Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
4:08 pm Tuesday, December 11, 2001

Survivors include a daughter, Frances Kuykendall of Columbus; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

By Staff
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank H. Lantz; a son, Frank Cole Lantz; and her parents, Samuel G. and Louise Bankhead Cole.
The family requests memorials be made to First Untied Methodist Church, P.O. Box 308, Philadelphia, MS 39350.
Visitation will be Wednesday 1 p.m.-1:45 p.m. at the funeral home.
JAMES EDWARD SMITH
Retired from First Chemical Corp.
ESCATAWPA Services for James Edward Smith will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Causeyville Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Billy Williams officiating. Burial will be in Hays Cemetery with Jackson County Funeral Services in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Smith, 61, of Gautier, died Sunday, Dec. 9, 2001, in his home. He served in the U.S. Air Force.
Survivors include his wife, Gail Stewart Smith of Gautier; a daughter, Suzanne Smith DuBois; a son-in-law, Shawn DuBois; a sister, Ethel Mae Tucker of Quitman; brothers, J.T. Smith, John F. Smith Jr. and Willard Smith, all of Meridian; and two grandsons.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Patrick Noel Smith; and three brothers.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
HELEN BEASLEY WEEKLY
Retired from General Box Co.
Services for Helen Beasley Weekly will be held Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Danny Chisholm officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mrs. Weekly, 84, of Meridian, died Monday, Dec. 10, 2001, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a member of Central Baptist Church and King's Daughters and Sons Ernest Workers Circle.
Survivors include a daughter-in-law, Gail Weekly, two granddaughters, Shann Martin and her husband, Mitch, and Stacy Thurman and her husband, Jimmy, a grandson, Chad Weekly and his wife, Mandy, all of Vicksburg; a great-grandson, Clayton Thurman; a sister, Bea Langford and her husband, Carl, of Ruston, La.; a sister-in-law, Tommie Jean Beasley of Alvin, Texas; and a cousin, Bill Beasley of Meridian.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry L. Weekly; a daughter, Rixie Weekly; and a son, Jimmy Weekly.
The family requests memorials be made to Central Baptist Church or the American Cancer Society.
Visitation will be Wednesday beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home.
ARTHUR L. BOUNDS
Retired
Services for Arthur L. Bounds will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at Center Ridge Baptist Church with the Rev. Lorenzo Carter officiating. Burial will be in Bethel Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bounds, 47, of Shubuta, died Friday, Dec. 7, 2001, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Bounds, two sons, Cornelius Heidelberg and Jeremy Bounds, all of Shubuta; two daughters, Shandia Meeks and Lisa Meeks of Indianapolis, Ind.; his father, Robert J. Gray of Warrenville, Ohio; two step-sons, Marcus Moore and Adrian Moore of Shubuta; two sisters, Annette Watkkins of Stephenville, Md., and Helen Kirksey of Brooklyn; two brothers, Charles Bounds of Meridian and Michael Gray of Cleveland, Ohio; a stepbrother, Jerry McCarthy of Texas; and his stepfather, Roosevelt Wallace of Shubuta.
Visitation will be Wednesday 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home in Quitman.
HATTIE SPENCER LEE
Services for Hattie Spencer Lee will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Sandra Boyd officiating. Burial will be in Lilly Chapel Cemetery in York, Ala.
Mrs. Lee, 67, of San Diego, Calif., died Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001, in Vista, Calif.
Survivors include seven children, Faye Spencer and Ronnie Smith of Meridian, Jean Spencer and Michael Spencer of South Carolina, Linda Johnson of California, Keith Spencer of Columbus and the Rev. Sandra Boyd of Illinois; a sister, Daisy Mills of New Orleans; a brother, Robert Smith of Cuba, Ala.; 19 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Thursday 7 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
WILLIAM LEE BALLARD
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for William Lee Ballard, 77, of Meridian, who died Monday, Dec. 10, 2001, in his home.

Also on Franklin County Times
Dowdy sentencing delayed due to medical emergency
News, Russellville, Z - News Main
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
January 7, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The sentencing of Brandy Dowdy will have to wait until another day after her defense attorney suffered a “medical emergency” on Tuesday...
Legislative session opens Jan. 13; Kiel prefiles 2 bills
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
January 7, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE -- State Rep. Jamie Kiel has prefiled two bills ahead of the 2026 Alabama legislative session. The bills, which will be considered when l...
Hollimon reflects on 40 years in education
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 7, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Dr. Deanna Hollimon always felt she was called to be an educator. After 40 years as a teacher, reading coach, administrator and educati...
Firefighters train for vehicle rescues
News, Russellville, Z - News Main
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 7, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — City firefighters trained last week on how to stabilize overturned vehicles and remove trapped occupants. Fire Chief Joe Mansell said t...
Neighbors helping neighbors, one soda pop tab at a time
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
January 7, 2026
Most people don’t think twice about the small aluminum tab on top of a soda can. But those tiny pieces of metal have quietly helped families stay clos...
2025: A year of results for Alabama families
Columnists, Opinion
January 7, 2026
The past year has certainly been a memorable one — and, more importantly, a rewarding one. Beginning the year by leading the Laken Riley Act through t...
Author’s collapse was motivation for comeback
News
Chelsea Retherford For the FCT 
January 7, 2026
When Pete Key collapsed on the bathroom floor in 2024, it didn’t feel like a turning point. It felt like an ending. He had been sick for days — dehydr...
Phil Campbell’s Elliott hits 1,000th career point
High School Sports, Phil Campbell Bobcats, Sports
Bart Moss For the FCT 
January 7, 2026
The Phil Campbell Bobcats kicked off the 2026 calendar year in style Saturday night, securing a decisive 54-37 victory over the visiting Belgreen Bull...

Leave a Reply

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