycle monitor group and worked for Lockheed Corporation. He worked for AutoZone as well as being self-employed as a locksmith, mechanic and a jack-of-all-trades. His hobbies included car restoration and fishing.
The family joined Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church where he served as a deacon, trustee, and member of the finance committee. He was an active Sunday school member and sometimes taught the class.
He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7057 and served as post commander.
Survivors include his daughter, Linda Campbell and her husband, J.C., of Blytheville; a son, Carlos J. Clarke and his wife, Sharon, of Blytheville; a sister, Lena Smith of Durham, N.C., a brother Lee Otis Clarke, of Washington, D.C.; six grandchildren; several sisters-in-law, several brothers-in-law; several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives.
Clinton A. Taylor
GILBERTOWN, Ala. — Services for Clinton A. “Bill” Taylor will be held today at 11 a.m. at Silas First Baptist Church with the Revs. Don Whigham and Bobby Holder officiating. Burial will be in Edgar Cemetery in Silas. Phillips Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Taylor, 86, of Silas, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at Providence Hospital in Mobile.
Survivors include his wife, Catherine Taylor; a daughter, Vicki Shankles; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; four brothers and two sisters and several nieces and nephews.
Olar Ball
Services for Olar Ball will be held today at 2 p.m. at Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in Louin with the Rev. Timothy Craft officiating. Burial will be in Shelby Cemetery in Louin. Clark’s Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ball, 86, of Louin, died Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007, at Bedford Nursing Home.
Doris M. Pope
Retired
FOREST — Services for Doris M. Pope will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at Cash Baptist Church in Lena. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Colonial Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Pope, 81, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include her son, Randel Pope and grandchildren, Michael Edward Sidebottom, Pamela Joy Sidebottom, Chris Pope, Clay Pope and Sha Pope.
She was preceded in death by her husband and a daughter.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.- 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Elnora Johnson
Homemaker
DEKALB — Services for Elnora Johnson will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church in DeKalb with the Rev. Randall officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. E.E. McDonald Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Johnson, 94, of DeKalb, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at Mississippi Care Center in DeKalb.
She was preceded in death by her five brothers.
Visitation will be today from 7 p.m.- 8 p.m. at the funeral home and Friday one hour prior to the service at the church.
S. Carl Merritt
Retired
Services for S. Carl Merritt will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at First Christian Church with the Revs. Dr. Tom Sike and Lucian Lee officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Merritt, 93, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at Queen City Nursing Home. He was a lifelong member of First Christian Church, where he was a deacon and a charter member of the Bethany Sunday School Class. He was a youth leader, custodian and permanent committee member for the church’s annual Kentucky Ham Meal for more than 43 years. He was a Mason, a Scottish Rite and active Hamasa Shriner. He served as chief aide for five potentates and was a member of Hamasa’s Marching Patrol. He was a patron of the Meridian Symphony, the Art Museum and was a charter member of the Meridian Little Theatre’s first nighters. He was a member of the Meridian Community College Foundation, the Navy League and he was an avid supporter of the Boy Scouts and the Salvation Army. He and his wife loved to travel and had traveled throughout the world. He retired as conductor for the Meridian and Bigbee Railroad.
Survivors include his wife of 73 years, Mabel L. Merritt of Meridian; a special niece, Peggy Randall and her family and several other nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel Rogers Merritt and Mattie Carlisle Merritt and a brother, E.L. Merritt.
Memorials may be made to First Christian Church and the American Diabetes Association.
Pallbearers will be Scott Morgan, Jimmy Hoffer, Jerrell Polk, Dr. David Gilmore, Jerome Kittrell, Bill Wolfe, Pete Willis and Billy Moore. Honorary pallbearers will be David Randall, Dr. W. M. Gilmore, Joe Johnson, Lonnie Randall, Nathan Kittrell, B.B. Archer and Charles Downey.
Visitation will be Friday one hour prior to the service at the Merritt House next to First Christian Church.
Monroe Morgan Wright
JACKSON — Memorial services for Monroe Morgan Wright will be held Friday at noon at St. Andrews Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson. Burial will be in the Cathedral Columbarium. Mark Seepe Funeral Directors and Crematorium is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wright, 86, of Jackson, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson. He was born on Dec. 8, 1940, in Meridian, the son of the late William Bartlett Wright and Elizabeth Morgan Wright. He grew up in Hattiesburg and was a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi class of 1962 with a degree in accounting.
He met the former Melanie Reed while working in New Orleans. They married in 1966 and moved to Jackson in 1968, where he continued his CPA career both national and local firms and then as chief financial officer for two Jackson businesses. He currently was the CFO of Jackson Iron and Metal Company.
He was active in many civic activities as president of both New Stage Theatre and the Mississippi Opera Guild. He had been a board member of those organizations and the Mississippi Museum of Art. He was an avid golfer and amateur chef.
Survivors include his wife, Melanie Wright; a sister, Caroline Cunningham and her husband, David, of Fort Myers, Fla.; son, Monroe Morgan Wright Jr. and his wife, Kathleen, of San Francisco; a daughter, Elizabeth Wright Ainsworth and her husband, Robert, of Atlanta; grandchildren, Peyton Monroe Wright of San Francisco and John Gerson Ainsworth of Atlanta.
Memorials may be made to St. Andrews Episcopal Cathedral or a charity of choice.
Visitation will be Friday from 10 a.m. until service time at the church.
Carl E. Sanderford III
Services for Carl E. “Sandy” Sanderford III will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Evangel Temple with the Revs. Mike Boles, Kim Culpepper and Bryan Culpepper officiating. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery in the Martin Community. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Sanderford, 48, of Collinsville, died Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, in his home. He was a member of Evangel Temple where he was member of the choir.
Survivors include his wife, Carla Sanderford of Collinsville; a daughter, Caitlin Sanderford of Pensacola, Fla.; a son, Phillip Culpepper of Meridian; his father, Carl E. Sanderford Jr., of Meridian; a brother, Todd Sanderford of Meridian; aunts, Patricia Smith and her husband, Ed, of Suqualena and Ruth Arledge of Meridian.
His was preceded in death by his mother, Betty Sanderford.
Memorials may be made to Evangel Temple Building Fund.
Visitation will be Friday from noon until service time at the church.
Samuel Hopson
Retired logger
Services for Samuel “June” Hopson will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at E.E. McDonald Community Chapel in Meridian with the Rev. George Parker officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery in Lauderdale.
Mr. Hopson, 67, of Meridian, died Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007, at Heartfelt Hospice.
Survivors include a daughter, Diana McKee; sons, George Hopson, Luther Hopson and Anthony Hopson and several grandchildren, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife and a son.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 p.m.- 7 p.m. at the community chapel in Meridian.
Sarah Brooks Knighton
Services for Sarah “Sissy” Brooks Knighton will be held Saturday at 3 p.m. at Greater Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. William Harper officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Olive Cemetery in Lauderdale. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Knighton, 45, of Meridian, died Monday, Aug. 20, 2007, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include her daughters, Kadyia Thomas of Montgomery, Ala., Candace Knighton and Janise Knighton, both of Meridian; sons, Kelvin Knighton of Meridian, Joshua Knighton, Johnny Knighton and Justus Knighton, granddaughter Kiyah Thomas all of Montgomery; her mother, Sarah P. Brooks; sisters, Rita Willis and her husband, Ricky, Mary Brooks, Cassandra Brooks and Evelyn Greer, all of Meridian, Yassandra Hall of Pearland, Texas, Rosemary Parker, L’Shandra Parker, Bettina Parker, all of Brooklyn, N.Y., Wendy Lard of Denver; brothers, Fernando Brooks, Douglas Brooks and his wife, Kesha, Anthony Brooks, all of Meridian, Stanley Brooks of Frankfurt, Germany, Thomas Parker of Los Angeles, and Johnny Parker Jr., of Brooklyn; a special niece, Sarah Willis; special friends, Eugene Short and Kirby Jackson and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be Friday from 6 p.m.- 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Robert Earl Skinner
Antiques dealer
JACKSON — Memorial services for Robert Earl Skinner will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church in Newton with the Revs. Gary Felton and Larry Mills officiating. Mark Seepe Funeral Directors and Crematorium is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Skinner, 58, of Newton, died Monday, Aug. 20, 2007, in his home. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and had retired to his home after living his adult life in Los Angeles and Baha, Mexico.
Survivors include brothers, Joel Skinner of Newton and Gerald L. Skinner of Las Vegas; sisters, Martha Tidwell, Betty Gail Skinner, Bobbie S. Gibbs and Mary A. Collins, all of Newton; 10 nephews and nine nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents, J.C. and Bobbie E. Skinner; a sister, Bobbie Jean and a nephew, Daman Jay Landers.
Memorials may be made to the Cancer Society.