Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
8:01 am Thursday, November 15, 2001

OBITUARIES FOR THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2001

By Staff
PAUL STEPHEN COMPTON
Services for Paul Stephen Compton will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Kenneth Owen and Russell Luquire officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Community Cemetery.
Mr. Compton, 38, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2001, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was a member of Oak Grove United Methodist Church and a 1981 graduate of Clarkdale High School.
Survivors include his wife, Christal Compton a son, Jacob Paul Compton, a sister, Katrina Compton Brown and her husband, Grant, and a niece, ReaAnna Brown, all of Meridian; his mother, Sylvia Compton, a brother, Henry Ray Compton, his grandmother, Rosalie Stephens and his grandfather, William A. Tucker, all of the Clarkdale Community; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, Omer Ray Compton.
The family requests memorials be made to Oak Grove Untied Methodist Church Building Fund, 6084 Valley Rd., Meridian, MS 39307.
Pallbearers will be Johnny Robinson, John Smith, William Compton, John Compton, Robert Compton, David Compton, Sam Kelley and Jason Mingo.
Honorary pallbearers will be Tommy Hunter and Raymond Charles Compton.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
RUTH ELLEN BALDRIDGE
Customer service representative
FOREST Services for Ruth Ellen Baldridge were to be held today at 10 a.m. at Magnolia Heights Baptist Church. Burial was to be in Carr Methodist Cemetery with Ott and Lee Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Baldridge, 51, died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2001, at St. Dominic Jackson Memorial Hospital. She was a native of Newton and had lived in Forest for the last 28 years. She formerly lived in Smith County. Mrs. Baldridge was a member of Magnolia Heights Baptist Church BMA in Forest, where she was the church organist, assistant piano player and sang in the choir. She was employed as a customer service representative with Wal-Mart in Forest.
Survivors include her husband, John B. Baldridge and two daughters, Amy Lynn McCoy and April Elizabeth Baldridge, all of Forest; two brothers, Robert Nelson Carr of Forest and Thomas Frederick Carr of Jackson; a half sister, Bonnie Ruth Kelly of Walnut Grove; and a granddaughter, Ashley Nicole McCoy of Forest.
She was preceded in death by her father, Robert Franklin Carr Jr. in 1983 and her mother, Lola Alyeen Carr in 2000.
The family requests memorials be made to Magnolia Heights Baptist Church BMA, Highway 80 East, Forest, MS 39074.
WILLIE L. THOMAS
GILBERTOWN, Ala. Services for Willie L. Thomas will be held today at 11 a.m. at Springbank Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim Wallace officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Phillips Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Thomas, 98, of Silas, died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2001, in his home.
Survivors include his wife, Mae Thomas of Silas; five sons, James Thomas of Columbus, Norman Thomas of Huntsville, Bob Thomas of Miami, Billy Walker of Silas and Tracy Walker of Gilbertown; three daughters, Louise Sahlbom of Tarpon Springs, Fla., Andora Driver of Daphne and Shirley Nix of Silas; two brothers, Clarence "Buck" Thomas and Ganus "Dock" Thomas, both of Demopolis; three sisters, Beatrice Maughan of Leeds, Mert Toxey of Tuscaloosa and Clara Cantrell of Carrollton; 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two sons, Wallace Thomas and Cecil Thomas.
JOSEPH WOODROW WAITE
GILBERTOWN, Ala. Services for Joseph Woodrow Waite will be held today at 2 p.m. at Cullomburg Baptist Church with the Rev. Sonny Hoven officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Phillips Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Waite, 89, of Cullomburg, died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2001, in his home.
Survivors include his wife, Lizzie Roberts Waite, two stepsons, Joseph Frost and Timothy Frost, all of Cullomburg; a stepdaughter, Edith "Boots" Misrok of Yarbo; and several nieces, nephews and step-grandchildren.
LUNA MAHAN SWOOPE
Owner of Newton Florist
NEWTON Graveside services for Luna Mahan Swoope will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the Masonic Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Charles Douglas officiating. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Also on Franklin County Times
Tiffin Motorhomes to produce new line
Main, News, Red Bay, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
February 18, 2026
RED BAY — Tiffin Motorhomes is slated to open a new production line in Red Bay, according to Tiffin’s parent company, THOR Industries. Beginning May 1...
Dealer: Gold content not suitable for everyday use
Main, News, Z - News Main
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
February 18, 2026
The push for a new $2.50 anniversary coin is raising logistical and economic questions, particularly about whether such a coin could be used in everyd...
Red Bay approves $3.6M budget
Main, News, Red Bay
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
February 18, 2026
RED BAY – City officials are expecting a slight decrease in sales tax revenue for the upcoming fiscal year but anticipating a larger general fund budg...
$5K TVA grant to bring student podcasting program to RES
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 18, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Elementary School students will soon be recording podcasts, interviewing community members and exploring career paths in a program bein...
State is overlooking qualified local leaders
Columnists, Opinion
February 18, 2026
When I was elected to the Alabama State Senate in 1978, I was 39 years old. Now at the age of 87, when I go out in the community, I meet people who re...
Opinion: Here and Now – White to perform March 7 at the Roxy
News, Russellville
HERE AND NOW
By Susie Hovater Malone Columnist 
February 18, 2026
By Susie Hovater Malone Columnist There is something special about a night out in a small town. People run into neighbors. They make a plan instead of...
Accessible basketball completes year 2
News, Russellville, Sports
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 18, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Fifteen players took the court over four Saturdays at the Ralph C. Bishop Center for this year’s round of accessible basketball games. ...
Belgreen team wins Spark Tank contest
News, Russellville, Russellville Golden Tigers
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 18, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE Fourteen teams from three high schools pitched business ideas and competed for cash prizes during the second annual Franklin County Spark...

Leave a Reply

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