By Staff
Firefighter
Services for Richard Lee McInnis Sr. will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Cokers Chapel Cemetery.
Mr. McInnis, 50, died Wednesday, March 6, 2002, in Alexandria, La. He was a firefighter for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a U.S. Air Force veteran.
Survivors include his son, Lee McInnis of Bentley, La.; a daughter, April Tate of Ball, La.; four brothers, William McInnis, Glenn McInnis and Samuel McInnis, all of Meridian, and Stanley McInnis of California; two sisters, Edith Huddleston of Baton Rouge, La., and Cecile Hunter of California; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
EDDIE LEE NOWELL
Homemaker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Eddie Lee Nowell will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Revs. Lawrence Pool and Frankie Clark officiating. Burial will be in Harmony Cemetery in Louisville.
Mrs. Nowell, 95, of Louisville, died Friday, March 8, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include four daughters, Veaniece McBrayer of Ferndale, Mich., Doris Beaty of Byrdstown, Tenn., Shirley Knotts of Louisville and Freda Blakeney of Mize; two sons, Randale Nowell and Larry Nowell of Louisville; a sister, Macie Bell Myers of Louisville; 13 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Clifton Nowell.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
ROGER NEAL RALEIGH
Forester
Services for Roger Neal Raleigh will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Franklin McLelland and Tim Horton officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Raleigh, 57, of DeKalb, died Wednesday, March 6, 2002, in Beech Island, S.C. He was an employee with the Mississippi Forestry Commission for 15 years. He was a member of Bay Springs Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Glorida Haney Raleigh of DeKalb; two sons, Roy Roger Thomas and William Joseph Thomas, both of Meridian; a daughter, Gloria Louise Burroughs of Meridian; two brothers, Billy Raleigh of Portersville and Charlie Raleigh of Burkesville, Texas; four grandchildren, Tina Burroughs, Hailey Thomas, Hannah Thomas and Dalton Thomas.
Pallbearers will be Jimmy Creekmore, Henry Cummings, Jody Jarrell, Jackie Sciples, Thomas Haney, Bowen Hairiston, Paul Todd and Donald Todd.
Honorary pallbearers will be Shelby Goodin, Richard Hall, Gaines Todd, Andy McDade and Dr. Randy Nance.
Visitation will be Sunday from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
ROBERT A. O'NEILL
Aviator
GULFPORT Services for Robert A. O'Neill will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Riemann Funeral Home Chapel in Gulfport. Graveside services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Magnolia Cemetery in Meridian. Riemann Funeral Home of Gulfport is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. O'Neill, 84, of Gulfport, died Wednesday, March 6, 2002, in Gulfport.
Mr. O'Neill was a native of Allentown, Pa., and made his home there since 1989. He graduated from Allentown High School in 1934. Bob then began a long career in flying during the early years of aviation when he graduated from the Roosevelt School of Aviation in Mineola, N.Y. He was certified by the C.A.A., now the F.A.A., as an airplane and engine mechanic.
He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and received his pilot wings and commission as a 2nd Lieutenant after graduating from the Air Corps Flying Cadet Program in March 1941. One of his first assignments was as a test pilot of pursuit planes at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio.
During World War II, he served as a P-40 fighter pilot with the "Flying Tigers" in China under Gen. Claire Chennault. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and Air Medal.
Upon returning from overseas in 1943, he married Carrolldine Cooper of Meridian, the daughter of Fancher and Jessie Cooper. After diverse assignments in fighter operations all along the East Coast, Bob attained the rank of Major and in 1947 was honorably discharged.
Following the war, he was employed in the aviation field until his retirement from the Federal Aviation Administration in 1982.
Bob was able to maintain contact with his wartime buddies through membership in the Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force Association. Also, having been active in glider and soarplane operations, he was a member of the Soaring Society of America.
He was also a member of Handsboro Baptist Church. His love for his family, his church and his many friends was unconditional.
Survivors include his wife, Deanie Cooper O'Neill of Biloxi; a son, Robert A. O'Neill Jr., and his wife, Brenda, of Hugo, Ok.; two daughters, Carol Anne Brandon of Edmond, Ok., and Cindy Beaudry and her husband, Rocky, of Naples, Fla.; a sister, Ruth Udicious of Vero Beach, Fla.; four grandchildren, Sarah Brandon, Dustin O'Neill, Justin O'Neill, and Chad Beaudry.
He was preceded in death by his grandson, Michael Beaudry.
Visitation will be Sunday from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
OLA A. MOORE
Services for Ola A. Moore will be held Monday at 1 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel.
Mrs. Moore, 81, of Meridian, died Friday, March 8, 2002, in Meridian.
Visitation will be Sunday from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
EDWIN R. MCWILLIAMS JR.
Self-employed upholstery business
Services for Edwin R. McWilliams Jr. were held Friday at 11:30 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Phillip Williams and Tommy Scarbrough officiating. Burial was in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. McWilliams, 79, of Meridian, died Tuesday, March 5, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital. He was a member of Pine Springs Southern Methodist Church, where he was a proud participant of the church choir. He was a member of the Shriner's Band, American Legion Post 125, TISBA and a mason. He was a veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Harmon McWilliams; four daughters, Judith Snodgrass and her husband, Charles, of Meridian, Nancy Brooks and her husband, Terry, of Sims, Ala., Mary Fulcher and her husband, Joel, of Bacliff, Texas, and Peggy Campbell of Meridian; a son, E.R. "Rick" McWilliams III and his wife, Terry, of Meridian; a sister, Patricia Ward of Corpus Christi, Texas; 12 grandchildren, Charle Edward "Eddie" Snodgrass of Meridian, Patti Snodgrass of Lacrosse, Texas, Taressa, Pam, Michael and Joel Fulcher III, all of Bacliff, Texas, Shannon and Kasey Brooks of Sims, Daniel Meier of Zurich, Switzerland, Anita Campbell of Meridian, Jody Gray and Jennifer Debord of Meridian; six great-grandchildren, Haley, Mathew, Hannah, "J," Kelah and Joshua.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dick McWilliams Sr. and Elsie Williamson McWilliams; and a sister, Lula Jean Wheeler.
The family requests memorials be made to The International Singing Brakeman Association (TISBA) or a favorite charity.
Pallbearers were Willy Cole, Johnny Gully, Eddie Snodgrass, Joel Fulcher, Michael Fulcher, Terry Brooks, Billy Guin and Douglas Weathers.
Honorary pallbearer was John Barfield.
CANNON WINDHAM
DEKALB Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home for Cannon "Bunk" Windham, 72, of Preston, who died Friday, March 8, 2002, in Preston.