Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
9:12 pm Sunday, July 20, 2003

Obituaries for Sunday, July 20, 2003

By Staff
FOREST Services for Earnest Dodson Shaw will be held today at 2 p.m. at Hillsboro Baptist Church in Hillsboro. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Ott &Lee Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Shaw, 79, of Forest, died Friday, July 18, 2003, at Lackey Memorial Hospital in Forest.
Survivors include a son, Keith Shaw; and a daughter, Karen Shaw, both of Forest.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah Shaw.
Visitation will be today from 12:30 p.m.-1:15 p.m. at the funeral home.
PHILADELPHIA Services for Henry Lee Robertson will be held today at 3 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Mike Sullivan officiating. Burial will be in Sandtown Cemetery in Neshoba County.
Mr. Robertson, 91, of Philadelphia, died Friday, July 18, 2003, at his home. He was a retired heavy equipment operator for the Neshoba County Road Department.
Survivors include a son. Lamar Robertson of Philadelphia; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; two stepdaughters, Jane Smitherman and Susan Murphey; and three stepsons, Robert E. Jones, Billy D. Jones and Jack N. Jones, all of Philadelphia; 10 step-grandchildren; 12 step-great-grandchildren; and four sisters, Christine Richardson of Preston; Lorene White of Charlotte, N.C., and Alene Chatam and Verdine Jones, both of Ridgeland.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marlene Robertson, who died in June, 2003.
Graveside services for Joyce W. Willson will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Collinsville with the Revs. Jim Snowden and Travis McManus officiating. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Willson, 77, of Meridian, died Saturday, July 19, 2003, in her home. She was a retired nurse who had worked at East Mississippi State Hospital.
Survivors include a son, Pete K. Zmitrovich; and a daughter, Karen D. Mitchell, both of Meridian; two brothers, Harold Williamson and his wife, Louise, of Collinsville, and Victor Williamson of Lucedale.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Willson; her parents, John E. and Etta H. Williamson; and a son, Kevin Zmitrovich.
Visitation will be held today from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Paul D. Irby will be held Monday at 1 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Paul Earley, Jerry Lowery and Tommy Jones officiating. Burial will be in Hebron Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mr. Irby, 80, of Meridian, died Friday, July 18, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was a retired plumbing contractor for Irby Plumbing. A member of Hebron Baptist Church, he was a former member and longtime deacon at Southside Baptist Church. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Pacific. He was a member of the VFW, a member of the Masonic Lodge and an avid hunter.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia Irby of Meridian; a granddaughter, Felisha Powell and her husband, Ryan, of Meridian; great-grandchildren, Taylor and Conner Powell; a niece, Cathy Irby of Meridian; and a nephew, Edwin Boswell of Meridian.
He was preceded in death by a son, Paul Irby Jr.; his parents, Richard and Vernie Irby; two brothers, Ray Irby and Maurice Irby; and a sister, Martha Jean Irby.
Pallbearers will be Tommy George, Sam Keeley, Clyde Welker, Bill Rollins, Lambert Irby and Bobby Davidson.
Honorary pallbearers will be Harold Carlisle, Willie Hagwood, Billy Irby, Leonard Bennett, Bobby Joe Martin, and Butch Hawkins.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Also on Franklin County Times
Gray named president of Red Bay, Helen Keller hospitals
Main, News, Red Bay
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
July 15, 2026
SHEFFIELD — Red Bay hospital will soon be under new leadership as Jeremy Gray, who has been hired as the new president of the Franklin County facility...
5 properties are designated nuisance
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Five properties within the city have been designated public nuisances, and city workers soon will begin tearing down a burnedout partia...
Condemned downtown building to be demolished, replaced
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The condemned building that used to house the Faith Mission Outreach will be demolished and a new structure rebuilt in its place. In an...
Jones says he’ll listen to Alabamians
Main, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 15, 2026
SHEFFIELD — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones shared a vision July 9 of an Alabama government who listens to its constituents and focuses ...
Stage being renovated for W.C. Handy Fest
News
By Ella Seaton For the FCT 
July 15, 2026
SHEFFIELD — Stage renovations at Riverfront Park face a fast-approaching completion deadline prior to the W.C. Handy Music Festival. With “Riverside J...
A $174M penalty families can’t afford
Columnists, News, Opinion
July 15, 2026
Recently, the federal government published “scores” that will determine how much each state will have to pay toward its SNAP program starting in 2027....
Friendships more precious as years pass
Columnists, Features, Lifestyles, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 15, 2026
Friends are wonderful gifts. Throughout different stages of life, friends serve as anchors, confidants and sources of strength. While many people come...
Sparks is youngest miracle worker yet
News
By Addi Broadfoots For the FCT 
July 15, 2026
For 65 years, audiences have watched the story of Helen Keller come to life on the outdoor stage behind Ivy Green in Tuscumbia. This summer, that trad...

Leave a Reply

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