OBITUARIES FOR THURSDAY, DEC. 28, 2000

By Staff
REV. JAMES E. THOMAS
Pioneer Barnes Group employee
Services for the Rev. James E. Thomas will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home, with the Rev. Robert Pierce officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Cemetery.
Rev. Thomas, 48, of Meridian, died Saturday, Dec. 23, 2000, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include his mother, Dailey Mae Johnson and a daughter, Latasha Yolanda Woodson and her husband, Troy N., all of Meridian; three sisters, Oretha Amerson and her husband, Elijah, of Meridian, Helen Miller Compton and her husband, James, and Gertrude Payne, all of Dayton, Ohio; a brother, Robert Morgan Payne of Dayton; a devoted nephew, Freddie Hare and his wife, Rhonda, of Meridian; a beloved and devoted fiancee, Edith Hill of Meridian; an aunt, Betty Coster of Detroit; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Visitation will be Friday from 6-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
MILDRED RATCLIFF HEDGEPTH
Homemaker
Services for Mildred Ratcliff Hedgepeth were held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Stephens Funeral Home with the Rev. John Kaufman officiating. Burial was in Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Hedgepeth, 85, of Bailey, died Monday, Dec. 25, 2000, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Rita H. Morse and her husband, Bob, a grandson, John J. Morse and a son, John Wayne Hedgepeth, all of Bailey; and two grandchildren, John Wayne Jr. and Luren Hedgepeth, both of Atlanta.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Hedgepeth.
Pallbearers were Grady Joe Richardson, Mike Ratcliff, Zane Riddle, Todd Ratcliff, Ray Dennis Whitaker and Harlyn Whitaker.
HENRY L. SMITH
PHILADELPHIA Services for Henry L. Smith will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel, with the Rev. Dr. Wayne Hill officiating. Burial will be in Eastlawn Cemetery.
Mr. Smith, 86, of Philadelphia, died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, in his home. He was born and raised in Neshoba County and made his home in Philadelphia for the past 58 years. He was a member of Trinity Baptist Church of Philadelphia, the Masonic Lodge, Neshoba County Shrine Club and the Hamasa Temple Shrine in Meridian.
Survivors include his wife, Ida N. Smith, two daughters, Doris Vowell and her husband, Carl, and Janice Payne and her husband, Uhl, a daughter-in-law, Yvonne Smith, and a sister, Berdia McDaniel, all of Philadelphia; a brother, Clarence Smith of Greenville, S.C.; six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Harold Smith in 1993.
The family requests memorials be made to Trinity Baptist Church Building Fund, 595 South Center Ave., Philadelphia, MS 39350 or Hospice South, 326A Main St., Philadelphia, MS 39350.
Pallbearers will be his grandsons.
Visitation will be today from 5-8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
ELGIE MCCONICO
Services for Elgie McConico will be held Friday at noon at New Prospect Baptist Church with the Rev. Eddie B. Cryer officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Kemper County with Enterprise Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. McConico, 97, of Meridian, died Friday, Dec. 22, 2000, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 6-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
J.P. LEWIS
Law enforcement officer
WEST PLAINS, Mo. Memorial services for J.P. "Cotton" Lewis will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of West Plains. Robertson-Drago Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Lewis, 66, of West Plains and formerly of Meridian, Miss., died Monday, Dec. 25, 2000, in his home. Mr. Lewis joined the Meridian Police Department in 1970 and retired in 1992.
Survivors include his wife, June Lewis of West Plains; two children, Marina L. Thomas and her husband, Philip, of Memphis, Tenn., and Monty P. Lewis and his wife, Lois, of Brinkley, Ark.; his mother, Geneva Lewis of West Plains; three brothers, James Lewis and his wife, Vicki, and Larry Lewis and his wife, Judy, all of Fredericksburg, Va., and Jerral W. Lewis of West Plains; three grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
The family requests memorials be made to Riverwaves Hospice or First Baptist Church and be mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO 65775.
JACK E. GRIFFIN
Arrangements were incomplete at Wright's Funeral Home of Quitman for Jack E. Griffin, 73, who died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.