Published: May 03, 2007 04:03 pm            

Obituaries for week of May 2, 2007

NEWTON — Olivia Josephine Chatham

Services for Olivia Josephine “Ollie Jo” Chatham were held Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 11 a.m. at Rose Hill United Methodist Church with the Revs. J.J. Mullinax and Tommy Davis officiating. Burial was in Green Valley Cemetery in Rose Hill.

Mrs. Chatham, 92, of Rose Hill, died Wednesday, April 25, 2007, at Woodland Court Personal Care Home in Newton.

Survivors include her daughter, Gloria June Morris and her husband, George, of Wayne, N.J.; sons, Gene Chatham Jr. and his wife, Susie, of Vicksburg, Norman Dennis Chatham and his wife, Leah, of Rose Hill; sisters, Mildred McLeod of Quitman and Mattie Grace McMillan of Newton; grandchildren, Mark Morris, Chris Chatham, Ken Chatham, Kathy Stroud, Brannon Daniels, Adam Farlow, Alex Farlow, Rick Goode and Jessica Chatham; and seven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Claude Eugene Chatham Sr.; an infant son; parents, Lester and Mattie Boutwell and a brother, Roberts Boutwell.

She was born Oct. 17, 1914, in the Homewood Community of Jasper County. She was a member of Green Valley United Methodist Church in Rose Hill. She was a retired employee of the U.S. Postal Service and was a homemaker. She will be remembered as a loving mother and grandmother and a friend to many.

Memorials may be made to Green Valley Cemetery Association, C/O Rita Davis, 417 57th Court, Meridian MS 39305.

Pallbearers were Joey McLeod, Rusty McMillan, Charlie Chatham, George Chatham, Frank Chatham, Roy Higdon, Jimmy Chatham and Rick Goode.

Visitation was on Friday from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. at the funeral home and Saturday one hour prior to the service at the church.



Willie R. Horton

ALABASTER, Ala. – Services for Willie Robbins Horton, 86, of Alabaster, Ala. were held Monday April 9, 2007 in the chapel at Southern Heritage Funeral Home. Burial in Southern Heritage Cemetery.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Tracene Solomon Horton, daughter, Connie Sue (Robert) Sessions, Sons, James (Debbie) Horton, Blake (Carolyn) Horton, Paul (Joan) Horton, nine grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, a brother, Kenneth Horton and his wife Pauline of

Union, sisters, Sarah Horton and Zelda Horton.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Ida Horton, stepmother, Callie Hardy Horton, sister, Helen Rae Horton Johnson.

He was a native of Conehatta, a graduate of Conehatta High School. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of Westwood Baptist Church in Alabaster.



Charles Robert Harris

NEWTON- Services for Charles Robert Harris were held Sunday, April 29, 2007 at 3:30 p.m. at Newton Christian Church with the Rev. Jim McQuary officiating. James F. Webb funeral home is in charge of arrangements.

Harris, 82, died Thursday, April 27, 2007. He

Survivors include his three sons, Theron Harris and his wife Linda of Lake, Danny Harris of Poplarville, Dale Harris of Meridian. One sister, Amelia Jo Hurst of Hickory. Grandchildren, Charlie Harris, Michele Cleveland, Rachael Hill, Gina Harris, Jerry Harris, Misty Shivers, Jessica Harris, Kesha Harris. Great-grandchildren, Melinda Cleveland, Hunter Cleveland, Reese Hill, Serena Walters, Montana Shivers, Keith Shivers, and Coco Harris.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mrs. Lena Bell Harris, and a son, Keith Harris.

He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the United States Navy.



Freda W. Wangler

NEWTON - Services for Freda W. Wangler,86, of Bedford Care in Newton, were held Friday April 27, 2007, at 2 p.m. at Pine Ridge Baptist Church in Lawrence with burial in Pine Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery.

Ms Wangler died April 24 at Newton Regional Hospital.

Survivors include; Son, Ricky Don and wife Kay Monore, of Pocola, Oklahoma and daughter, Caolyn Marie Stock of Lawrence, two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Will and Della Woods Banks.

She was a member of Pine Ridge Missionary Baptist Church.



Mildred Beatty Grantham

Graveside services for Mildred Beatty Grantham, 94, were held Wednesday at Masonic Cemetery in Newton. Mark Seepe Funeral Directors & Crematorium of Jackson was in charge of arrangements.

She died Thursday evening, April 26, 2007 at O‚Brian‚s Personal Care Home in Starkville.

She is survived by her nieces, Carol Fisal of Memphis, Georgia Beatty of Clyde, Texas, Cindy (Bob) Broder of Los Angeles; nephews Edwin “Sonny” Beatty of Mandeville, La. and Hamp (Kim) Beatty and their children, Lauren and Grant of Starkville.

Mrs. Grantham, daughter of George Marine and Ella Ware Beatty, was born August 21, 1912. She was a Mississippi native and long time resident of Newton. She was a graduate of Newton High School and Nursing School in Laurel. She married Melvin Grantham of Laurel in 1937. She was an Office Manager for the United States Coast Guard in Washington, D.C. until retirement in 1977 when they moved back to Newton until 2005 when she moved to Starkville.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Newton and Pink Ladies Auxiliary in New Hospital for years.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Newton or a charity of your choice.



Deborah Thames Pruitt

Funeral services for Deborah Loraine Thames Pruitt of Columbus were held at Shaffers Chapel United Methodist Church on Monday, April 30, 2007 with Reverend Curtis Bray officiating. Graveside services were held in the afternoon at the Newton Masonic Cemetery led by Rev. Tom Sorrell. Calvert Funeral Home of West Point was in charge of arrangements.

“Debby” Pruitt was born March 7, 1950, daughter of Bill and Betty Thames of Newton. She was a graduate of Newton High School and Mississippi State College for Women. A music education major, she taught public school music in the West Point School System and at Columbus Jr. High School. She retired last year after serving 25 years in the public school system. As an accomplished musician, she shared her talents for many to enjoy in musical productions and volunteer services. As a college student she served her church as youth director.

Always active in the music field, she served as music director at First Methodist Church in West Point for eight years, Wesley Methodist Church in Columbus for several years and presently as her health permitted, served her church family at Shaffer as pianist and song leader.

Death came to her on Saturday, April 28, 2007 at North Mississippi Medical Center in West Point. Her survivors in addition to her parents are: her husband, C.P. Pruitt; one daughter, Charlotte Loraine Sinko Vitolo and husband Luke who is stationed in Germany with the Air Force; two sons, Joshua Thames Sinko of Denver, Colorado and Nathan Sinko and wife Angie of Starkville; two brothers, Jack Thames of Newton and Kirk Thames and his wife, Jennifer, of Union; five nephews; Amos, Zach, Sam, Ben and Wilkins Thames; two nieces, Kirby and Olivia Thames; four step-children, and seven step grandchildren. Her extended family of survivors include Hazel Allen and family of Philadelphia, her neighbors Craig and Angie McCullum of Columbus, her Schaffer Church family of Columbus, along with numerous relatives and friends in the Newton area.

Pallbearers were her nephews and Roger Davis and David May.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.