Obituaries for Mar. 1, 2002

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, May 8, 2002

Theodore Williams

Theodore Williams, 65, of Selma, died Friday, Feb. 22, 2002 at his home.

Services are at 12 noon Saturday, Mar. 2, at Summer Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Bert Scott officiating. Burial will follow in East Salem Church Cemetery with Lewis Brothers Funeral Home directing.

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Survivors include his wife, Thelma L. Williams; two sons, Antonio (Christa) Williams of Selma and Larry Ross of Los Angeles, Calif.; four daughters, Glenda Williams of Selma, Patricia (Emmanuel) Williams of Riverdale, Ga., Marylon Williams and Linda Williams of Forest Park, Ga.; one brother, Tillman Williams (Janie) of Tyler; two sisters, Dorothy Milton of Selma and Ethel Preston of Greenville, Miss.; two uncles; two aunts; eight grandchildren; one son-in-law; one daughter-in-law; two brothers-in-law; three sisters-in-law; 11 nephews; 15 nieces; and a close friend of the family Cedric Walton.

Active pallbearers are nephews and friends.

Honorary pallbearers are Dewarren Baldwin, Gregory Campbell, Michael Berry and Jessie Berry.

Mary Sue Mott

Mary Sue Mott, 89, of Selma, died Thursday, Feb. 26, 2002 at a local hospital.

Services are at 11 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 2 at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church with Dr. Cecil Williamson officiating. Burial will follow in New Live Oak Cemetery with Lawrence Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include a son, Harold (Eva Joe) Mott of Selma; a daughter, Joyce Mott of Selma; grandchildren, Gail (Michael ) Rolfe of Hartsville, S.C., Jan (Miles) Gagner of Prattville, Melanie Moore of Daytona Beach, Fla., Marty (Missy) Roney of Prattville and Curtis (Vanessa) Mott of Stanton; great-grandchildren, Matthew Rolfe of Hartsville, S.C., Adam Moore of Daytona Beach, Fla., Brett Gagner of Prattville and Kendall Mott of Stanton; and beloved nephew, Bobby Willis.

Mrs. Mott was preceded in death by her husband, Willis Mott and a daughter, Barbara Roney.

Active pallbearers are Cutis Mott, Blake Murphy, Earl Bryant, Max Mott, Calvin Strickland and Bob Brown.

Family visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. on Friday.

Robert Strother

Robert Strother, of Selma, died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002 at a local nursing home.

Services are at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at Living Hope M.B. Church with the Rev. James Murdock officiating. Burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include his wife, Betty J. Strother; one son, Sammy Jackson; two brothers, Roosevelt Strother and Edward Strother; seven sisters, Viola Williams, Jessie Mae Walker, Edna Johnson, Annie Pearl Davis, Carrie Ruffin, Mary Barnfield and Sarah Vincent; two grandchildren; nine brothers-in-law; one sister-in-law; and a host of nieces and nephews and other relatives, mother-in-law, Corine Jackson; father-in-law, William Jackson.

Active pallbearers are nephews.

Theodore Edwards

Theodore Edwards, 89, of Selma, died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002 at a Marion nursing home.

Services are at 11a.m. Friday, Mar. 1, at Pisgah Baptist Church with the Rev. Sonny Edwards officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Kirk Funeral Homes of Marion directing.

Survivors include his wife, Mattie Lee Edwards of Selma; two sons, Howard Edwards of Aliceville and Harold Edwards of Selma; three daughters, Nelda Epton of Montgomery, Shirley Foster of Centreville and Jean Perry of Prattville; one brother, Quinton Edwards of Corpus Christi, Texas; two sisters, Grace White of Sprott and Ila Barbour of Birmingham; 13 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Avtive pallbearers are Ellis Edwards, Walter Edwards, Billy Edwards, Steve Edwards, Joe Ivey and Bill Reed.

Jean Ratliff

Jean Ratliff, 82, of Greensboro, N.C., formerly of Selma, died Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2002 at a Greensboro, N.C. hospital.

Services are at 11 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at the Chapel of Lawrence Funeral Home with the Rev. Doug Chappelle officiating. Burial will follow in Pineview Memory Gardens Cemetery with Lawrence Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include a brother, Joseph (Joan) Ratliff of Greensboro, N.C.; seven nephews; six nieces; and a host of friends and other loved ones.

Active pallbearers are nephews.

Family visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday, at Lawrence Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to the American Heart Association.

Ms. Ratliff was born in Chilton County, but move to Selma as a young adult. She retired from BellSouth Telephone Co., and was a member of Central Baptist Church. She will be lovingly remembered for her generous attitude of service to her family and friends. She was the daughter of the late Wesley and Lou Ratliff.

L.C. Jones

L.C. Jones, 91, of Selma, died Friday, Feb. 22, 2002 at a local nursing home.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at the Chapel of Miller Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include one brother, Leroy Hunter; two sisters, Frances Jones and Margaret Jones; one brother-in-law; and a host and a host of nieces and nephews.

Active pallbearers are family and friends.

James Brown

James Brown, of Burkville, died Friday, Feb. 22, 2002.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at Canaan Hill P.B. Church with the Rev. Lovell Jenkins officiating. Burial will follow in McQueen Cemetery with Bell Funeral Home directing.

Sarah J. Williams

Sarah J. Williams, 90, of Montgomery, died Monday, Feb. 25, 2002.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Davenport, with the Rev. J.W. Williams officiating. Burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery with Bell Funeral Home directing.

Margaret Sanders

Margaret Sanders, 61, of Selma, died Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2002 at a local hospital.

Services are at 2 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at the Chapel of Lawrence Funeral Home with the Rev. Ken Scott officiating. Burial will follow in New Live Oak Cemetery with Lawrence Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include her husband, Leon Sanders of Selma; daughters, Dianne Hutto (Randall) Blackmon of Tuscaloosa and Mary Lou Hutto (Jerry) Bowden of Selma; grandchildren, Alisha (Chris) Dunn, Steven (Heather) Bowden, Jason Blackmon and Angela Blackmon all of Tuscaloosa, Christi Bowden of Brandon, Miss., Casey Bowden and Margaret Bowden both of Selma, Mark Anthony Hutto of Clanton and Bryan Hutto of Selma; great-grandchildren, Tyler Champion and Alexandria Dunn both of Tuscaloosa; sisters, Georgia Mae Sanflippo of Birmingham, Mary Frances Rainwater of Marion Jct, Edna (Pete) Looney of Amarillo, Texas, June Smith of Plantersville and Margie Myers of Oklahoma, Okla.; one brother, Buddy (Louise) Battle of Marion Jct.

Mrs. Sanders was preceded in death by her son, Mark Steven Hutto and her mother, Mary E. Battle.

Active pallbearers are Jerry Bowden, Steven Bowden, Randall Blackmon, Jason Blackmon, Ricky Lenoir and Jerry Hutto.

Honorary pallbearer is Chris Dunn.

Family visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. on Friday at Lawrence Funeral Home.

Bertha Taylor

Bertha Taylor, of Birmingham, died Sunday, Feb. 24, 2002.

Graveside services are at 2 p.m. Friday, Mar. 1, at Salem Church Cemetery with Bro. Lionel Young officiating and Bell Funeral Home directing.

Robert D. Rhoades

Robert D. Rhoades, 20, of Selma, died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002 at a local hospital.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later by Lawrence Funeral Home.

Joe Bandy Jr.

Joe Bandy Jr., of Montgomery, died Monday, Mar. 2, 2002.

Services are at 11 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at the Chapel of Bell Funeral Home with the Rev. Timothy Silmon officiating. Burial will follow in James Cemetery with Bell Funeral Home directing.

Pearline Williams

Pearline Williams, of Montgomery, died Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at White Lily Baptist Church with the Rev. Johnny Simpson and Elder Charlie C. Moore officiating. Burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery with Bell Funeral Home directing.

Felix Middleton

Felix Middleton of Chicago, Ill., died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at Boughoma Baptist Church with the Rev. Earnest Green officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Rosie Green

Rosie Green, 79, of Forkland, died Friday, Feb. 22, 2002 at a Tuscaloosa hospital.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at Evening Star Baptist Church, Forkland, with the Rev. Willie Carter and the Rev. Lynn Finch officiating. Burial will follow in Birdine Cemetery with Larkin and Scott Funereal Home of Demopolis directing.

Courtney Porter

Courtney Porter, 81, of Boligee, died Friday, Feb. 22, 2002 at a hospital in Livonia, Mich.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at Little Zion Baptist Church, Boligee, with the Rev. Michael Barton and the Rev. Alfonzo Porter officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Larkin and Scott Funeral Home of Demopolis directing.

Mary A. Reese

Mary A. Reese, 87, of Selma, died Saturday, Feb. 23, 2002 at a Marion nursing home.

Services are at 2 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at Union Grove P.B. Church with Elder Ocie Acoff officiating. Burial will follow in Lincoln Cemetery with Lewis Brothers Funeral Hone directing.

Survivors include her loving and devoted children, four sons, Elbert (Dorothy) Reese of Cleveland, Ohio, Hilbert and Robert Reese of Selma and Gus (Austella) Reese of Columbia, S.C.; one daughter, Mary (Alphonaso) Cook of Selma; 17 grandchildren, Dwayne, Nathan, Christopher, Douglas, Rodney, DJuan, Byron, Derrick, Christopher, Bill, Jarvis, Jennifer, Alnita, Dionne, Monica, Peyton and Ashley; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild; three sisters, Callie Reese and Martha Effinger (twin) of Selma and Ella Mitchell of Cliffwood, N.J.; dear and close family friends, Mary (Sammy Lee) McCord and Donetta Barlow all of Selma; and a host of nieces, nephews other relatives and friends

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Lucy Gutridge and six brothers, Robert, Lacy, Henry, John, Arthur and David Gutridge.

Active pallbearers are nephews.

Mrs. Reese was born on March 24, 1914 in Dallas County. She confessed Christ at an early age and joined St. John P.B. Church and later joined Union Grove P.B. Church, where she remained a faithful and dedicated member. She performed many duties with the church and later serving as mother of the church. She was joined in holy matrimony to the late Dea. Gus Reese Sr. She worked for more than 25 years in the Selma School System

Threddie Stewart Sr.

Threddie Stewart Sr., of Lowndes County, died Sunday, Feb. 24, 2002.

Services are at 2 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, at Baptist Hill Church with the Rev. L.L. Brown Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery with Bell Funeral Home directing.