Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
1:35 pm Monday, July 29, 2002

Obituaries for Monday, July 29, 2002

By Staff
M.L. GRIFFIN
QUITMAN Graveside services for M.L. "Hoss" Griffin were to be held today at 11 a.m. at Odd Fellows Cemetery with the Rev. Stan Wilson officiating. Wright's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Griffin, 76, of Clinton, died Saturday, July 27, 2002, in his home.
Survivors include his wife, Hazel Griffin of Clinton; a daughter, Dianne Zimmerman and her husband, Jon, of Clinton; a son, Richard Griffin and his wife, Joan, of New Castle, Colo.; three grandsons, Michael Zimmerman and his wife, Shannon, James Griffin and Wade Zimmerman, all of Clinton; three great-grandchildren, Cody Zimmerman, Elizabeth Griffin and Alex Zimmerman, all of Clinton; three brothers, Pete Griffin and Glenn Griffin, both of Quitman, and Jack Griffin of Gulfport; two sisters, Lois Ivey of Quitman and Jewel Lample of St. Petersburg, Fla.
Visitation will be today after 10 a.m. at the funeral home.
KENNETH L. LAVENDER
Retired
Services for Kenneth L. Lavender will be held Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Kevin Jones officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mr. Lavender, 47, of Meridian, died Saturday, July 27, 2002, in his home. He was a member of State Boulevard Baptist Church. He was a member of LEMA and worked in the medical field most of his life.
Survivors include his mother, Naomi Lavender of Meridian; a sister, Jan Williams Madden and her husband, Richard, of Collinsville; a nephew, Tyler Williams; a niece, Terrica Williams; his former wife, Ruby Mitchell of Meridian; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, Garland "Bishop" Lavender; and his grandparents, Arthur and Edith Sisson, and Huey and Mary Lavender.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, or State Boulevard Baptist Church Building Fund.
Pallbearers will be members of LEMA.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
WILLIAM HIRAM GILES
Services for William Hiram Giles will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel. Burial to be in Coker's Chapel Cemetery.
Mr. Giles, 81, of Meridian, died Sunday, July 28, 2002, in his home.
Visitation will be Tuesday 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
GORDI RAYNER
Graveside services for Gordi Rayner will be held Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Rayner, 100, of Meridian, died Monday, July 29, 2002, at King's Daughters and Sons Rest Home.
Visitation will be Wednesday 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the funeral home.
GEORGE HALBERT SOULE SR.
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for George Halbert Soule Sr., 90, of Meridian, who died Monday, July 29, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
CELESTIA HOBBS
Arrangements were incomplete at James F. Webb Funeral Home for Celestia Hobbs, 100, of Meridian, who died Sunday, July 28, 2002, at King's Daughters and Sons Rest Home in Meridian.

Also on Franklin County Times
CPR training among department services
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
May 20, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — City firefighters are trying to get the word out to the public about a variety of free services they offer, including CPR classes and b...
Lighting project to begin soon
Main, News, Red Bay, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 20, 2026
RED BAY — Mayor Mike Shewbart said construction on a lighting project along the Alabama Highway 24/Corridor V entrance is expected to begin soon. The ...
Foster care shortage forcing children out of county
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 20, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — A shortage of foster homes in Franklin County is forcing children to be placed in homes throughout Alabama, increasing travel demands o...
THS rocketry team finishes 54th in nationals
News, Russellville, Z - News Main
th in nationals THS rocketry team finishes 54
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 20, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The Tharptown High School rocketry team finished 54th at the 2026 American Rocketry Challenge national finals on Saturday in The Plains...
Delta Kappa Gamma honors educators
Columnists, News
HERE AND NOW
May 20, 2026
As retired educators gathered for the Delta Kappa Gamma Alpha Upsilon Chapter spring banquet at First Highlands Church of Christ in Russellville, memo...
Students share voices during podcasts
News, Records, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 20, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville Middle School students in the “Intro to Innovations” class learned audio editing,script writing and public speaking while ...
Woman accused of killing husband waives bond hearing
News, Russellville, Z - News Main
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
May 18, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The woman accused of fatally shooting her husband because she felt “threatened” by him will remain behind bars after she waived her rig...
Wife, 65, admits she shot, killed husband
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
May 13, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – A 65-year-old woman is facing a murder charge after she admitted to shooting her husband Sunday evening inside their residence on Dunca...

Leave a Reply

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