Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
10:16 am Tuesday, November 18, 2003

Obituaries for Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003

By Staff
Retired secretary
FOREST Services for Shirley Pharis Habib will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Ott and Lee Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Ephesus Baptist Church Cemetery in Forest.
Mrs. Habib, 67, of Forest, died Sunday, Nov. 16, 2003, at Heartfelt Hospice. She was a native of Scott County and had lived a number of years in Meridian. She worked with the State Department and served in Mexico City, Mexico, Managua, Nicaragua, Lima, Peru, and Port of Spain, Trinidad. She served as personal secretary to the U.S. Ambassador until her retirement in 2000. She was a member of Poplar Springs Drive Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Joseph Habib of Port of Spain, Trinidad; sons, Weber Pharis of Philadelphia and Wade Pharis of Jackson; three grandchildren, Anthony Pharis, Salena Pharis and Lang Mattiace Pharis; sisters, Doris Hasha of Meridian and Helen Lang of Augusta, Ga.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lemmie J. Lang and Clennie Lang; her daughter, Teresa Pharis; and a brother, C.J. Lang.
Visitation will be Wednesday noon to 1:45 p.m. at the funeral home.
UNION Services for Mary Ann Hatley will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Hopewell Baptist Church in Little Rock with the Revs. Jimmy McDill and Johnny Collins officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Milling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Hatley, 96, of Newton, died Saturday, Nov. 15, 2003, at Bedford Care Center in Newton.
Survivors include her daughter, Juanita D. Butler and her husband, Billy; a son, Billy Wayne Dean and his wife, Sharon, all of Little Rock; four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and 22 great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Trudie Dean of Little Rock and Ann Dean Ivy of Titusville; brothers, Adrian Johnson and Grady Johnson, both of Chunky.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Jake Dean, Lott Bailey and Joel Hatley; sons, Douglas Dean and Charles Jerome Dean; and one great-great-grandson, Steven Jerome Meaders.
Memorials may be made to the Baptist Children's Village, P.O. Box 27, Clinton, MS 39060-0027.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mississippi Department of Transportation employee
Services for Eddie C. King Sr. will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church on Arundel Road with the Rev. Thomas C. Howell officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. King, 42, of Meridian, died Thursday, Nov. 13, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his wife, Gloria Hall King; a daughter, Ashley Nicole King; and a son, Eddie C. King Jr.; sisters, Earnestine King, Maggie Mosley and Annie Mae Sterling, all of Meridian.
Visitation will be Wednesday 7 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Farmer
SEBASTOPOL Services for Lee Wilson will be held Thursday at 3 p.m. at Mt. Zion Indian Baptist Church in Carthage with the Rev. Eugene Tubby officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Milling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wilson, 78, of Philadelphia, died Sunday, Nov. 16, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include his daughters, Gloria Wilson, Sandra Wilson, Maria Wilson and Rebecca Wilson, all of Philadelphia; sons, Randolph John of Tampa, Fla., Nelson Wilson, Derrick Wilson, Tony Wilson and Charles Wilson Sr., all of Philadelphia; 44 grandchildren and 39 great-grandchildren.
Retired Burlington Industry employee
QUITMAN Services for John Sterling will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at Little Zion United Methodist Church in Stonewall with the Rev. Jimmy Jones officiating. Burial will be in Archusa Cemetery in Quitman. Berry and Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Sterling, 82, of Quitman, died Thursday, Nov. 13, 2003, at Guardian Angel Hospice.
Survivors include his wife, Inez Sterling of Quitman; a daughter, Cathy Travis of Jackson; a sister, Lillie Pickens of Quitman; brothers, George Sterling and Arnell Sterling, both of Gary, Ind.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be Thursday 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home in Quitman.
Homemaker
Services for Wilma Lewis were held Monday at 10 a.m. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Carthage with the Rev. Eugene Tubby officiating. Burial was in Old Mt. Zion Cemetery. Milling Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Lewis, 53, of Carthage, died Friday, Nov. 14, 2003, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Survivors include her sisters, Emma Willis of Carthage, Eleanor Torrable of Oklahoma, Christine Thomas of Philadelphia and Jeanette Willis of California; one aunt, two uncles, several nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home for Janet Clark, 31, of Meridian, who died Monday, Nov. 17, 2003, at Riley Hospital.
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for the Rev. Tony Burks, 73, of Meridian, who died Monday, Nov. 17, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for the Rev. Matthew Jenkins, 90, of Meridian, who died Monday, Nov. 17, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Robert Lee Stokes, 52, of Shubuta, who died Saturday, Nov. 15, 2003, in his home.

Also on Franklin County Times
LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY
Franklin County, Main, News, ...
Retirement brings an end to one chapter of school
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
April 22, 2026
THARPTOWN – Over the past 21 years, Tharptown schools have seen a plethora of changes as students and teachers alike come and go and the education lan...
Investigator details charges in child porn case
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
April 22, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Details from an interview between Abigail Roberts and an investigator regarding the child pornography and sodomy charges against the 22...
Generational investment has regional impact
Columnists, Opinion
April 22, 2026
On March 20 we marked the beginning of something truly significant, not just for one community, but for all of north Alabama. The announcement of a $2...
Broadway salute takes stage April 23-26
Columnists, News
HERE AND NOW
April 22, 2026
“The Roxy’s Salute to Broadway” will be held April 23-26 at the historic Roxy Theatre in downtown Russellville. The production features music from fiv...
RHS softball goes 3-1 in NW Alabama Bash
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
Brannon King For the FCT 
April 22, 2026
The Russellville High softball team went 4-2 during a week of games that included participation in the Northwest Alabama Bash at the Sportsplex in Flo...
Red Bay wins 3 of 4; Tharptown wins 2
Belgreen Bulldogs, High School Sports, News, ...
Bart Moss For the FCT 
April 22, 2026
RedBayandTharptown led the way last week in softball with Red Bay winning 3 of 4 games and Tharptown earning a couple of big wins, downing Phil Campbe...
Competitive eater completes challenge
News, Russellville
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
April 22, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — A local restaurant is getting attention after a competitive eater finished a massive meal with just seconds to spare, turning a simple ...
$4.2M paving project nears end
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 22, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The final phase of a $4.2 million paving project funded through a Rebuild Alabama grant is nearing completion, marking the end of a lar...

Leave a Reply

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