Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
7:55 pm Sunday, October 31, 2004

Obituaries for Sunday, October 31, 2004

By Staff
GULFPORT Services for Melissa Frug Marquez will be held Monday at 12:30 p.m. at Riemann Funeral Home with Monsignor James McGough officiating. Burial will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens and Mausoleum.
Mrs. Marquez, 36, of Alexandria, Va., formerly of Meridian, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004, at the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., after a six-month battle with cancer. She graduated from Meridian High School in 1986, and attended the University of Alabama where she earned a bachelor's of science degree. She was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. She completed law school at the University of Mississippi and served on the Mississippi Law Journal. While at Ole Miss, she met and married Johnny Marquez of Gulfport. After graduation, they moved to Alexandria, and she began working with the Board of Veterans' Appeals at the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs. She served as president of the Mississippi Society in Washington, D.C., and was an active member of her community and church. But her main and most cherished role was taking care of her three beautiful children. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, friend, daughter and sister. Even to the very end of her courageous struggle to fight cancer, she never missed one of her children's school or athletic events. She always put the needs of her family and friends before her own.
Survivors include her husband, Johnny Marquez; daughters, Marquerite Marquez and Lilly Marquez; a son, John Marquez, all of Alexandria; her parents, Lix Joseph Frug Jr. and Peggi Frug; a brother, L.J. Frug and his wife, Nicola, all of Meridian; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, John Marquez and Joan Marquez; and a sister-in-law, Yvette Marquez, all of Gulfport.
The family requests memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, 417 Security Square, Gulfport, MS 39507.
Visitation will be held Monday from 11 a.m. until service time at the funeral home.
Retired inspector for U.S. Motors
PHILADELPHIA Services for Welton Fortenberry will be held today at 2 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Service chapel with the Revs. Don Savell and Larry Smith officiating. Burial will be in Arlington Cemetery.
Mr. Fortenberry, 67, of Philadelphia, died Friday, Oct. 29, 2004, at Neshoba County General Hospital.
Survivors include his wife, Ava Nell Fortenberry of Philadelphia.
Owner of Jay's Muffler &Used Auto Parts
Services for Jay Brock will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Stephens Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Kent Stephens officiating. Burial will be in Lakewood Memorial Park Cemetery in Jackson.
Mr. Brock, 42, of Meridian, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his wife, Denise Smyth Brock of Meehan; daughters, Summer Lynn Brock of Virginia and Leslie Marie Smyth of Meehan; a son, Murray Alan Smyth II of Meehan; a grandson, Christopher "C.J." Smyth of Meehan; his mother, Lynn Brock of Pigeon Forge, Tenn.; sisters, Less L. Brock of Pigeon Forge and Sunny Smith and her husband, Ray, of Avon, Colo.; a brother, Lindsey Brock and his wife, Diane, of Morton; a sister-in-law, Doris Roberts of Ohio; a niece, Jolie Blue Smith of Avon, Ohio; and many special friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph S. Brock; and a brother-in-law, Joey Roberts.
Pallbearers will be Danny Harding, Anthony DeVaughn, Boe Hendon, Paul Joyner, Mike Foy, Ernest Parker, Billy Wayne Griffin and Willie Tarver.
Visitation will be held Monday from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Graveside services for Journi Dyane McDuffey will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Mt. Olive Cemetery in Lauderdale with the Rev. Obdiah Clemons officiating. Berry &Gardner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Infant McDuffey, of Bailey, died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include her parents, Traci McKnight of Bailey and Jerry McDuffey of Jackson; her maternal grandmother; her paternal grandmother; and her maternal great-grandmother.
Homemaker
QUITMAN Services for Cathy Davis will be held Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Bethel United Methodist Church cemetery in DeSoto with the Rev. Lonnie Nicholson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Berry &Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Davis, 43, of Shubuta, died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include her husband, Eddie E. Davis of Shubuta; a daughter, Latoyia Davis of Shubuta; a son, Jimmy Howard Jr. of Hattiesburg; her mother, Mary Northington of North Carolina; three sisters; and a brother, Tony L. Parker of Waynesboro.
Visitation will be held Tuesday from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Arrangements were incomplete at James L. Osby Funeral Home for Mary L. Davis, 53, of Union, who died Friday, Oct. 29, 2004, at Riley Hospital.
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry &Gardner Funeral Home for Johnnie R. King, 66, of Meridian, who died Friday, Oct. 29, 2004, at Riley Hospital.

Also on Franklin County Times
First Metro Bank donates $250K to hospital
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville Hospital has received a $250,000 donation from First Metro Bank through a state tax credit program. “All rural hospitals a...
PC grad had role in Artemis II launch
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
By Bernie Delinski and María Camp 
April 8, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Noah Williams stood in a grassy field at Kennedy Space Center on April 1 about seven miles from the Artemis II launch pad. It was the ...
Locals react to US’s 10-day space flight
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Rocky Stone, former Russellville High School principal, called last week’s Artemis II launch a “milestone” in the United States’ space ...
Gray hired as UNA director of bands
News
Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
FLORENCE — Joseph Gray has been named the next director of bands for the University of North Alabama. He will also serve as an associate professor of ...
Protect local deposits which power growth
Columnists, Opinion
April 8, 2026
Most conversations about new digital payment tools often miss a crucial reality: When money exits community bank deposits, local lending is directly i...
Meeting highlights service, awards
Columnists, News, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
April 8, 2026
Members of the GFWC Book Lovers Study Club reported more than $2,700 was raised for community causes, and the chapter received multiple awards during ...
Waypoint Church hosts Easter egg hunt
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Waypoint Church held an Easter event at Sloss Lake Friday afternoon. The free event included photos with the Easter bunny, music (inclu...
Band turns life’s stories into songs
Features, News
Chelsea Retherford For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
For the band OTIS, the road isn’t just for touring and performance. Between shows, in parking lots and back rooms, the band gathers stories from the p...

Leave a Reply

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