Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
2:48 am Thursday, January 17, 2002

INA AILEENE DUKES

By Staff
PBX operator
Services for Ina Aileene Dukes will be held today at 3 p.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jason Gross officiating. Burial will be in Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mrs. Dukes, 79, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2002, at Riley Hospital. She was a member of Cokers Chapel Methodist Church and past president of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.
Survivors include three daughters, Chrell Johnson of Pasadena, Texas, Toni White of Puckett and Tracey Alday of Meridian; a son, Brad Dukes of Suqualena; sisters, Ruby Edney of Vinville, Freta Knight of Memphis, Tenn., Marie Carlile of Vinville and Snookie Richards of Atlanta; 13 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Dave and Ina Mae Maggard; her husband, Henry Alvo Dukes; a daughter, Sande Dukes; two grandchildren, Trenton Gerrard Able and David Michael Hoop.
The family requests memorials be made to Merrehope. Mrs. Duke's was a direct descendent of John Gary, owner of Merrehope.
Pallbearers will be Tray Hammick, Bill Ednay, Dee White, Hurbert White, Marty Alday and Josh White.
MATTIE A. WEDGEWORTH
Services for Mattie A. Wedgeworth will be held Friday at 11:30 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Hubert Rutherford officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Wedgeworth, 82, of Meridian, died Monday, Jan. 14, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Fred L.C. Wedgeworth of Meridian; five children, Fred L.C. Wedgeworth Jr., Bobby Tim Wedgeworth and Marie Pappia, all of California, Nancy Heiser and Teressa Long, both of Meridian; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; a brother, Raymond Gressett of Suqualena; sisters, Katherine Freeman of Suqualena, Mary Evelyn Rutherford of Collinsville and Marie Rockford of McComb.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter Gressett and Carrie Gressett Dollar; a sister, Dorothy Speed; and a brother, Robert Gressett.
Visitation will be Friday beginning at 9 a.m.
GLADYS O. BOYETTE
Retired teacher
Services for Gladys O. Boyette will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at NorthPark Church with the Revs. Earl Wheatley and John Williams officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery with Barham Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Boyette, 82, of Meridian, died Monday, Jan. 14, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a retired teacher in Florida for many years where she taught fifth and sixth grades. She attended NorthPark Church.
Survivors include her husband, the Rev. Robert E. Boyette of Meridian; two nephews, Wilson Lovett and Wayne Lovett, both of Meridian and California; a sister, Mary Daniels of Meridian; and several nieces and nephews.
The family requests memorials be made to NorthPark Church.
Pallbearers will be Chris Daniels, Nathan Everett Daniels, Wilson Lovett, Wayne Lovett and David Bowen.
Visitation will be Friday one hour prior to the service at the church.
EVA ERSCELLE RIVERS
Services for Eva Erscelle Rivers will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mrs. Rivers, 82, died Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2002 in her home.
BARBARA LANG STEPHENS
Services for Barbara Lang Stephens will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. G. Mitchell McDonald officiating.
Mrs. Stephens, 58, of Collinsville, died Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Visitation will be Friday 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
W.C. MCDONALD
Services for W.C. McDonald will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church with the Rev. Willie Ray Clark officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Moscow with James L. Osby Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McDonald, 83, of Meridian, died Monday, Jan. 14, 2002, in his home. He served in the U.S. Navy.
Survivors include four sons, Willie McDonald and his wife, Annie Bell, of Cleveland, Ohio, Jamie McDonald, Robert McDonald and his wife, Hazel, and Johnny McDonald, all of Meridian; four daughters, Lillie Elaire, Lena Anderson and Mary D. Evans and her husband, Percy, and Georgia Jones and her husband, Jimmy, all of Meridian; a sister, Annie Hicks of Philadelphia.
Visitation will be Friday 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at E.E. McDonald Community Chapel in Meridian.
ELIZA M. NICKSON
Arrangements were incomplete at Clark's Memorial Funeral Home for Eliza M. Nickson, 45, of Lauderdale, who died Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
WILLIAM EDWARD LANG
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for William Edward Lang, 45, of Meridian, who died Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2002, in his home.

Also on Franklin County Times
Drone contraband is becoming a problem
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Area law enforcement officials say they support the idea of more authority to stop drones from delivering contraband into jails. Alabam...
Oliver: Too many children are being abused
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County deputies investigated 85 cases involving child and sexual abuse in 2025. “For a county the size of Franklin County, tha...
Sentencing delayed again in manslaughter trial
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Brandy Dowdy will have to wait even longer to learn how long she will serve in prison after her sentencing was delayed for the second t...
Garden club hosts plant, bake sale
Columnists, News, Red Bay
In the Community
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RED BAY — The Red Bay Garden Club held its annual plant and bake sale Saturday at the high school greenhouse to raise funds for projects across the ci...
Has the city on a hill lost its shine?
Columnists, Opinion
April 15, 2026
Ronald Reagan used the “Shining City on a Hill” as a metaphor for the United States as a beacon for freedom and democracy in the world. Joe Biden ofte...
Delta Kappa Gamma learns gardening tips
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
April 15, 2026
Our April meeting of Delta Kappa Gamma at Calvary Baptist Church in Russellville featured a lively and practical program by Trace Barnett, a native of...
TVA president, CEO announces retirement
News
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
Less than a year after he was named president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority, Don Moul told members of the board of directors he will be re...
Students’ art selected for State Capitol exhibit
News, Russellville
By Maria Camp camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The art of three Russellville Elementary School students is on display at the Alabama State Capitol through April 28. Khloe Ball, a fou...

Leave a Reply

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