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
Suspect’s boyfriend held without bond
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
May 6, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — A 26-year-old Georgia man charged with dozens of counts ranging from sodomy to producing and disseminating child pornography will remai...
Judge grants attorney’s request to withdraw
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
May 6, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Brandy Dowdy’s original attorney will no longer be part of her case moving forward. Birmingham-based attorney Jessica Bugge filed a mot...
Vina spends $50K to upgrade park
Franklin County, Main, News, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 6, 2026
VINA — Mayor Sue Raper said concerns about deteriorating playground equipment at the park helped spark a broader effort to improve and beautify the to...
Higgins celebrates 100th birthday
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 6, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Eunice Greenhill Higgins celebrated her 100th birthday April 26 with a gathering of more than 70 relatives, friends and others at the F...
Vets clean park at county archives
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 6, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Members of VFW Post 5184 gathered Saturday at the Franklin County Archives to clean the Veterans Park located outside the building. Cle...
State’s outdoors is key to economic growth
Columnists, Opinion
May 6, 2026
From the mountains of the Tennessee Valley to the shores of the Gulf Coast, and everything inbetween, our state is second to none in the country when ...
Book Lovers Club honored at state
News, Russellville
HERE AND NOW
May 6, 2026
Members of Russellville’s GFWC Book Lovers Study Club joined clubwomen from across Alabama for the 131st annual GFWC Alabama Federation of Women’s Clu...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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