Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
12:05 pm Thursday, December 26, 2002

William Alva McClendon Jr.

By Staff
Retired business owner
NEWTON Services for William Alva "Bill" McClendon Jr. will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Newton with the Revs. Dr. Frank Harmon and Dr. Leroy Brewer officiating. Burial will be in Newton County Memorial Gardens Cemetery. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McClendon, 81, of Newton, died Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2002, at Mississippi Veterans Nursing Home in Jackson.
He was a member of First Baptist Church and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. His family moved to Newton and purchased the Kraft Cheese plant from Kraft Foods, forming McClendon's Cheese Company. They purchased two other cheese plants and Ford's Ice Cream to form McClendon Dairy Products Corp.
He was a past president of the Mississippi Dairy Products Association, past interim mayor of Newton. He was a Rotarian and served as deacon of First Baptist Church in Newton.
Survivors include his son, W.D. "Billy" McClendon Sr. of Newton; a daughter, Donna M. Reddish of Jonesboro, Ga.; three sisters, Marilyn Adamson and Lucia McLeroy, both of Jonesboro, and Mitzi Sweetin of Atlanta; five grandchildren, Angelique Foster of Pine Mountain, Ga., Twila Hughes of Cummings, Ga., Dee Wallace of Stockbridge, Ga., W. David McClendon Jr. of Jackson and Carl Reddish of Jonesboro; and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William A. and Ethel McClendon; and his wife, Myrle B. McClendon.
Pallbearers will be members of the Berean Sunday School Class.
Visitation will be today 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Woodrow Horn
Retired
Services for Woodrow Horn will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Little Hope Baptist Church in Toomsuba with the Rev. Lamar Smith officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Horn, 64, of Toomsuba, died Monday, Dec. 23, 2002, in his home.
Survivors include his sisters, Martha Alford, and Dorothy Morgan, both of Toomsuba, Earnestine Ray and Earlean Pittman, both of Biloxi.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be Friday one hour prior to the service at the church.
J.W. Parks
Retired Philadelphia police officer
PHILADELPHIA Services for J.W. Parks will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service Chapel with the Revs. Stanley Barnett and Mark Cloys officiating. Burial will be in Cedarlawn Cemetery in Philadelphia.
Mr. Parks, 83, of Philadelphia, died Monday, Dec. 23, 2002, at Neshoba County General Hospital in Philadelphia. He was a veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his son, Rocky Parks of Philadelphia; one grandson; and his foster mother, Bill Parks of Philadelphia.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
James O. Gentry
Services for James O. Gentry will be held Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Meridian Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Gentry, 78, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2002, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
… obituaries continue on News Pages

Also on Franklin County Times
Text message signaled return to state
High School Sports, Main, Red Bay Tigers, ...
AHSAA NW REGIONAL FINAL RED BAY 64, COLD SPRINGS 52
David Glovach For the FCT 
February 25, 2026
HANCEVILLE — It was a simple text message, one sent by a mom of a former player. It was a six-year-old picture of Red Bay huddled together outside Leg...
An emotional loss for senior Fisher
Belgreen Bulldogs, High School Sports, Main, ...
COLD SPRINGS 45, BELGREEN 42
David Glovach For the FCT 
February 25, 2026
HANCEVILLE — Their hands found their faces quickly — something, anything, to absorb the tears. It only worked so well. “It’s hard,” Makenna Fisher sai...
Court asked to halt lot sales
Franklin County, Main, News, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County commissioners are seeking a court order to halt future sales of lots for the Lightning Ridge subdivision. Colbert Count...
Tellish named Rural Teacher of the Year
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Middle school teacher Carley Andrews Tellish has been named the 2026 Spezzini Rural Teacher of the Year, an honor that recognizes one K...
Students compete in annual beef cook-off
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
February 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE -- The annual Franklin County Cattlemen’s beef cookoff took place recently at Triple H Barn with students from Russellville, Red Bay, Bel...
Garden club revisits Lewis and Clark expedition
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
February 25, 2026
As the 250th celebration of the United States approaches, members of the Cultura Garden club have been revisiting American history through a series of...
Medicare Advantage must be funded
Columnists, Opinion
February 25, 2026
In a few short months, policymakers will decide the financial fate of the Medicare Advantage program and its millions of members. While the program is...
Guntersville ends season for RHS girls basketball
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
Brannon King For the FCT 
February 25, 2026
The memorable and successful 2025-26 girls basketball season came to an end for the Russellville Golden Tigers at the AHSAA Class 5A Northwest Regiona...

Leave a Reply

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