By Staff
Homemaker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Jessie Mae Ferguson Smith will be held today at 1 p.m. at Arlington Baptist Church with the Revs. Steve Craft and Dwight Fleming officiating. Burial will be in Arlington Cemetery. McClain-Hays Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Smith, 81, of Philadelphia, died Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2003, at Heartfelt Hospice in Union.
Survivors include a son, Lewis Jerome Ferguson of Philadelphia; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; a sister, Cora Ethel Covington of Union; and a brother, Selby Savell of Florence.
Retired
WATER VALLEY Services for Carl Raymond McDonald Sr. will be held today at 2 p.m. at New Elbethel in LaFayette County. Burial will be in Webb Cemetery. Seven Oaks Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McDonald, 63, died Monday, Aug. 25, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his daughter, Sherry Stewart of Meridian; sons, Al McDonald and his wife, Paula, and Randy McDonald and his wife, Beverly, all of Oxford, Carl McDonald and his wife, Kathy, of Meridian; a sister, Marie Gordon of Water Valley; brothers, Aubrey McDonald of Water Valley, Lawrence McDonald of Destin, Fla., Riley McDonald of Memphis, Tenn. and Paul McDonald of Clay Center, Kan.; grandchildren, Katie McDonald, Heather Anderson, Carla Russell and Peter Russell, all of Meridian, Johnny McDonald, Kelly McDonald, Bradley McDonald and Blake McDonald, all of Oxford; and one great-granddaughter, Anna Russell of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lura McDonald of Meridian.
Homemaker
PHILADELPHIA Services for Edna Earl Hembree Griffin will be held today at 3 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Revs. Jimmy Townsend and James Warren officiating. Burial will be in Hembree Cemetery.
Mrs. Griffin, 94, of Philadelphia, died Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2003, at Choctaw Residential Center.
Survivors include her daughter, Peggie Sullivan and a son, Dwight Griffin, both of Philadelphia; five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Griffin; and a great-grandson, Tim Townsend.
Retired
PHILADELPHIA Services for Frances McDonald Wyers will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Rev. David Richardson officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Olive Cemetery in the House Community.
Mrs. Wyers, 71, of Philadelphia, died Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2003, at Neshoba County Nursing Home. She was a retired school supply manufacturer employee.
Survivors include his son, Robert Wyers of Columbus; four grandchildren and one great-grandson; and a brother, Elmer McDonald Jr. of Houston, Texas.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Construction worker
SEBASTOPOL Services for Elliott Keith Farmer will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Pine Bluff Indian Baptist Church. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Milling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Farmer, 21, of Philadelphia, died Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2003, in Jackson.
Survivors include his wife, Tammy Willis Farmer; a son, Elliott Farmer Jr.; a step-son, Draven Hickman; step-daughters, Tamaricka Willis and Hildrecia Willis, all of Philadelphia; his father, Henry Charles Farmer of Walnut Grove; his mother, Anna Dixon of Philadelphia; sisters, Kitisha Farmer and Latina Farmer, both of Walnut Grove; a brother, Joshua Hickman of Philadelphia; and his grandfather, Arthur Farmer of Walnut Grove.
PHILADELPHIA Services for Charlie Ward Sr. will be held Friday at 3 p.m. at John E. Stephens Chapel with the Rev. Jim Meadows officiating. Burial will be in Spring Creek Cemetery.
Mr. Ward, 45, of Laurel, died Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2003, at Delta Regional Medical Center in Greenville.
Survivors include his daughters, Sue Ann Garrett of Quitman and Emily Ray of Union; sons, Charlie Ray Ward of Collins, Randy Ward of Laurel and Charlie Ward Jr. of Howell, Texas; sisters, Shirley Wright of Center Hill, Claudine Davidson and Jeanette Collins, both of Meridian; brothers, Paul E. Ward Jr. of Little Rock, George W. Ward of Philadelphia and Hubert O. Ward of Union; and six grandchildren.
Distributor for Borden Milk Company
ELLISVILLE Services for David Wesley "Tink" Tolbert will be held Friday at 3 p.m. at Lebanon Baptist Church with the Revs. Harold Floyd and Eugene Murphy officiating. Burial will be in Calhoun Cemetery with Jones Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Tolbert, 72, of Laurel, died Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2003, at South Central Regional Medical Center. He was a distributor for Borden Milk Company for more than 42 years. He was loved and remembered by friends and family alike.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Auwice Collins Tolbert of Laurel; a son, Mike Tolbert and his wife, Dibbie, of Laurel; two grandchildren; his step-mother, Marie Tolbert of Laurel; brothers, Charles "Bugs" Tolbert, William "Bill" Tolbert, Harvey Tolbert, Howard Tolbert and Paul Tolbert; sisters, Audry Crosley, Bavara Byrd and Shirley Touchstone; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Tolbert; his mother, Etta Tolbert; brothers, James Tolbert and Wallace Tolbert.
Pallbearers will be Garland Miles, Isaiah Miles, Marshell Bynum, Randy Meador, Johnny Davis, Kenny Caves, Dana Holifield and Tad Walters.
Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Jack Evans, Dr. Horace Watkins, Dr. Michael Brumbley, Dr. William Wallace, Dr. Crystal Sumrall and Gail Phipps.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at funeral home.
Retired principal
Services for Calvin A. Belle will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Mark United Methodist Church in DeKalb with the Rev. Dr. Wayne Bass officiating. Burial will be in Simmons Cemetery. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Belle, 78, of DeKalb, died Monday, Aug. 25, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was the son the late Alvin Belle and Amanda Reed Belle. He grew up in Aberdeen and attended Aberdeen High School . He received a bachelor's degree from Rust College. He did further study at Columbia University in New York and received his master's degree in administration from the University of Southern Mississippi.
He confessed hope in Christ at an early age and joined St. Paul United Methodist Church in Aberdeen and later joined St. Mark United Methodist Church in DeKalb where he served as treasurer for more than 30 years. He was a loyal member of St. Mark.
He taught school in Kemper County at Little Rock Elementary School for many years and later at West Kemper Elementary School. He was principal at West Kemper High School until his retirement in 1989.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in World War II. He was a master mason of Unity Springs Lodge No. 225. He served as a Prince Hall T and AM from 1957 until his death. He was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star from June 1960 until his death.
Survivors include his wife, Arceola Belle of DeKalb; brothers, William H. Belle of New York, Preston C. Belle and his wife, India, of Aberdeen and Alvin B. Belle of Illinois; sisters, Alice E. Ford and her husband, Herman, and Dorothy A. Scott and her husband, Albert, all of Columbus, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.