Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
6:53 pm Friday, October 29, 2004

Obituaries for Friday, October 29, 2004

By Staff
Retired General Box Co. employee
Services for Ila Adcock Bateman will be held today at 10 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Bill Webb and Phillip Smith officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Bateman, 86, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, in her home. She was a member of Coker's Chapel United Methodist Church. She will be remembered as a much loved mother, grandmother and friend.
Survivors include her sons, Haskel Bateman and his wife, Mary, Harold Bateman and his wife, Carole, Hershell Bateman and his wife, Geroldine, all of Meridian, and Clay Bateman Jr. and his wife, Nell, of Columbus; daughters, Pat Smith and her husband, Jerry, and Mary Faye Wilson and her husband, Jim, all of Meridian; 13 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Clay Bateman Sr.; and a daughter-in-law, Jeanette Bateman.
Memorials may be made to Coker's Chapel United Methodist Church Building Fund.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons.
Civil service employee
Services for Mary Ella Kinard Cobb will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Fellowship Baptist Church with the Revs. Jimmy Williams and Jerry Zgarba officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Cobb, 84, of Meridian, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004, at The Specialty Hospital of Meridian. She was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church.
Survivors include her daughter, Bunnie Cobb Tisdale and her husband, Doll, of Meridian; grandchildren, Allison Tisdale Andrews and her husband, David, of Orangeburg, S.C. and Paul Tisdale of Meridian; great-granddaughter, Megan Elizabeth Andrews of Orangburg, S.C.; a sister, Margie Miles of Meridian and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ranson Kinard and Mary Alice Tolbert Kinard.
Pallbearers will be her nephews.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home and Saturday 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.
Services for Maybelle Bailey Baxter will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mrs. Baxter, 96, of Marion was a member of Marion United Methodist Church where she served as pianist and organist for several decades, and she was a member of the Time and Tide Club of Meridian.
Survivors include her sons, James B. Baxter of Mobile, Ala., John E. Baxter of Memphis and William B. Baxter of Sedona, Ariz.; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a niece, Joann Anderson and her husband, James; a nephew, C. Scott Bailey Jr. of Meridian; and life-long friends, Betty McInnis, Margie Jackson and Catherine Jones.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. John Baxter.
Memorials may be sent to Marion United Methodist Church.
Visitation will be held today from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
Homemaker
NEWTON Services for Ola Kate Wheeler will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home chapel. Burial will be in Pine Ridge Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Wheeler, 82, of Coal City, Ill., formerly of Newton, died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at Heritage Manor in Dwight, Ill. She was a member of Pine Ridge Baptist Church.
Survivors include her daughters, Margaret A. Frost and Jessie Carol Watters, both of Morris, Ill.; sons, Billy R. Wheeler of Beggs, Okla., Fred Wheeler of Gulfport, Edward Wheeler of Kellyville, Okla., Randy Wheeler of Sapulpa, Okla. and David Wheeler of Crown Point, Ind.; a brother, Carlton Rush of Jackson; 17 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Hubert Wheeler; a daughter, Karen Denise Farley; her parents, Sim Frank and Mamie Parker Rush; and a brother, Franklin Rush.
Visitation will be held today from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Pettis Hampton will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Clark's Memorial Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Alfred Liburd officiating. Burial will be in Barker Cemetery.
Mr. Hampton, 50, of Houston, Texas, died Friday, Oct. 22, 2004, at Memorial Hospital in Houston. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Survivors include his parents, Marcellus and Cathering Hampton of Collinsville; his wife, Linda Hampton; a daughter, Latonya Brooks and her husband, Leon; sons, Henry Bell and his wife, Meklit and Timothy Bell, all of Houston; sisters, Geneva Hampton of Cleveland, Ohio; Virginia Liburd and her husband, Alfred, of Springfield, Calif., Betty Brown and her husband, Othell, of Daleville, Cathy Hampton of Collinsville, and Gwendolyn Steele and her husband, Lee, of DeKalb; brothers, Louis Hampton and his wife, Orene, of Union; Loronzo Hampton and his wife, Margaret, Calvin Hampton and his wife, Wanda, and Nathaniel Hampton, all of Meridian, Herbert Hampton and his wife, Climmi, Donald Hampton and his wife, Venia, Ezra Hampton, Marcellus Hampton and his wife, Jeannie, and Alan Hampton, all of Collinsville and Carl Hampton and his wife, Corvette, of Chesapeake, Vir.; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be held today from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Charles B. Leager Sr. will be held Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Barham Funeral Home chapel with the Revs. Harold C. Talley and Matthew Simmons officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Leager, 64, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at Riley Hospital. He was retired from the U.S. Navy, serving in Vietnam as a 1st Class Boatsum Mate.
Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Dorothy Spencer Leager of Meridian; children, Charles Leager Jr. and his wife, Melinda and Stephanie Hughes and her husband, Jason, all of Meridian, and Carol Davis and her husband, Greg, of Peoria, Ariz.; grandchildren, Erica Davis, Candis Davis, Rozanne Alexander, Charles Leager III, Jimmy Leager, Tabitha Hughes, Olivia Hughes and Drake Hughes; three sisters, Patricia Benefield of Newport News, Vir., Elenor Caldwell of Maryland and Bernice Lumdardi of Philadelphia; a brother, Delano Leager and his wife, Peggy, of Moon, Vir.; several nieces and nephews; and dear friends, Raul Trevino and Odella Trevino.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Winifred and George Leager of Philadelphia.
Pallbearers will be the Military Honor Guard.
Visitation will be held today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Also on Franklin County Times
2 pieces of turnout gear lost during fire
Main, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Two turnout jackets were damaged during a Thanksgiving Day structure fire while firefighters were conducting an interior attack. Fire ...
Council to renew fines and notices
Main, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Enforcement actions for a group of deteriorating downtown buildings will resume after council members voted Dec. 16 in favor of the ac...
Public donations make baby box possible
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
December 24, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — City Council members have approved the purchase of a Safe Haven Baby Box using funds donated for that purpose. Two different families, ...
EMS train for K-9 emergency treatment
Franklin County, Main, News, ...
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
December 24, 2025
FLORENCE – Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Jaret Yancey and his K-9 officer Mateo have only been together for a few months, but the pair have already...
West Elementary hosts ‘Polar Express’ celebration
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- West Elementary School marked the Christmas season with a series of activities centered on music, generosity and long-standing holiday...
Innovate Alabama critical to state’s economic future
Columnists, Opinion
December 24, 2025
Alabama has long been recognized for its success in industrial and manufacturing recruitment. Our state offers aggressive incentives and support to at...
Cultura Garden Club celebrates Christmas
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
December 24, 2025
By Susie Hovater Malone Columnist Christmas for Cultura Garden Club members this year meant gathering around a table, sharing food made with care and ...
THS assistant principal gets championship ring
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 24, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Tharptown High School’s faculty surprised Assistant Principal Sherry Parker with a championship ring recognizing her role on the 1981 V...

Leave a Reply

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