Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
9:44 am Friday, April 26, 2002

Obituaries for Friday, April 26, 2002

By Staff
JEWEL GIBSON BRAND
Homemaker
NEWTON Services for Jewel Gibson Brand will be held today at 2 p.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Rodney Anderson and Paul Oglesbee officiating. Burial will be in Hickory Cemetery.
Mrs. Brand, 91, of Hickory, died Wednesday, April 24, 2002, at Laird's Hospital in Union. She was a member of Hickory Baptist Church and the Hickory Garden and Reading Club.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Oglesbee and her husband, Paul, of Diamond Head; and Mollie Brooks and her husband, Billy, of Chunky; a son, Troy Brand Jr. and his wife, Billie, of Hickory; 12 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death her husband, William Troy Brand Sr., her parents, Bob and Susie Hamrick Gibson, and two brothers, Robert and Emmitt Gibson.
Pallbearers will be Bill Johnson Jr., Paul Oglesbee III, Ken Oglesbee, Bill Brand, Barry Brand and Ken Morgan.
Visitation will be today from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
DOROTHY TOWNSEND CRAWFORD
Beautician
PHILADELPHIA Services for Dorothy Townsend Crawford will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at John E. Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Stanley Barnett officiating. Burial will be in Cedarlawn Cemetery.
Ms. Crawford, 75, of Pascagoula, died Thursday, April 25, 2002, at Chateau Deville Nursing Home in Pascagoula.
Survivors include her son, M. Craig Crawford and her sister, Juanita Thibault, both of Pascagoula; and Maurice Townsend of Albuquerque, N.M.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
MARY ALICE MEADOR WAINRIGHT
Salesperson, cashier
BUTLER, Ala. Services for Mary Alice "T-Baby" Meador Wainright will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Gary Williams officiating. Burial will be in Butler City Cemetery with Bumpers Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Wainright, 82, of Butler, died Thursday, April 25, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include three daughters, Jo Ann Huddleston of Birmingham; Sandra Roberts of Butler; and Cora Smith of Selma; two sisters, Louise Cruit of New Orleans; and Marguerite Moody of Butler; two brothers, Jimmy Meador of St. Louis.; and Morris Meador of Jachin; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held today from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
LEON HOPSON JR.
Logger
DeKalb Services for Leon "Sonny" Hopson Jr. will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Mt. Cephus Primitive Baptist Church in Porterville with the Rev. Leslie Jackson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with E.E. McDonald Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hopson, 46, of Porterville, died Tuesday, April 23, 2002, in Daleville.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley V. Hopson, three children, Terronne, Kenisha and Sharonda Hopson, all of Porterville; his father, L.T. "Hook" Hopson of Porterville; four sisters, Lula Welch, Rosie Nelson and her husband, Tommy, Shirley Roberts and her husband, Fredrick, and Catherine Price and her husband, Otto, all of Jacksonville, Fla.; eight brothers, Gatherie Hopson, William "Danny" Hopson, John Frank Hopson and his wife, Trudy, and Donald Ray Hopson and his wife, Dr. Myako McCloud, all of Meridian; Willie C. Greer of Lauderdale; Larry Earl Hopson and his wife, Bobbie, Larry George Hopson and his wife, Alice, and Tommy Earl Hopson and his wife, Stephanie, all of Jacksonville; several nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother.
Visitation will be held today from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
ALBIRDA BLAKNEY
DEKALB Services for Albirda "Holliday" Blakney will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in DeKalb with the Rev. Weldon Short officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with E.E. McDonald Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Blakney, 78, of Meridian, died Wednesday, April 24, 2002, at Guardian Angel Hospice of Marion.
Survivors include two daughters, Katie Neely and Dorothy Neely, both of Meridian; six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, three sisters, Jean Thomas and Ina Seals, both of Douglas, Ga.; Maeodia McCullum and her husband, Peter, of Milwaukee; two brothers, Leo Holliday and his wife, Rosie, and Edward Holliday and his wife, Florene, all of DeKalb; several nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband.
Visitation will be held Saturday from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
BILLIE RAY WASH
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for Billie Ray Wash, 72, who died Thursday, April, 25, 2002 at Carraway Hospital in Birmingham, Ala.

Also on Franklin County Times
2 pieces of turnout gear lost during fire
Main, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Two turnout jackets were damaged during a Thanksgiving Day structure fire while firefighters were conducting an interior attack. Fire ...
Council to renew fines and notices
Main, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Enforcement actions for a group of deteriorating downtown buildings will resume after council members voted Dec. 16 in favor of the ac...
Public donations make baby box possible
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
December 24, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — City Council members have approved the purchase of a Safe Haven Baby Box using funds donated for that purpose. Two different families, ...
EMS train for K-9 emergency treatment
Franklin County, Main, News, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
December 24, 2025
FLORENCE – Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Jaret Yancey and his K-9 officer Mateo have only been together for a few months, but the pair have already...
West Elementary hosts ‘Polar Express’ celebration
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- West Elementary School marked the Christmas season with a series of activities centered on music, generosity and long-standing holiday...
Innovate Alabama critical to state’s economic future
Columnists, Opinion
December 24, 2025
Alabama has long been recognized for its success in industrial and manufacturing recruitment. Our state offers aggressive incentives and support to at...
Cultura Garden Club celebrates Christmas
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
December 24, 2025
By Susie Hovater Malone Columnist Christmas for Cultura Garden Club members this year meant gathering around a table, sharing food made with care and ...
THS assistant principal gets championship ring
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Tharptown High School’s faculty surprised Assistant Principal Sherry Parker with a championship ring recognizing her role on the 1981 V...

Leave a Reply

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