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
$110 idea launched a half century business
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 1, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Customers have walked through the doors of Stidham Feed & Seed for more than half a century looking for everything from garden seed and...
Mother, now daughter, leave marks on history
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
July 1, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — In the event you find yourself on a trip to the Franklin County Archives, one of the first things you’ll see upon arrival is the name C...
Book Lovers Club kicks off new year
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
July 1, 2026
Summer tends to make it easier to say “yes” to socializing with friends. That’s what members of the Book Lovers Study Club did for their June meeting ...
The Great Charter’s legacy: No one is above the law
Columnists, Opinion
July 1, 2026
By the time Thomas Jefferson dipped his quill in ink in the summer of 1776, he was drawing from a wealth of ideas more than five centuries old. Eight ...
Todds lead LaGrange restoration efforts
Couples, Features, Lifestyles
Chelsea Retherford For the FCT 
July 1, 2026
For Janet and Max Todd, history isn’t something confined to books or preserved behind glass. It’s something meant to be lived in, and when possible, b...
Obituaries
Obituaries
July 1, 2026
Ronald Stephen Pritchard, M.D. June 10, 2026   Ronald (Ron) Stephen Pritchard, M.D., age 70, of Little Rock, Arkansas, slipped the surly bonds of Eart...
Shoals native looks ahead to Miss America
News
By Ella Seaton For the FCT 
July 1, 2026
MUSCLE SHOALS — The Shoals will be on a national stage in less than three months when 2016 Muscle Shoals High alum Makalyn Heaslett competes for the M...
Taylor retires after 20 years at CB&S Bank
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 1, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Myra Taylor is preparing for retirement after 20 years at CB&S Bank. Her career was built on service, teamwork and helping others. She ...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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