Obituaries for Thursday, July 8, 2004

By Staff
Graveside services for Charles Andrew Chester will be held today at 3 p.m. at Forest Lawn Cemetery with the Revs. Dr. Raymon Leake and Greg Proctor officiating. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Chester, 48, of Jackson, died Wednesday, July 7, 2004, at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson. He was an avid golfer who enjoyed playing with his son and friends.
Survivors include his son, Drew Chester of Madison; his mother, Ethel Gwaltney of Meridian; sisters, Donna Puckett of Dallas and Lynda Anders and her husband, Wayne, of Meridian; step-brothers, Robert Gwaltney and his wife, Linda, of Peachtree City, Ga., the Rev. Gene Gwaltney and his wife, Judy, of Opelika, Ala. and Tommy Gwaltney and his wife, Marty, of St. Petersburg, Fla.; step-sisters, Joyce Sharb and her husband, Tom, of Woodville, Colo. and Marilyn Gwaltney of Buffalo, N.Y.; special friends, Joe White, Jean White and Merrell White, all of Meridian and Percy Bails and Geraldine Bails, both of Jackson and his former wife, Cindy Burnett Chester of Madison.
He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Clark Chester and his step-father, Fred Gwaltney.
Pallbearers will be David Prather, Kelly Switzer, Michael Gray, Tony Winstead and Joe White. Honorary pallbearers will be Merrell White, Kevin Anders, Chris Puckett and Tim Puckett.
Visitation will be today 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Marvin E. Skelton will be held today at 3 p.m. at Oak Grove United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dave Meadows officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Skelton, 87, of Basic City, died Tuesday, July 6, 2004, in Jackson.
Survivors include his daughter, Brenda Sue of Basic City; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; brothers, James Skelton and the Rev. George Skelton, both of Meridian.
Visitation will be today two hours prior to the service at the church.
QUITMAN Services for Sammy Thomas Martin will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Rolling Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Ronnie Cooper officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Wright's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Martin, 71, of Stonewall, died Wednesday, July 7, 2004, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley Lee Martin of Stonewall; sons, Timothy Martin of Shalimar, Fla. and Anthony Martin of Panama City Beach, Fla.; a daughter, Theresa Martin of Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.; a brother, Ray Martin of Boston; sisters, Bertha Young of Stonewall and Merle Kennedy of Quitman; three grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Friday one hour prior to the services at the church.
Services for Robert Earl "BoBo" Northam will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Danny Chisolm officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mr. Northam, 71, of Meridian, died Wednesday, July 7, 2004, at Riley Hospital. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in the Korean War. He was retired from Southern Pipe and Supply and he was a member of Central Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Dorothy Torrance Northam; a son, Richard Northam; a grandson, Elec Northam; sisters, Mary Palmer and Jean Jones; a brother, J.T. Northam Jr. and his wife, Ester, and a sister-in-law, Lois Northam, all of Meridian and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Northam Sr.; a sister, Florence Manley and brothers, Bill Northam, John Northam, Tom Northam and Joe Northam.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
IUKA Services for Lloyd Lee Davis will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Iuka United Methodist Church with the Revs. Ed Temple and Jimmy Daniel officiating with a eulogy to be read by Kent Vaughn. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery. Cutshall Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Davis, 58, of Mobile, Ala., formerly of Iuka, died Tuesday, July 6, 2004, in his home. He was a member of the Iuka United Methodist Church since 1954. He was a 1973 graduate of the University of Mississippi with a degree in accounting. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Secret Service and served in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
His career in medical management began in 1973 in Winnemucca, Nev. In 1983, he joined the College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama where he served as manager of the departments of Family Practice, Stanton Road Clinic, and Neurology until his retirement in 2000. From there, he served as clinical operations manager at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson where he subsequently retired in 2004.
He was a member of the American College of Medical Practice Administrators, Medical Group Management Association, Jackson Medical Managers, Academic Practice Assembly and the Alabama Academy of Science. He was an executive board member of the Mobile Family Counseling Center from 1986-1992, a board member of the Alabama Medical Care Advisory Committee from 1986- 1996, a board member of the Alabama State Rehabilitation Advisory Council from 1996 to 2004.
He will be remembered for his loving and gracious spirit that warmed family and friends throughout his life.
Survivors include his wife, Jayne Davis of Mobile; a sister, Doris Williams and her husband, Herb, of Atlanta; a brother, Dr. Don Davis and his wife, Lynne, of Meridian; his mother-in-law, Louise Dyess of Mobile; sisters-in-law Mary Womack and her husband, Jerald, of Guntersville, Ala., Gwynn Gordon and her husband, Tommy, of Mobile, and Kathy Stever and her husband, Orin, of Mobile; a brother-in-law, Dawson Dyess and his wife, Diane, of Mobile; nieces, Lori Holland and her husband, Allan, of Ridgeland, Libby Williams and Mary Williams, both of Atlanta, Alicia Cummins and her husband, Chris, of Meridian, Brandi Russ and her husband, Britt, Jessica Mastin-Stever, Candi White and her husband, Chris, Regina Dickson, Pamela Gregg and her husband, Doug, all of Mobile, and Lisa Adams and her husband, Jim, of Petal; nephews, Andy Davis and his wife, Stacie, of Meridian, Don Davis Jr. and his wife, Eleanor, of Oxford, Bill Lorimer and his wife, Marian, of Birmingham, Justin Dyess and John Davis, both of Mobile.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Doan and Margie Davis.
Pallbearers will be Johnny Biggs, Ben Gaines, Johnny Storment, Tommy Drake, Roger Byrd, Hayden Ables, Charles Sweeney and Carlton Vellcase. Honorary pallbearers include Charles Jones, Bob Ed Harwell, Bobby Glover, Gary Bullard, Elam Davis, Robert Arnold, Emory Jones, and Kent Vaughn.
Visitation will be today 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. and Friday 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Arrangements were incomplete at Stephens Funeral Home for Herbert McRae, 83, of Meridian, who died Wednesday, July 7, 2004, at The Specialty Hospital of Meridian.