North Mississippi Herald - Obituaries July 2006

  CLARKSDALE: Wayne Stanley Harris, Sr., 88, died Sunday, June 25, 2006, at Sancturary Hospice House in Tupelo.
  A native of Water Valley, he was a resident of Clarksdale. He was a retired teacher, head coach, and athletic director, and a retired agent with State Farm Insurance Company. Mr. Harris was the widower of Irene Clemons Harris. He served in the Army during World War II, was a member of the Mississippi Retired Teachers Association and a member by invitation of the American Legion Forty and Eight. He coached football and baseball in Clarksdale until his retirement. He was a member of American Legion Post No. 28 in Clarksdale.
  Survivors include: a daughter, Diane Harris-Donnelly of Darling; a son, Wayne S. Harris Jr., and wife, Judi, of Aspen, Colorado; 45 Harris and 30 Clemons nieces and nephews.
  A memorial service was held at ten o’clock in the morning, Friday, June 30, 2006, at the American Legion Memorial Fairgrounds on Riverside Drive in Clarksdale, with Rev. Bo Keeler officiating. Arrangements were by Waller Funeral Home in Oxford and National Funeral Home in Clarksdale.
  Memorial contributions may be made to Sanctuary Hospice House, P. O. Box 192, Tupelo, MS 38802, or to the charity of the donor’s choice.

  CENTRAL, LA: Clyde Elton Williams, 84, of Central, Louisiana, was called Home to his Father’s House on July 1, 2006. He was raised in Water Valley and lived for most of his life in Kentucky in Owensboro, Sacramento, and Madisonville.
  Mr. Williams is survived by his wife of 63 years, Sarah Daugherty Williams, and four children, Beth Lefeaux and husband, Charles, of Central; Sandy Johnson and husband, Eddie of Danville, Kentucky; Ginger Pryor of Central, and George “Robert” Williams of New Orleans; 12 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
  He was preceded in death by: a son, Clyde Elton Williams, Jr.; a grandson, Michael Todd Brown; parents, Robert and Alice Williams; two brothers, Willie and Charles Williams; three sisters, Lavada Cox, Robbie Wilbourn, and Beatrice Wellman.
  Mr. Williams served in the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer during World War II, followed by a long career selling farm machinery. He was part owner of Three Way Farm Supply in Sacramento, Kentucky, and was a dealer for Waliga AgriVac products. He was a member of Sacramento Baptist Church, Sacramento Masonic Lodge and Lions Club.
  Funeral services will be held at Charlet Funeral Home in Zachary, Louisiana Wednesday, July 5, 2006, at ten o’clock in the morning, with burial at Port Hudson National Cemetery.

  Mobile, AL: Mary Anne Myers Latham, a Mobile, Alabama educator, passed away Tuesday, June 27, 2006, at a Mobile hospital following a lengthy illness.
  Mrs. Latham was the daughter of the late John M. Myers, Jr. and Frances Groves Myers; and a granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. M. B. Groves. She was a native of Water Valley, lived in Vicksburg before becoming a long time resident of Mobile.
  She graduated from Mississippi University for Women and completed her graduate degree at Mississippi College. She was an English teacher in the Mobile County Public School System for 35 years. In addition, she served as teacher and curriculum coordinator for the Spring Hill College Upward Bound Program for over 20 years. She also taught English at the University of Mobile. A counselor, teacher, advisor and friend to many, her capacity to teach and inspire was instrumental in formulating the foundations of many high school and college students’ academic programs.
  Funeral services for Mrs. Latham were held in the Chapel of Radney Funeral Home of Mobile, Alabama. Burial was in the Mobile Memorial Gardens.
  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Salvation Army or The Humane Society.

  Rialto, CA: Rebecca Anthony Woods, age 57, passed away Thursday, June 22, 2006, at her home in Rialto, California with her daughters by her side. She fought a long, courageous battle with liver disease and was looking forward to joining her husband, Russell Allan Woods, who passed away 364 days earlier on June 23, 2005.
  Born Rebecca Carol Anthony on February 20, 1949, in Oxford, to Helen Rogers Anthony and the late Roy Lee Anthony of Water Valley, Carol attended church, went to school, and grew up in Water Valley. During her high school years, she was a member of the Water Valley High School Marching Band and as a majorette, she twirled two flaming batons, on fire at both ends, as she marched and danced with the band.
In 1966, she became Rebecca Carol Holdsenback when she married her high school sweetheart, M. L. Holdsenback, also of Water Valley. After 19 years of marriage, the couple divorced in 1985. They have two daughters, Angel and Benita.
  Carol went back to school and earned her GED in 1972. She continued her education to become a certified teacher’s aide and a licensed LPN. Carol taught pre-school with the Head Start Program in Drew; held several office positions in and around Memphis; owned and operated a weight loss clinic in Southaven; and spent several years as a property manager in Rialto.
In 1991, Carol moved to Rialto, where she met and married her second husband, Russell Allan Woods of San Bernardino, June 29, 1992. The couple would have celebrated their 13th Wedding Anniversary in 2005, but just six day prior on June 23rd, Russell suffered a heart attack while parked in his “Big Rig” on the FedEx lot in Las Vegas, Neveda. He died in his sleep. He worked as a truck driver for Federal Express Ground Freight and was due to retire in less than three months. Russ was very excited and greatly looking forward to retiring with Carol to Water Valley. Just before he left on his final trip to Vegas in the “Big Rig”, Federal Express presented him with an award for “One Million Miles of Safe Driving” and made him a member of the “President’s Safety Team”. All the kids loved him and he loved them. They called him “Pea Paw”. He is very deeply missed.
Carol is remembered most by those who knew her as having a big heart and a generous soul. She made friends easily wherever she went and was always helping someone in need. She loved children, was very good at interacting with them, and her home was always filled with lots of children and laughter. She enjoyed cooking for people and was always feeding the crowd. She had a knack for interior decorating on a shoestring budget. She took great pride in her home, her husband, her children and grandchildren—she loved all her family dearly.
Survivors include: her mother, Helen Rogers Anthony of Water Valley; two daughters, Angela H. Sowers of San Bernardino, CA, and Benita H. Bonds of Riverside, CA; a sister, Trish Minor of Memphis; one brother, Isaac R. Anthony of New Albany; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is being held at four o’clock in the afternoon Saturday, July 8, 2006, in First Baptist Church, Rialto. This will be a small gathering of family and friends officiatied by her daughters, Angela and Benita.
  Arrangements are being made by the family to bury the cremated remains of Russell and Carol Woods in the Rogers/Anthony family plot at Oak Hill Cemetery in Water Valley. A memorial service will be held at a later date to honor the couple. An announcement will be posted in the North Mississippi Herald, so that anyone wishing to pay their respects will have the opportunity to attend.

  PARIS: Billie G. Mize, 64, died Friday, July 14, 2006.
  Born January 23, 1942, in Lafayette County, Mr. Mize was son of the late Rex Mize and Louise Harmon. He was a retired employee of Rangair Corporation. Mr. Mize was a member of Paris Baptist Church.
  Funeral services were held at two o’clock in the afternoon in the Chapel of Seven Oaks Funeral Home Sunday, July 16, 2006, with Rev. Jimmy Sockwell officiating. Burial was in the Paris Cemetery.
  Survivors include: his wife, Betty Mize of Paris; and a daughter, Janet Pruett of Paris.

  HOUSTON: Miss Lois Ann Pate, 87, died Friday, July 14, 2006, in North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo.
  Miss Pate was born June 6, 1919 in Yalobusha County, and was a daughter of the late Larkin Ray Pate and Martha Lillie Williams Pate. She was also preceded in death by a brother, Irvin Ray Pate, and one nephew. She was a member of Elam Baptist Church, near Coffeeville. Miss Pate was retired, after having been employed for over 40 years as Assistant Plant Manager of Reliance and Big Yank in Water Valley.
  Funeral services were held at three o’clock in the afternoon Satuday, July 15, 2006, in the chapel of Memorial Funeral Home in Houston, with Bro. Dan Robertson officiating. Burial was in the Houston Cemetery.
  Survivors include: a sister, Claribel Pate Vickery of Houston; and three nephews.
  Memorials may be made to Elam Baptist Church, Coffeeville.

    VICKSBURG: Charles “Silas” Green, 64, died Wednesday, July 12, 2006, in Baptist Hospital at Jackson.
  Services were held at ten o’clock in the morning Friday, July 14, 2006, in Glenwood Funeral Home at Vicksburg, with Rev. Jim Biedenharn officiating. Burial was in Green Acres Memorial Park.
  Born October 24, 1941 in Water Valley, Mr. Green was a son of the late Stanford “Bo” and Marjorie Green. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Jamie Green, and a grandson, Sam Collins. He graduated from Water Valley High School and Mississippi State University, where he received a degree in Civil Engineering.
  After graduating from Mississippi State University, Mr. Green entered federal civil service as a civil engineer in the Mobility Systems Branch, Soils Division, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES), Vicksburg, in June, 1965. He immediately began his engineering career on field assignment on several airfield evaluation teams at various locations in the western United States. Progressively, he worked on various field investigations testing early prototype wheeled and tracked vehicle systems for the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force. He became recognized as a subject matter expert in vehicle ground mobility for systems performing on-road, off-road, and crossing obstacles. He published numerous technical reports and received nuemrous awards and recognition for service to the United States. He served on vehicle systems procurement committees and traveled abroad with scientific teams to evaluate both friendly and un-friendly vehicle systems. His vast experience in vehicle technologies contributed significantly in the development of the Army Mobility Model and ultimately the NATO Reference Mobility Model, the United States’ standard model for predicting performance of vehicles operation in strategic, operational, and tactical environments. The results of Mr. Green’s scientific investigation, along with others, are seen in the Army’s fighting systems in Iraq and Afghanistan; the M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle System, Stryker Infantry Wheeled Vehicle, and the U.S. Marine Corps’ Light Armored Vehicle (LAV), as well as other combat support and combat service support vehicle systems. While achieving both national and international recognition for his contributions to fielding the best vehicle systems for U.S. services, Mr. Green earned his Master of Science degree and completed course work for his doctorate in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University. Mr. Green retired from WES in October, 1998. After retiring from federal service, he started Charlie’s Land Surveying and Engineering Service with operations primarily in Warren County.
He is survived by: his wife of 38 years, Patsy Green of Vicksburg; a daughter, Sandy Collins, and her husband, Bill, of Clinton; one son, Chris Green, and his wife, Kelli, of Vicksburg; six grandchildren; one brother, Murry Green of Brandon; three sisters, Louise Herron, Sammie Cobern, and Patti Goodwin, all of Water Valley; and numerous nieces and nephews.
  Memorial may be made to: The Mississippi Sheriffs’ Boys and Girls Ranch, or Palmer Home for Children, P. O. Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703.

  WATER VALLEY: Dallas W. Denham, 69, of Water Valley died in Yalobusha General Hospital Friday, July 21, 2006.
  Mr. Denham was a retired truck driver for Southern Express, a member of Camp Ground Baptist Church, and an avid outdoorsman, until his health failed two years ago. He served his country in the United States Marine Corps, serving during the Vietnam War and receiving the Expert Rifleman Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and he held First Place Plysical Fitness with 2nd Marien Med Cruise Division for 21 weeks.
  Funeral services were held at two o’clock in the afternoon in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks Funeral Home on Monday, July 24, 2006, with Bro. Ross Roberson officiating. Interment followed in Oak Hill Cemetery, with Tommy Scroggins, Matt Miller, Shane Wilbourne, Jim Morrison, Josh Morrison, and Jared Morrison, serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Robert Johnson, Johnny Perkins, Bill Webster, Richard Miles, Lloyd Defer, Bill Norman, and Walter Richardson.
  Survivors include: his wife, Patsy Griffin Denham, of Water Valley; a daughter, Teresa Morrison of Wichita, Kansas; two step daughters, Robbie Miller of Aberdeen and Lorene Schwandner of Olive Branch; a son, Mark Denham of Water Valley; one step-son, Pat Wilbourne of Corning, Arkansas; sisters, Ruby Rodgers of Oxford, Lou Chrestman of Grenada, and Jane Wages of Coffeeville; brothers, Russell Denham and Wilburn Denham, both of Ypsilanti, Michigan, E. D. Denham of Saltillo, and Ralph Denham of Water Valley; seven grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
  Preceding Mr. Denham in death were his parents, William Connie Denham and Daisy Lucille Rhyne Denham.
  The family request that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis.

  LEWISVILLE, TX: Roy W. Johnson, 75, died Wednesday, July 5, 2006, in Dallas, Texas.
  Services were held Monday, July 10, 2006 at Flower Mound Family Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in D/FW National Cemetery, with full military honors.
  Mr. Johnson was born July 10, 1930, in Lambert, to Lawrence and Gertie Johnson of Water Valley.
  A veteran, he served in the Army as a Warrant Officer for over 30 years. He graduated from Batesville High School in 1947-1948.
  He was preceded in death by: three brothers, Raybert Johnson of Batesville, Edward Johnson of Amory, and Eugene Johnson of Water Valley; two sisters, Lottie Johnson of Lambert, and Earline McMinn of Batesville.
  Survivors include: his wife, Sok Im Johnson of Lewisville, Texas; three sons, Karl Johnson of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Roy Johnson, Jr. of Summerville, South Carolina, and T. C. Ham of Lewisville; four daughters, Ellen Overturf and Linda Johnson, both of Columbia, South Carolina, Marie Grajzl of Summerville, S.C., and Yun Hams of Lewisville; two brothers, J. B. Johnson of Golden nad Billy Johnson of Huntsville, Alabama; two sisters, Elizabeth Byars of Water Valley, and Margie Darby of of Batesville; and 13 grandchildren.

  GREENWOOD: Mrs. Maudie Lee Hall Smith, 82, died July 17, 2006, at her home.
  Funeral services for Mrs. Smith were held at ten o’clock in the morning Wednesday, July 19, 2006, in the Northpark Church of God of Prophecy in Greenwood, with Bro. Jim Kelly officiating. Burial was in Magnolia Gardens in Paynes. National Funeral Home of Grenada had charge of arrangments.
  Mrs. Smith was a member of Northpark Church of God of Prophecy.
Survivors include: three daughters, Barbara Upchurch of Greenwood, Pat Adcock of Macon, and Faye Burney of New Albana; three sons, Larry Smith of West Point, Tommy Ray Smith of Grenada, and Charles Smith of Greenwood; one sister, Clara Petrie of Tupelo; 12 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

  COFFEEVILLE: James Edward Tidwell, 56, died Saturday, July 22, 2006, at his home in Yalobusha County.
  Funeral services were held at eleven o’clock in the morning Monday, July 24, 2006, in the Chapel at Latham Funeral Home in Water Valley, with Bro. Jerry Smith officiating. Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery in Water Valley, with Jimmy Hood, Jimmy Chapman, Dwight Tatum, Richard Hood, Bobby Chapman, and Billy Jack Welch as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Jerry Miles and Malcolm Whtten.
  He was born January 29, 1950 in Fulton. Mr. Tidwell was a supervisor at Georgia Pacific.
  Survivors include: three daughters, Tammie L. Thornton and Tina Chandler, both of Oxford, and Melissa A. Burns of Bruce; his mother, Mrs. Ora Bell Dawkins of Coffeeville; one sister, Linda Myers of Coffeeville; and six grandchildren.

  HICKORY FLAT: Joe W. Shaw died Saturday, July 22, 2006, in Hickory Flat.
  Funeral services for Mr. Shaw will be held Saturday, July 29, 2006, in Hickory Flat.
  Call Cathy Rucker, 473-1526, for further details.