OBITUARIES FOR WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24, 2001
By Staff
DR. WILLIAM APPERSON
Retired Minister
Services for Dr. William Apperson will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at First Christian Church with the Revs. Dr. Lester Palmer, Dr. James Wray, Henry Campbell and William E. McKnight officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery with Barham Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Dr. Apperson, 70, of Meridian, died Monday, Jan. 22, 2001, at Riley Hospital. He was born on Dec. 7, 1930 in Graves County, Ky. to C.N. and Mary Kate Kennedy Apperson. A graduate of Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky., Dr. Apperson received a bachelor's degree from Lexington Theological Seminary and Bracebridge Hall, Sussex, England, and did further graduate theological study at Mansfield College, Oxford University, St. Mary's College and St. Andrews University, St. Andrews, Scotland.
He was ordained into the Christian church (Disciples of Christ) in June 1947 in Mayfield, Ky., and throughout his career was a pastor in Alton, Ky., Guthrie, Ky. and Henderson, Ky. congregations. He moved to Meridian in 1962 where he became pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He served as pastor for 33 years, retiring from active ministry in 1995 but continuing to serve in an interim capacity for area churches.
Throughout his career he served in both church and civic leadership roles. He was active in the civil rights movement of the 1960s having been a member of the Committee of Conscience for Meridian. He was crowned King of the 1976 Junior Auxiliary Mardi Gras Ball, selected to serve as Dusty social sorority "Dad," elected president of the Rotary Club, and vice president of the Meridian Symphony League. He served on the Board of Directors of the Meridian Chamber of Commerce, the Meridian Girl Scout Council, as president of the Lauderdale Lung Association, chairman of the Civic Improvement Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and was named an Unsung Hero' for Lauderdale County. Dr. Apperson had served as Chairman of the Meridian Festival of Arts and had been the Chairman of the King's Daughters &Sons Rest Home for more than six years. He was a member of the board and had served five terms as president of the Lauderdale County Teen Learning Center.
He served as a chaplain for the Moore-McCormick Cruise line and organized and led the first Protestant, Catholic and Jewish public service of worship and celebration in Mississippi, as well as holding the honor of being the first chaplain of the Meridian Police Department. He held memberships in Kappa Alpha Order, the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels and the Victoria Institute of London.
As a church leader he served three terms on the administrative committee of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), three terms on the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and two terms as Moderator of the Christian Church in Mississippi. For 20 years he served as chairman of the Commission on the Ministry of the Region of Mississippi and for 28 years served as Director of the Mississippi Christian Youth Fellowship Conference.
Dr. Beverly Tinnin, retired from First Baptist Church of Meridian, stated, "We have been very close throughout the years. Will has always been a man for all seasons. He is equally at home at the country club or LOVE's Kitchen. He relates to young or old, Protestant, Catholic, Jew or the non-religious: male or female; Democrat or Republican."
Survivors include his wife of 49 years, JoAnn Hewlett Apperson; two daughters, Mrs. William Dennis (Amy) Valentine of Brookhaven and Mrs. John Gibson (Ann) Compton of Meridian; his mother, Mary Kate Kennedy Apperson of Mayfield, Ky.; a brother, Walter Lee Apperson of Murray, Ky.; a sister, Barbara Apperson St. Aubin of Bethesda, Md.; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, C.N. Apperson; his beloved grandmother, Daisy Jones Kennedy and his grandson, William Wilson Valentine.
The family requests memorials be made to the William Apperson Education Scholarship, Lexington Theological Seminary, 631 South Limestone, Lexington, KY 40508 or the First Christian Church of Meridian Building Fund, 1301 23rd St., Meridian, MS 39301 or the Will Valentine Junior Auxiliary Scholarship of Brookhaven, P.O. Box 169, Brookhaven, MS 39602.
Pallbearers will be nephews of the deceased, John Henderson, Dave Reeves and Gerald Gatti, Michael Crosby, Dr. David Gilmore, Jerome Kittrell, Buddy Bennett and Ed Brown.
Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Apperson's clergy colleagues and the College of Elders of First Christian Church.
Visitation will be today from 5-8 p.m. at the church.
JOHNIE W. POPE
Retired maintenance supervisor for Standard Life Building/J. Walter Michel Agency
PEARL Services for Johnie W. Pope will be held today at 12:30 p.m. at Baldwin Lee Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in Decatur Cemetery.
Mr. Pope, 85, of Brookhaven, died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2001, in Ridgeland. He was a native of Center Hill.
Survivors include a daughter, Lyn Pope Smith of Brandon; a brother, Lester Pope and his wife, Geneva, of Mobile, Ala.; a sister, Grace Espey of Collinsville; and two grandchildren and a great grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dot Pope.
The family requests memorials be made to Hospice Ministries, 450 Towne Center, Ridgeland, MS 39158-1228.
Visitation will be today beginning at 10 a.m. at the funeral home.
MARY E. SHORT BURROUGHS
SAN ANTONIO, Texas Services for Mary E. Short Burroughs will be held today at 1 p.m. at Sunset Funeral Chapel.
Mrs. Burroughs, 103, died Sunday, Jan. 21, 2001, in San Antonio. She was born on Dec. 25, 1897, in Meridian. She was a graduate of Meridian High School and Baptist Woman's College (William Carey College). She taught home economics at Port Gibson, Miss. for a short time before moving to Washington, D.C. She continued teaching home economics until her retirement. She then moved to San Antonio.
Survivors include a brother, Vice Adm. Wallace B. Short, CEC USN (retired) of San Antonio and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William B. Burroughs; her parents, Benjamin Augustus and Minnie Lee White Short; and two sisters, Frances Grey and Augusta Short.
