Obituaries for Saturday, June 28, 2003

By Staff
Retired
Graveside services for Rayford Lewis Smith will be held today at 11 a.m. at Liberty Cemetery in Kemper County with the Rev. Michael Wells officiating. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Smith, 79, of Meridian, died Friday, June 27, 2003, at Riley Hospital. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Survivors include his brothers, Eddie B. Smith of Meridian, and William Crawford Smith of Sacramento, Calif.; a son, and a daughter; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Burnadyne Smith of Philadelphia; several grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Retired
Services for Iva B. "Pat" Thomas will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Carmel Baptist Church with the Revs. Bill Webb, David Wilkinson and Bill Wilkinson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Thomas, 82, of Meridian, died Thursday, June 26, 2003, at The Specialty Hospital of Meridian. She was a member of Carmel Baptist Church and a retired store manager at Aaron Rents in Atlanta.
Survivors include her nieces, Betsy Kirkpatrick and Daphne Brenon, both of California, Margaret Roberson of Jackson, Marjorie Tester of Pensacola, Fla., Sarah Rutledge of Quitman, Paulette Stewart of Bolivar, Tenn., Wanda Judson of Charlotte, N.C., and Sara Livingston of Alexandria, Va.; nephews, Joe Ross Jr. of Vicksburg, James C. Ross, of Richland, Joe Wilkinson of Meridian, Bill Wilkinson of Lenoir City, Tenn., David Wilkinson of New Hebron, Frank Boling of Arlington, Tenn., and Charles Ross of Dalton, Ga.; five great-nieces and great-nephews; 23 great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews; and one great-great-great-grand-nephew.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edwin T. Thomas; two brothers; two sisters; and one nephew.
Pallbearers will be Jerry Barnes, Frank Boling, Charles Ross, James Cooper Ross, Joe Ross Jr. and Joe Wilkinson.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home and 30 minutes prior to the service at the church on Sunday.
Homemaker
Services for Eunice Butler will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jim Meadows officiating. Burial will be in Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Butler, 57, of Meridian, died Thursday, June 26, 2003, in Morton. She was a member of Bethany Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband of 41 years, Guy B. Butler, of Meridian; her father, Henry L. Hilton of Clinton; six children, Guy J. Butler and his wife, Tammy, Margie Erwin, Joe Butler and his wife Olivia, and Sara Dikes and her husband, Chris, all of Meridian, Kenneth Ray Butler and his wife, Glenda, and John H. Butler all of Florence; 10 grandchildren, Stephen, Kristy and Nicole Butler, Angela and Haley Butler, J.R. and Richard Erwin, Justin Butler, Davey Pool and Brianna Dikes; two sisters, Eloise McMullian and her husband, Jerry, of Clinton and Shirley Gains and her husband, Keith, of Jackson.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.