Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
3:27 am Saturday, January 19, 2002

EVA ERSCELLE RIVERS

By Staff
Services for Eva Erscelle Rivers will be held today at 10 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Carless Evans and Buddy Petty officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mrs. Rivers, 82, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2002, in her home. Mrs. Rivers was married Jan. 31, 1946. Hospice held a special place in the life of Mrs. Rivers.
Survivors include her husband, Robert B. Rivers Sr., a son, Robert B. Rivers Jr. and his wife, Lesa Weir Rivers, two brothers, W.C. Hodges and E.A. Hodges, all of Meridian; four grandchildren, Candy, Mandy, Leeann and Christopher; and special family members, Joshua and Faith Wimberley.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William Daniel Hodges and Leota Hodges; and a sister, Audrey Mae Hodges.
Pallbearers will be Otis Weir, Bill Goble, William Hodges, Greg Lashley, Robert Massey and Robbie Massey.
MARGARET BREAZEALE
PHILADELPHIA Services for Margaret Breazeale will be held today at 1 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Revs. Jim Daniel and C.O. Germany officiating. Burial will be in Salem Cemetery.
Miss Breazeale, 73, of Philadelphia, died Thursday, Jan. 17, 2002, at Ellisville State School.
Survivors include three sisters, Grace Lewis, Mavis Ingram and Katherine Algood, all of Philadelphia; a brother, O.C. Breazeale of Collinsville; and several nieces and nephews.
INEZ LEGGETT MCNEILL
QUITMAN Services for Inez Leggett McNeill will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Zion Rest Congregational Methodist Church. Burial will be in Zion Rest Cemetery. Wright's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. McNeill, 102, died Friday, Jan. 18, 2002, at Brookville Villa in Waynesboro. Born Nov. 28, 1899, she lived during three decades in Clarke County near Heidelberg.
Survivors include a daughter, Edwina McNeill Rees and her husband, Wilbur L., of Cincinnati, Ohio; a grandson, Richard McNeill; two granddaughters, Sylvia Shoemaker and Pamela Thompson, all of Montgomery, Ala.; a brother, James K. Leggett Sr. of Heidelberg; four great-grandsons, two great-granddaughters, two great-great-grandsons and three great-great-granddaughters.
She was preceded in death by her husband, L.M. "Make" McNeill Jr.; her parents, three brothers and two sisters.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Zion Rest Cemetery Association, c/o Sam Lindsey, 392 Eucutta Rd., Shubuta, MS 39360.
Visitation will be today beginning at 4 p.m. at Freeman Funeral Home in Waynesboro.
BILLY J. BRYAN SR.
Retired shipfitter for Ingalls Shipbuilding
MOSS POINT Services for Billy J. Byran Sr. will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Holder-Wells Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Larry Holder and Roger Bradley officiating. Burial will be in Machpelah Cemetery in Pascagoula.
Mr. Bryan, 63, of Azle, Texas, formerly of Pascagoula, died Friday, Jan. 18, 2002, in Meridian. He was born Dec. 23, 1938, in Neshoba County. Mr. Bryan was a member of the Boilermakers Local No. 693 of Pascagoula and attended Church on The Rock.
Survivors include a son, Billy J. Bryan Jr. and his wife, Sharon, of Azle; daughter, Tonya Lynn Lewis and her husband, Billy, of Ft. Worth, Texas; sister, Ima Jewel Alexander of Meridian; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Thomas and Emma Cook of Ft. Worth; and grandchildren, Tommy Hutcherson III, Michelle Hutcherson, Hayley Pribble and Shelby Lewis.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jessie and Avis Mooney Bryan; his wife, Betty Jean Bryan; a daughter, Debbie Hutcherson; two sons, David and Jimmy Bryan; and a granddaughter, Ashley Pribble.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL
DEMOPOLIS, Ala. Services for William D. Campbell will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Art Luckie officiating. Burial will be in Ebenezer Baptist Cemetery in Pennington. Kidd-Robbins Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Campbell, 66, of Demopolis, died Friday, Jan. 18, 2002, at D.C.H. Regional Medical Center. He was a native of Choctaw County and a resident of Demopolis for many years. He served in the U.S. Navy and was retired from Gulf States Paper Corp., with 31 years of service. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Demopolis, the Couples and Singles Sunday School Class and Demopolis Masonic Lodge 49.
Survivors include his wife, Mavis Brown Campbell of Demopolis; a sister, Flora Mae Lewis of Bellamy, Ala.; five nieces, Tommie Sikes and Sheila Gray, both of Tennessee, Barbara Shoemaker and Susan Carpenter, both of Edna and Donna Turner of Bellamy.
Pallbearers will be George Carpenter, Billy Shoemaker, Joe Coats, John Haynes, Ed Pickle, Scotty Collins, Danny Webb and Jeremy Sullivan.
Honorary pallbearers will be the Couples and Singles Sunday School Class of the First United Methodist Church and the Walking and Talking Group: Bob Henderson, Don Buchanan, J.D. West, Leon Hoggle, Oscar Hill, Harold Dunn, Buck Thomas and Billy Tucker.
The family requests flowers or donations be sent to the First United Methodist Church, 200 East Decator St., Demopolis, AL 36732.
Visitation will be held today from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
GEORGE POLK
Poultry worker
SEBASTOPOL Services for George Polk will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Carthage with the Revs. Eugene Tubby and Terry Dixon officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Mr. Polk, 52, of Philadelphia, died Thursday, Jan. 17, 2002, at his home. He was a veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Ezaline Polk of Philadelphia; four daughters, Malesie Henry and Georgianna Billie, both of Carthage and Latoya Polk and Audriana Polk, both of Philadelphia; a son, George Polk Jr. of Philadelphia; a step son, Christopher Tubby of Philadelphia; a brother, Harry Polk of Walnut Grove; six sisters, Clettie Willis, Eva Billy, Maggie Polk, Leslie Wallace and Shirley Jim, all of Carthage and Ruby John of Philadelphia.
Pallbearers will be Harry Wickson, Archie Mingo, Glen Martin, Bobby Phillips, John M. John and Julian Willis.
Honorary pallbearers will be Patrick Willis and Tyler Willis.

Also on Franklin County Times
Russellville hopes to weather Boaz storm
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
Griffin Traylor 
November 6, 2025
Russellville coach Dustin Goodwin, after called on to be a meteorologist for much of the week, can now focus on football. The Golden Tigers (6-4) will...
Eye of the Tigers: After turnaround season, Red Bay has more goals in mind
High School Sports, Red Bay Tigers, Sports
After turnaround season, Red Bay has more goals in mind
David Glovach For the FCT 
November 6, 2025
RED BAY — The final whistle called them over well after the sun had set behind the hill and visiting bleachers. Long after the lights had been turned ...
Dog owner goes to trial for manslaughter
Main, News, Russellville
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
November 5, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — The trial of a Red Bay woman who was charged with two counts of manslaughter after her dogs allegedly attacked and killed two people in...
Police chief’s brother retires
Main, News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
November 5, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Brothers Chris and Joe Hargett worked side by side in law enforcement for more than two decades. Now, as Captain Joe Hargett retires fr...
City leaders sworn in for a new term
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
November 5, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — City leaders and community members gathered Sunday at city hall for the swearing-in ceremony for the new city council members, whose te...
Safeplace walk renews focus on domestic violence awareness
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
November 5, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — SafePlace brought its Domestic Violence Awareness Walk back to Franklin County for the first time in nearly two decades. SafePlace Exec...
RHS showcases its pumpkin creativity
News, Records, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
November 5, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville High School’s second annual Pumpkin Palooza filled the old main building hallway with themed pumpkin displays created by e...
GFWC holds North District fall meeting
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
November 5, 2025
By Susie Hovater Malone Columnist DOUBLE SPRINGS — Fellowship, service and community spirit filled the air as members of GFWC Alabama’s North District...

Leave a Reply

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