Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
7:16 pm Tuesday, July 10, 2001

OBITUARIES FOR TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2001

By Staff
Other survivors include a brother, Oliver G. Thomas and his wife, Sina, of Newton; three sisters-in-law, Mary Etta Coker of Satsuma, Ala., Annie Coker Hill of Spanish Fort, Ala., and Helen Moore of Ellisville; seven step-grandchildren and their spouses, Cynda Gibbon Barfield and Whit Barfield of Baton Rouge, Rita Gibbon of Birmingham, Cheryl Gibbon DuBose and Phillip DuBose of Collierville, Tenn., Keith and Judy Gibbon of Newton, Roger Estes, Gaylon Estes and Durwin Estes, all of Nashville; a step-daughter-in-law by marriage, Sandra Gibbon (widow of Bryan Gibbon) of the Hero Community; and her step-great-grandchildren, Tamilia Gibbon Godwin and her husband, Roger, of Newton, Kerry Gibbon Hutchinson and her husband, Matt, of Meridian, Stephanie Gibbon Brown and her husband, Eric, of Mendenhall, Brandon and Cameron Estes of Nashville, Trea Barfield of Baton Rouge, Matt and Seth Gibbon of Newton and Wayne and Amy Johnson of Brandon.
Nieces and their families include, June Dale Thomas Jones and her husband, J.T. Jones Jr., of Ellisville, Betty Jean Thomas Kruk of Carson City, Nev. and Patsy Rainer Holtz of Heber Springs, Ark.
Nephews and their families include, Pepper Thomas and his wife, Juanita, of Oxford, Milton Thomas and his wife, Patsy, of Jackson, Clarence Rainer and his wife, Bessie, of Columbus, Texas, Johnny Rainer of Wharton, Texas, and Jimmy Rainer and Linda Rainer of Phoenix, Ariz. Several cousins in the Newton area and other areas of Mississippi also survive her.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Luther Hamilton Hopkins; her second husband, Otho Coker; a brother, James Wesley Thomas; a sister, Colleen Thomas Rainer; her step-son-in-law, Billy Estes; a step-grandson, Bryan Gibbon; a sister-in-law, Imogene Thomas; a nephew, Hopper Thomas; and a nephew by marriage, Leonard Kruk.
Pallbearers will be Milton T. Thomas, Clarence Rainer, David Jones, Johnny Rainer, Pepper Thomas and Jeff Rainer.
Honorary pallbearers will be J.T. Jones Jr., Billy Gibbon, Keith Gibbon, Durwin Estes, Gaylon Estes and Hillard Thomas.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service on Thursday.
JOSEPH LLOYD GREGG JR.
Retired plastics engineer
Services for Joseph Lloyd Gregg Jr. will be held Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Biloxi National Cemetery with a Navy Chaplain officiating. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Gregg, 81, of Lauderdale, died Saturday, July 7, 2001, at Rush Foundation Hospital. He was a Pearl Harbor survivor, serving aboard the USS Farragut. He participated in the first Doolittle Raid in World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Dolores Cole Gregg of Lauderdale; six sons, David Heisey and his wife, Patricia, of Lauderdale, James Lloyd Gregg of Seattle, Wash., Glenn Heisey of Wooddale, Ill., Daniel Heisey of Florida, Jeffrey Allen Gregg of Kalamazoo, Mich. and Christopher Coats Heisey of Hendersonville, N.C.; grandchildren, Adrianne Heisey, Robert Lloyd Heisey, Courtney Lynn Gregg, Sarah Brown, Sabrina Brown Moore, Joseph Brown, Darren Heisey, Danay Heisey, Krista O'Roake, Michelle Gregg and Mitchell Gregg; a sister, Bette Lou Wehmeyer of Dayton, Ohio; and seven great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Navy personnel.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
JANIS L. BOSTON
Retired State of Mississippi employee
Services for Janis L. "Blue Eyes" Boston will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home with the Rev. W.C. Brown officiating. Burial will be in Daleville Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Boston, 48, of Meridian, died Friday, July 6, 2001, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include her husband, Carl W. Boston, two daughters, Melanye Boston and Carla Michelle Boston, her mother, Nazie Williams, and her stepfather, the Rev. L.V. Williams, all of Meridian; two sisters, Vettys Lofton of Toomsuba and Katie Wilson of Meridian; a brother, Robert Barfield Sr. of Hattiesburg; and a grandson.
Visitation will be Thursday from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
VALLEY CHAPMAN
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Valley Chapman, of Enterprise, who died Monday, July 9, 2001, in his home.
NINA B. BOOKER
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for Nina B. Booker, 97, of Meridian, who died Monday, July 9, 2001, at Queen City Nursing Center.
DENNIS HAYES JR.
Arrangements were incomplete at Clark's Memorial Funeral Home for Dennis Hayes Jr., 65, of Meridian, who died Monday, July 9, 2001, at Oakwood Home for the Elderly in Bastrop, La.
NANCY COOPER
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for Nancy Cooper, 70, of Jackson, who died Tuesday, July 10, 2001, at Guardian Angel Hospice.

Also on Franklin County Times
Baker unseats Murray for Franklin Co. District 1 seat
Franklin County, News, Z - News Main
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
June 17, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — District 1 residents in Franklin County will have a new commissioner in November after Curtis Baker defeated incumbent Grayson Murray i...
Attempted murder is added to shooting charges
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
June 17, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — A Tuscumbia man now faces an attempted murder charge in addition to the 23 other criminal charges he faces after admitting to shooting ...
County receives $5K for 250th events
Main, News, Russellville
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
June 17, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County will receive $5,000 in funding for events related to celebrating America’s 250th birthday. The Alabama USA Semiquincent...
New sign honors Keeton’s community service
Main, News, Red Bay, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
June 17, 2026
RED BAY — The quarter- mile Hoyt Keeton Walking Trail now has a new sign. Keeton family members, city officials and community supporters recently gath...
Franklin had 13% of advocacy center cases
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
June 17, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Andrea’s Arbor in Franklin County accounted for 13% of cases recorded in 2025 by Cramer Children’s Advocacy Center. Andrea’s Arbor is a...
UNA ups tuition $300 for undergrads
News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
June 17, 2026
FLORENCE — The University of North Alabama Board of Trustees is considering a tuition and fee schedule Friday that will increase undergraduate costs b...
EAST FRANKLIN ATHLETIC EVENT
High School Sports, Sports
June 17, 2026
ALL PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED/EAST FRANKLIN JUNIOR HIGH 10 For 10 Club Boys A-Team basketball awards Boys B-Team basketball awards Cheerleader awards Girls b...
Main Street hosts ‘Summer on Jackson’
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
June 17, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — People gathered downtown Saturday evening for “Summer on Jackson,” a Main Street event featuring food, shopping and family activities. ...

Leave a Reply

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