Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
12:23 am Thursday, January 10, 2002

FRANCES S. WALTERS

By Staff
Homemaker
Services for Frances S. Walters will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Bill Webb officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mrs. Walters, 80, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a member of Midway Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son, Michael Walters and his wife, Kelta, of Enola, Ark.; a daughter-in-law, Becky Brooks Walters of Meridian; a sister, Bessie Ishee and her husband, Buddy, of Meridian; a brother, J.E. Shepherd and his wife, Margaret, of Tylertown; five grandchildren, Wendi Walters, Joey Walters, Jodi Walters, James M. Walters and Kristin Walters; a great-granddaughter, Sidney Walters; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James E. Walters; and a son, Joel P. Walters.
Pallbearers will be Jim Shepherd, Billy Brooks, Buddy Tims, Doug Ishee and Mike Buffalo.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
FRANK SEMMES KENNEDY JR.
Postmaster, sectional center manager
Services for Frank Semmes Kennedy Jr. will be held Friday at 2:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Meridian with the Revs. Dr. Raymon Leake and David McCubbin officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery with Barham Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Kennedy, 81, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002, at Guardian Angel Hospice. He was the postmaster and sectional center manager for East Mississippi and West Alabama for 32 years.
Survivors include his wife, Judy Davis Kennedy; a daughter, Kimberly Kennedy Henry and her husband, Joe, two sons, Frank Semmes Kennedy III and his wife, Susan, and John David Kennedy and his wife, Kris, and two grandchildren, Ross and Kaitlyn Kennedy, all of Nashville; a sister, Mrs. Joel Payne of Brandon; three nieces and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Semmes Kennedy Sr.; and a brother, John H. Kennedy.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Guardian Angel Hospice, 6434 Dale Drive, Marion, MS 39342 or the Alzheimer's Association, 5009 Highway 493, Meridian, MS 39301.
Pallbearers will be Bill Johnson, J.T. Northam Jr., Dr. Harry Causey, Charles Naylor, Joe Brown, Dr. Gaines Harrell, Mike Covert and Bob Emmons.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Meridian Lion's Club and the retired postal employees coffee club, deacons of First Baptist Church, members of the Baracca Sunday School Class, Mancel Elkin, Pete Griffis, Jerrel Davis, Howard Lamar, Edwin McArthur, Matthew Baylor, Joe Grant, G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery, Jack Stack, Charles Agnew, Dr. Tony Fouts, Norvin Wilson, Charles Roberts, Sonny Merrell, Cecil Jones, J.B. Hicks, J.B. Barnett, Paul Tucker and Mack Emmons.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
DAVID FRANKLIN DAY
Truck driver
QUITMAN Services for David Franklin Day will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Wright's Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery.
Mr. Day, 60, of Meridian, died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002, in Meridian.
Survivors include his wife, Patsy Day of Meridian; five sons, Craig Callahan of Toomsuba, David Day of Meridian, Stephen Day, Samuel Day and Jeffery Day, all of Mobile, Ala.; a daughter, Kendall Day of Meridian; two brothers, Dudley Day of Mobile and Johnny Farrar of Meridian; two sisters, Olivia Bizzell of Warren Robins, Ga. and Margaret Brown of Lauderdale; one grandchild.
Visitation will be Friday 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
ESIN SURMELI
JACKSON Esin Surmeli, 39, a senior software developer, died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2001, at Ege University Hospital in Izmir, Turkey.
A memorial service and reception to honor and celebrate his life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church Chapel in Jackson.
Mr. Surmeli was born on Jan. 5, 1962, in Samandag, Turkey, and moved to the United States when he was 22 years old. He was a long time resident of Long Island, N.Y., and had lived in Mississippi for five years.
He graduated with honors from Istanbul Technical University in 1982 with a degree in electrical engineering and received his master's degree with honors in computer science from the New York Institute of Technology in 1986. He was employed by FNC, Inc., in Oxford as a senior software developer and he loved every minute of his work. He was a loving husband, son, brother and a good friend to all who knew him.
Survivors include his wife, Amy Surmeli; his mother, Kerime Surmeli of Turkey; four brothers, Rasim and Coskun Surmeli, both of Berlin, Germany, Ilhan Surmeli of Irvine, Calif., and Metin Surmeli of Turkey; three sisters, Tulin, Birsen and Suzane, all of Turkey; his mother- and father-in-law, Danny and Pat Holloway of Meridian; and many nieces and nephews.
His father, Suleyman Surmeli, preceded him in death.
MARVIN RUDOLPH LINTON
Services for Marvin Rudolph Linton were held Saturday at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in the Jenkins Family Cemetery.
Mr. Linton, 61, died Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2002, at Heartfelt Hospice.
Survivors include three daughters, Cathy Jenkins and her husband, Tony, of Quitman, Betty Carol Linton of Meridian, and Connie Lunsford and her husband, Bud, of Richmond, Ky.; sisters, Florence Collier and her husband, Bill, Retha Chatham, Majory McElroy and her husband, C.W. "Mack," all of Meridian; his children's mother, Ouida Linton of Meridian; four grandchildren and one great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin T. and Ruth S. Linton; and brothers, Travis and Martin Linton.
Pallbearers were Thomas Alsobrooks, Randy Linton, Greg Chatham, Mike Linton, Johnny Cumberland and Ray McKay. Honorary pallbearer was David Sanders.
EUGENE CLAY COOLEY
Arrangements were incomplete at Stephens Funeral Home for Eugene Clay Cooley of Hickory, who died Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002, in his home.
RICHARD L. HARWELL
Arrangements were incomplete at Stephens Funeral Home for Richard L. Harwell, 84, of Meridian, who died Thursday, Jan. 10, 2002, at The Specialty Hospital of Meridian.
AUDREY PRICE
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Audrey Price, 56, of Los Angeles, who died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002.

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 *