Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
1:11 am Saturday, February 17, 2001

OBITUARIES FOR SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 2001

By Staff
GEORGE VERNON SMITH
Construction company owner
Graveside services for George Vernon "Smitty" Smith were held Friday, Feb, 17, 2001 at Mount Carmel Presbyterian Church Cemetery with the Rev. Chuck Overby officiating. Stephens Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Smith, 80, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2001, at Riley Hospital. He was the retired owner of a construction company. He was a veteran of World War II.
Survivors include two daughters, Verna Thrash and her husband, Kevin, and Kay McMullan and her husband, Joey, both of Meridian; two sons, Michael Smith and his wife, Lynn, and Jody Smith, all of Meridian; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; seven nieces and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Quincy Smith and Mattie Shelby.
Pallbearers were Tommy Watson, Wayne McKennion, Charles Thrash, Don Thrash, Kerry Ward and Josh Ward.
ODIE M. SHIELDS
Homemaker
DEKALB Services for Odie M. Shields will be held today at 2:30 p.m. at Union Baptist Church in Scooba with the Rev. L.C. Clay officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with E.E. McDonald Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Shields, 51, of Scooba, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson.
Survivors include her husband, Lessie Shields, Scooba; a daughter, Leslie A. Cross and her husband, Tony, both of Scooba; her mother, Giora Rencher of Scooba; four sisters, Nancy Little and her husband, Ceaser, of Scooba, Darlene Strickland, Sherry Strickland and Glendale Strickland, all of St. Louis, Mo.; five brothers, John E. Williams of Scooba, Matthew Williams of South Carolina, Odis Dancy, Kenny Perry and Odis Perry, all of St. Louis; and two grandchildren.
ESSIE MAE GRAY
Homemaker
Services for Essie Mae Gray will be held Monday at noon at First Baptist Church in Enterprise with the Rev. Leroy Burns officiating. Burial will be in Musgrove Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Gray, 85, of Enterprise, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include three daughters, Lillie Pearl Gray and Doris Faye Flournay, both of Chicago, and Aldie Louise Brown and her husband, Rudolph, of Meridian; four sons, George Henry Gray and his wife, Ada, Lee Otis Gray and his wife, Doris, Essie Lee Gray and his wife, Pat, and John Henry Gray, and his wife, Louise, all of Biloxi; three grandchildren whom she raised as her own children, Stevie Gray of Leavenworth, Kan., Winston Gray and his wife, Lynn, and Mark Gray and his wife, Felicia, all of Enterprise; two sisters, Sadie Mae Gray and her husband, Henry, and Mattie L. Johnson, all of Enterprise; two brothers, Leonard Smith of Mobile, Ala., and Luther Smith of Meridian; 25 grandchildren; a number of great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, close relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Percy Smith and Falbie Price Smith; two sisters, Mamie Presley and Addie Mae Smith; and two brothers, Cleo Smith and James Smith.
Visitation will be Sunday from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home and Monday from 11 a.m. until services at the church.
JAMES MONROE
Mayfield
NEWTON Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for James Monroe Mayfield, 84, of Newton, who died Friday, Feb. 16, 2001, at Heartfelt Hospice in Meridian.
JAMES L. BOLDEN
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner for James L. "Sonny Boy" Bolden, 66, of Meridian, who died Friday, Feb. 16, 2001, at Riley Hospital.

Also on Franklin County Times
‘All we did was done fully’
Main, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 17, 2025
THARPTOWN — Glenda Amelia Aycock-Long has lived many chapters, each distinct, each demanding, each shaped by her willingness to say “yes” to the next ...
Patriot Riders give ‘brother’ full honors
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
December 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Vietnam veteran Avery Brewster finally received the full military funeral he deserved. Local American Patriot Riders escorted a hearse ...
Ayers, at 90, still a pillar of community
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 17, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Barbara Ayers, who taught home economics at Phil Campbell High School for more than three decades, remains engaged in the life of the ...
A jolly good time was had by all
Franklin County, Main, News, ...
December 17, 2025
Community members gathered last week to celebrate the season with annual Christmas parades in Russellville, Red Bay, Vina and Phil Campbell. Parade wi...
Garden club hosts ‘Every Light a Prayer for Peace’
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Community members gathered at the Franklin County Courthouse on Thursday for the annual “Every Light a Prayer for Peace” ceremony hoste...
Cyber criminals target holiday shoppers
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
December 17, 2025
By Susie Hovater Malone Columnist Online scams have grown more sophisticated in recent years, making it harder for people to tell legitimate businesse...
State has chance to get data center boom right
Columnists, Opinion
December 17, 2025
Every day, we read about massive data centers coming to the Southeast. Billions of dollars. Thousands of construction jobs. The promise of economic tr...
Baker reaches 1,000 career points
High School Sports, Phil Campbell Bobcats, Sports
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 17, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Phil Campbell High School senior Leela Baker has added her name to a small group of Franklin County athletes by scoring the 1,000th po...

Leave a Reply

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