Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
3:03 pm Tuesday, January 7, 2003

Mrs. Frazier, 37, of Philadelphia, died Saturday, Jan. 4, 2003, in her home.

By Staff
Survivors include her common-law husband, James Sampson of Philadelphia; brothers, Eric Retcher of Biloxi and Eric Bell of Philadelphia; several nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.
Martha Jane Williams Wall
Homemaker
NEWTON Services for Martha Jane Williams Wall will be held Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Fred Read and Don Mason officiating. Burial will be in Garlandville Methodist Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Wall, 57, of Newton, died Sunday, Jan. 5, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. She was a member of Garlandville Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Johnny George Wall of Newton; a daughter, Jina Mayes; a son, Johnny Wade Wall; and a grandson, Kurt Mayes, all of Newton.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Benjamin Marion and Nora Brock Williams; and a brother, Roger Williams.
Pallbearers will be Charles Carter, Bill Walker, Joe Mallard, Brandy Hearn, Josh McCullough and James Williams.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Primus Lofton
Retired
Services for Primus Lofton will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Little Hope Baptist Church in Toomsuba. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Lofton, 73, of Toomsuba, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his daughters, Minnie Lofton of Detroit and Mary Richardson of Chicago; sons, James Lofton, McArthur Lofton, and Tommie Porter, all of Toomsuba, and Calvin Lofton of Detroit; sisters, Edna White of Chicago, Thelma O'Field, Grace White, Katherine Neal and Bertha Fields, all of Buffalo, N.Y.; a brother, Robert Lofton of Buffalo; and 11 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife and parents.
Visitation will be Wednesday 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Leo Alexander
Moss Point School principal
MOSS POINT Graveside service for Leo Alexander will be held Thursday at noon at Suqualena Methodist Church Cemetery. Holder-Wells Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Alexander, 87, of Moss Point, died Monday, Jan. 6, 2003, in Pascagoula.
Survivors include his daughter, Jean Alexander Butler and her husband, Harry, of Gautier; a brother, Rydell Alexander of Ottawa, Canada; two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Moss Point or Baptists Children's Hospital.
Hazel Williams Walker
Services for Hazel Williams Walker will be held Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Highland Baptist Church Chapel. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Walker, 88, of Baton Rouge, La., formally of Meridian, died Monday, Jan. 6, 2003, in Baton Rouge.
Visitation will be Thursday 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Edna Ruth Gilmore-Kimbrell
AUSTIN, Texas Services for Edna Ruth Gilmore-Kimbrell will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Stonewall Assembly of God Church with the Rev. Basil Adams officiating. Burial will be in Stonewall Cemetery. Austin Peel and Son Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Kimbrell, 79, of Corpus Christi, Texas, formerly of Meridian, died Monday, Dec. 30, 2002, at Trinity Care Center in Round Rock, Texas. She was born Feb. 27, 1923, in Vossburg to William Knox and Pearl Pope Gilmore. Edna moved with her family to Stonewall at an early age. She graduated from Stonewall High School and attended Central Bible Institute in Springfield, Mo. She then worked for the Bell Telephone System.
In April of 1950, she married James W. Kimbrell of Birmingham, Ala. She raised five children as a military wife before returning to work for the Bell System in Meridian. Upon retirement in 1985, she moved to Corpus Christi.
Survivors include a son, Keith and his wife, Sandy, of Fairbanks, Alaska; daughters, Kate LeMar and her husband, Paul, of Enid, Okla., Gina Wise and her husband, Tom, of Pflugerville, Texas, Kim Kimbrell of Rangely, Colo.; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; a brother, William Gilmore of Meridian; sisters, Meriam and her husband, Albert of Meridian, Naomi and her husband, Basil, of Morrison, Tenn., and Jewel Ready and her husband, Bob, and Faith Ready.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James; a son, James Jr.; and sisters, Virginia West and Mary Winstead.
Memorials may be made to a food bank of choice.
Orby Hickman
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Orby Hickman, 90, of Meridian, who died Sunday, Jan. 5, 2003, in his home.

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 *