Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
1:03 am Friday, November 17, 2000

OBITUARIES FOR FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2000

By Staff
EFFIE L. GILL
UNION Services for Effie L. Gill will be held today at 11 a.m. at Lucern Church of God, with the Rev. Howell Thrash officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Stephens Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Gill, 88, of Newton, formerly of Union, died Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2000, in Newton.
Survivors include a sister, Felderia Henry of Union; five nephews, Victor L. Gordon and P.J. Henry, both of Union, Harold Breedlove of Philadelphia, Riley Sistrunk of Union and Sam Henry of Meridian; and several great-great-nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Victor L. Gordon, Harold Breedlove, Riley Sistrunk, Sam Henry and P.J. Henry.
Visitation will be today one hour prior to the service at the church.
BONNIE J.KERSH
Homemaker
Services for Bonnie J. Kersh will be held today at 11 a.m. at Newell Chapel CME Church with the Rev. Eugene Dixon officiating. Burial will be in St. Luke Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Poterville with Enterprise Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Kersh, 70, of Meridian, died Sunday, Nov. 12, 2000, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include two brothers, Walter Blanks of San Jose, Calif., and John Lewis Blanks of Poterville; three sisters, Virgie Mae Blanks, Ollie Thompson and Ornice Blanks all of Meridian; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George Kersh and her parents.
EVA MCGEE PERMENTER
Retired O.B. Nurse
Graveside services for Eva McGee Permenter will be held today at 2 p.m. in Forest Lawn Cemetery, with the Rev. Ralph Henson officiating. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Permenter, 64, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2000, at Guardian Angel Hospice.
Survivors include a son, Calvin Permenter Jr. of Kansas City, Mo.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Calvin Permenter Sr. and her mother, Daisy Rogers McGee.
Visitation will be today one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
FREDRICK B. DAVIS
Real estate sales
Services for Fredrick B. Davis will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Stephens Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Toby Lofton officiating. Burial will be in Hopewell Baptist Cemetery.
Mr. Davis, 74, of Collinsville, died Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2000, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
He was a friend to all who knew him and he never met a stranger. He loved his children and grandchildren. He loved to play dominoes and he loved all sports including West Lauderdale boys baseball and girls softball. He also loved to garden and to fish.
Survivors include his wife, Fay McDonald Davis; a son, Danny Fredrick Davis, of McCalla, Ala.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Vicki and Rickie Harp of Cottondale, Ala., and Sandi and Mark Wolf of Panama City, Fla.; two step sons, Mel and Frankie Hodges, of Collinsville; a step daughter, Cathy Miles of Banner Elk, N.C.; two brothers, Jimmy Davis of Greensboro, Ala., and Dock Davis of Collinsville; a sister, Helen Ethridge; five grandchildren, Jami Hosmer of Cottondale, Ala., Jana Genery of Brookwood, Ala., Kaysea Lindsey of Panama City, Fla., Brandi and Danielle Davis both of McCalla; 13 step-grandchildren and 5 step-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his first wife of 43 years, Winna Thaggard Davis.
Pallbearers will be Bernie Herrington, Hal Herrington, Jim Ethridge, Jerry McCoy, William Ethridge, Dane Ethridge, Marty Thaggard and Jimmy Davis.
Honorary pallbearers will be William and Lonese Ethridge, M.O. and Nell Martin, Jo and Howard Blackwell, Lakeview community residents, Robinhood Lakes residents and Martin Community Friends.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
ELLA GRAY JONES MCKENZIE
Homemaker
QUITMAN Services for Ella Gray Jones McKenzie will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mt. Gilead Missionary Baptist Church, with the Rev. Dennis Mack officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Gilead Cemetery with Turner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. McKenzie, 70, of Quitman, died Sunday, Nov. 12, 2000, at the University of Alabama Medical Center in Birmingham.
Survivors include her husband, Jim McKenzie; her children, Willie George McKenzie and his wife, Dora, of New Castle, Del., Robert James McKenzie and his wife, Nora, of Quitman, Jimmy Ray McKenzie and his wife, Nylon, of Detroit, Martha Evelyn Prince of Clinton, Thelma Jean Hearns of Stonewall, Dortha Dean Williams of Vicksburg, Johnny Jim McKenzie of Quitman, Larry Wayne McKenzie and his wife, Sonya, Jo Ann Price and her husband, William, of Quitman, Claude Eugene McKenzie and his wife, Gay, of Quitman, Edward Lavon McKenzie of Muskegon, Mich., Bobby Jo McKenzie and his wife, Justine, of Norristown, Pa., and David Earl McKenzie of Quitman; a stepson John Henry Raing and his wife, Nellie, of Quitman; four sisters, Daisy Jackson of Orville, Ala., Lula Mae Austin, Janie Cameron of Quitman and Annie Kelley and her husband Stafford of Meridian; 52 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and acquaintances.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Stella Carter Jones and Ishman Jones, and a son Roy Lee McKenzie.

Also on Franklin County Times
Pilgrim’s renovations will add 100 jobs
Main, News, Russellville
Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
March 18, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Pilgrim’s Pride’s poultry processing plant is undergoing a total overhaul that when completed will create 100 additional jobs. The over...
Hardware store hosts newest Connie’s Cabinet
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
March 18, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Austin Williams said Monday he hopes a cabinet in front of Green’s Dependable Hardware helps those in need for food but also serves as ...
New animal control facility to cost $485K
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 18, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — A new county animal control facility is set to be built next to the Franklin County Jail with construction expected to begin by month’s...
Hadrian, Navy partnering on project
News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
March 18, 2026
BARTON — Federal and local officials are gearing up for Friday’s public unveiling of a major defense project at the Barton Riverfront Industrial Park ...
Who defines professional competence in Alabama?
Columnists, Opinion
March 18, 2026
Irecently reviewed an extraordinary student paper. The student analyzed a proposed state policy, determined it conflicted with our profession’s ethica...
Gardens have their own notes in history
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
March 18, 2026
Gardens often carry more history than people realize. That felt especially true this month, as our March meeting and the Liberty Tree ceremony at the ...
High power bills has church seeking answers, solutions
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 18, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Electric bills that have more than doubled in the past two months have officials at Cedars Church working with the Russellville Electri...
Development near county line draws concerns
Franklin County, News
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
March 18, 2026
TUSCUMBIA — Concerns over a large land development in neighboring Franklin County are now reaching into Colbert County, where some property owners say...

Leave a Reply

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