OBITUARIES FOR WEDNESDAY, OCT. 31, 2001

By Staff
Survivors include his wife, Eudora Jones Bates of Meridian; a son, Harry Bates and his wife, Kay, of Philadelphia; two daughters, Jackie Slay and her husband, Ronnie, and Margaret Branton, all of Meridian; grandchildren, Greg Slay and his wife, Sondra, Phillip Slay and his wife, Amanda, Margaret Ellen Bates, Stacy Branton Yalacki and her husband, Jack, Melissa Branton and Justin E. Branton; a sister, Margaret Childs of Montgomery, Ala.; and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Thomas E. Bates II.
The family requests memorials be made to Highland Baptist Church.
Pallbearers will be Everette Daniels, Tommy Dulaney, John Hart, Gene Raley, Dan Self and Lamar Smith.
Honorary pallbearers will be the men of Harvesters Sunday school class.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
LOUISE ELROD CHRISTOPHER
BUTLER, Ala. Services for Louise Elrod Christopher will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Butler with the Revs. Garry Williams and Scottie Fulcher officiating. Burial will be in Butler City Cemetery with Bumpers Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Christopher, 72, of Butler, died Monday, Oct. 29, 2001, at Marshall Medical Center South in Albertville.
Survivors include a son, Howard Christopher and his wife, Amy, of Butler; daughters, Tina Adams and her husband, Kenneth, of Temple, Ga. and Carolyn Bruister and her husband, Roy, of Albertville; a brother, Berlie Elrod of Thomasville; a sister, Reba Walker of Birmingham; and four grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry H. Christopher Sr.
Visitation will be today from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
NOMA LEE SMITH
Retired event coordinator
PHILADELPHIA Graveside services for Noma Lee Smith will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Good Hope Cemetery with the Rev. Johnny Peden officiating. McClain-Hays Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Smith, 78, of Ridgeland, died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001, at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland.
Survivors include a son, Jerry C. Smith of St. Augustine, Fla.; two sisters, Helen Marie Graham of Jackson and Vivian Hamilton of Philadelphia; and two grandsons.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Clifton "Tip" Smith.
Visitation will be Thursday one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
BILLY JOE HERRINGTON
Claims administrator
PHILADELPHIA Services for Billy Joe Herrington will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Gene Henderson officiating. Burial will be in Cedarlawn Cemetery.
Mr. Herrington, 58, of Brandon, died Monday, Oct. 29, 2001, at St. Dominic Hospital. He was employed as a claims administrator with Schwartz &Associates P.A. in Jackson.
Survivors include his wife, Charlotte R. Herrington, a daughter, Ren H. Robinson and a son, Bill R. Herrington, all of Brandon; two sisters, Linda George and Glean Clark, both of Philadelphia; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
BERTHA MAY THRASH
Homemaker
SEBASTOPOL Services for Bertha May Thrash will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Milling Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Reggie Williams officiating. Burial will be in New Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery in Conehatta.
Mrs. Thrash, 98, of Newton, died Monday, Oct. 29, 2001.
Survivors include a son, Donald Wayne Thrash of Vermillion, Ohio; three daughters, Sybil Sistrunk of Sebastopol, Johnnie Faye Collins of Mobile, Ala., and Sennie May Mallette of Van Cleve; 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Luther Thrash; father, Richard Brown and her mother, Rebecca Morrow; four children and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 4:30 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
MARY A. HOLMES
Secretary
TERRY Memorial services for Mary A. Holmes will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church. Rosemont Gardens is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Holmes, 39, a native of Meridian, died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001, at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson. She was employed as a secretary at the Mississippi School for the Blind.
Survivors include her husband, Donald Holmes of Terry; her parents, Billie and Josephine Walton, two brothers, Carl Walton and Jerry Walton, all of Pearl; a sister, Susan Ford of Richland; her paternal grandmother, Willie Mae Walton of Richland; and several nieces and nephews.
JALYN DAYRON CHRISTOPHER MOBLEY
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home of DeKalb for Jalyn Dayron Christopher Mobley, 11 months-old, of Little Rock, who died Saturday, Oct. 27, 2001, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
JOSEPH WILLIAM SMITH JR.
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for Joseph William Smith Jr., 81, of Meridian, who died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001, in his home.