Gayla Edwards Okeke

Gayla Edwards Okeke, 53, of Selma, died Saturday, Oct. 5, 2002 at a Birmingham hospital.

Services are at 12 noon, Saturday, Oct. 12, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church with the Father Carroll Plourde S.S.E. officiating and J.H. Williams and Sons Funeral Home directing..

Survivors include her devoted husband, Dr. Ernest L. Okeke; four daughters, Iheoma (Terrance) Okeke-Banks, Ngozi Okeke, Chinwe Okeke, Ijeoma Okeke; one son, Obasi Okeke; one granddaughter, Kira Amaka Banks; three sisters, Synthia Edwards of Pine Bluff, Ark., Karen Barbee of Flint, Mich., and Christine Edwards of Atlanta, Ga.; one brother, William &uot;Bill&uot; Conley of Flint, Mich.; a loving aunt and uncle, Rosa and Will Edwards; special friends, Dr. and Mrs. Chudy and Sheila Okoye; and a host of aunt, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Delois Edwards.

Family visitation will be from 6-7 p.m. on Friday, at J.H. Williams and Sons Funeral Home.

Henry Roberta Judy Chappell

Henry Roberta Judy Chappell, 83, of Selma, died Sunday, Oct. 6, 2002 at a local hospital.

Graveside services are at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, at New Oak Cemetery with the Rev. Tommy Fancher officiating and Lawrence Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include her sons, Robert E. (Linda) Chappell Jr. and Thomas A. (Betty) Chappell; daughters, Ann (John) Chappell McHugh and Jackie (Murry) Chappell of Hudson; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a sister, Eliza Alred.

Mrs Chappell was preceded in death by her husband, Robert E. Chappell and a sister, Carrie Bell Bragg.

Active pallbearers are John McHugh Jr., Jeff Hudson, Ernie Hudson, Allen Ladiner, Laverne Woodard and Jonathan Chappell.

Honorary pallbearers are John McHugh, Murry Hudson, Bryan Myracle and Bob Oliver.

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

Jameria Shavontay Hardy

Jameria Shavontay Hardy, 6, died Sunday, Sept. 29, 2002 at a Birmingham hospital.

Services were at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Faith Full Gospel Baptist Church in Montgomery, with the Rev. Freddrick A Hardy Sr. officiating. Burial followed in Eastwood Memorial Gardens in Montgomery, with E.G. Cummings Memorial Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include parents, Russell and Monica Hardy Jr.; one brother, Quintarius Hardy; one sister, TyTeanna Hardy both of Montgomery; grandparents, Russell and Massie Hardy Sr. of Selma; great-grandfather, Jim Hardy Sr. of Selma; great-grandmother, Desa Ree Wells of Selma; uncle, Freddrick Hardy Sr. (Selena) of Montgomery; three aunts, Zelma (Arthur) Bennett of Browns, LaShonda (Maurice) Campbell of Selma and Zenovbia Thigpen of Selma; 10 great-aunts; three great-uncles; three great-great-aunts; and a host of cousins and other relatives and friends.

Loretta Williams

Loretta Williams, 53, of Dallas County, died Thursday, Oct. 3, 2002 at a local hospital.

Services are at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at Providence Baptist Church with the Rev. Raymond Brown officiating. Burial will follow in Fairlawn Cemetery with Lewis Brothers Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include two sons, Thomas and Cedric of Selma; seven daughters, Lorraine (Bruce) Taggart of Tuscaloosa, JoAnn, Belinda, Jackie (Marvin), Songa (David), Tammy (Eldextra) Bossie, Rolanda (Anthony) all of Selma; six brothers, Douglas (Annie) Ellis, Anthony Ellis and Cleophus all of Selma, Henry and Johnny of Demopolis and George of Milwaukee, Wis.; seven sisters, Annie Ellis, Jean Taylor, Laura, Fannie (Raymond) Brown all of Selma, Cora Ellis of Detroit, Mich., Kate (Joseph) Pearl of Atlanta, Ga.. and Bertha of Cleveland, Ohio; 12 grandchildren; five sons-in-law; two brothers-in-law; one sister-in-law; 12 nephews; and 20 nieces.

Active pallbearers are

David Williams, Eldextra Bossie, John Robinson, Anthony Fails, Willie Taylor and James Vasser.

Nettie Mae Rowe

Willhite Raine

Nettie Mae Rowe Willhite Raine, 88, of Linden/Marengo County, formerly of Selma, died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2002 in Linden.

Graveside services are at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Old Live Oak Cemetery, Selma, with President Ed Riter officiating and Lawrence Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include her son, Ralph Rowe, daughter-in-law, Bonnie; grandchildren, Barbara Rowe and Walter Rowe both of Carmichael, Calif.; great-grandchildren, Brenna Rowe, Rachel Rowe and Wyatt Rowe, all of Carmichael, Calif.; she was step-mother to Ruth Stewart of Linden and grandmother to Pamela Jones of Linden and great-grandmother to Jessica Jordan of Linden.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, George Willhite and George Raine.

Mrs. Raine was born on July 25, 1914 one of five children born to Millie and Love Rowe in North West Alabama near Nauvoo in Winston County. She was a longtime resident of Selma prior to moving to Linden. For the past two years she resided at Marengo Nursing Home in Linden.