Obituaries for December 20

Published 12:00 am Friday, December 20, 2002

Dorothy M. Eichelberger

Dorothy M. Eichelberger, 55, of Selma, died Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002, at her home.

Services are at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Chapel of Lewis Brothers Funeral Home with Bro. Willie Vaughn officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery with Lewis Brothers Funeral Home directing.

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Survivors include her mother, Sadie C. Smith; two aunts, Mary C. Williams and Nettie Cade of Selma; one brother, Samuel Smith of Gainesville, Ga.; four sisters, Fannie Orr of Selma, Viola Walker of Brooklyn, N.Y., Sadie Smith of Huntsville and Evelyn Smith of Montgomery; nephew and god-son, Robert Smith of Selma, goddaughter, Linda Harris of Selma; a niece and great-nephew, Terry and Ajahrel Smith of Brooklyn, N.Y.; a dear and devoted friend, Willie Beal of Selma; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Active pallbearers are family and friends.

Flowerbearers are family and friends.

Ms. Eicheklberget was born on June 21, 1947 to Sadie C. Smith and the late Homer Smith. She confessed Christ at an early age and became a member of Franklin Street Church of Christ.

Laura Mae White

Laura Mae White, of Bessemer, formerly of Browns/Selma, died Monday, Dec. 16, 2002, at a Selma nursing home.

Services are at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at Twenty-First Street Baptist Church, 515 South 21st St., Bessemer, with the Rev. T.J. Thrash officiating. Burial will follow in Highland Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Bessemer with Lewis Brothers Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include four special nephews, Joseph L. White-Harris of Selma, Willie A. White-Harris of Montgomery, Carl E. Waugh and Eli Waugh Jr. both of Selma; three devoted nieces, Willietta Waugh-Smith of Far Rockaway, N.Y., Laurena C. Waugh of Selma and Carrie Jones-White of Battle Creek, Mich.; and a host of grand and great-grand nieces, nephews, and other nieces and friends.

Active pallbearers are family and friends.

Flowerbearers are friends.

Ms. White was born to the late Alex and Mamie G. White on Feb. 2, 1911 in Browns. She accepted Christ at an early age and joined St Paul Baptist Church. After moving to Selma, she became a member of Shiloh Baptist Church.

She later relocated to Bessemer, where she worked until retirement. She was a faithful member of Twenty-First Street Baptist Church until her health failed.

Oliver S. Rhodes

Oliver S. Rhodes, 74, of Selma, died Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002, at a local hospital.

Services are at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Chapel of Lawrence Funeral Home with the Rev. Earl Carswell officiating. Burial will follow in New Live Oak Cemetery with Lawrence Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include his wife, Doris M. Rhodes; a son, Oliver &uot;Butch&uot; (Linda) Rhodes of Selma; daughter, Scharlean (Jon) Elliot of Selma; brothers, Cecil Rhodes of West Virginia and Haywood Julian of Michigan; a sister, Shirley Julian; grandchildren, Chandra, Missy, Christy, Michael, Brittney, Karen and Carol; and great-grandchildren, Wesley, Andy and Lee.

Mr. Rhodes was preceded in death by a daughter, Debbie Hampsher.

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

The family will like to thank everyone for their many acts of kindness shown.

Samantha Bay Hayes

Baby Girl Samantha Bay Hayes, of Orrville, died Monday, Dec. 16, 2002, at a local hospital.

Graveside services are at 1 p.m. at Rising Star Church in Orrville.

Survivors include her mother, Amanda.

Mattie Merchant

Mattie Merchant, 89, of Orrville, died Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002, at a local nursing home.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at First Baptist Church, Orrville, with the Rev. Dwight Woods officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include three sons, Roosevelt (Thelma Lee) Merchant, Johnny (Maggie) Merchant and Sheperd Merchant; devoted friends, the McHugh Family; 24 grandchildren; 53 great-grandchildren; 29 great-great-grandchildren; and a host of nephews, nieces; two very dear friends, Ollie Mae Draine Thomas and Jennifer Sanders.

Active pallbearers are grandsons and great-grandsons.

Cecil Edwards Sr.

Cecil Edwards Sr., 49, of Dallas County, died Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002, at his home.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at Tabernacle of Praise, Woodrow Ave., with the Rev. Dan Moore officiating. Burial will follow in New Sister Spring Church Cemetery, Co. Rd. 67, with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include one brother, Robert Edwards Jr.; five brothers-in-law; one daughter-in-law six sisters-in-law; and a host of nephews and nieces.

Active pallbearers are family and friends.

Patricia Diane Hall Edwards

Patricia Diane Hall Edwards, 47, of Dallas County, died Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002, at her home.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at Tabernacle of Praise, Woodrow Ave., with the Rev. Dan Moore officiating. Burial will follow in New Sister Spring Church Cemetery, Co. Rd. 67, with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include her mother, Lue Ella Hall; two sons, Orlando James Robinson Jr. and Kenneth Antonio Robinson; five brothers, Aaron Lewis, Johnny (Maggie) Hall Sr., Roosevelt Hall, Joseph Hall and Willie Hall; six sisters, Sadie Mae (James) Frison, Margaret Martin, Rosie Lee Shannon, Hattie Mae Smith, Annie Jean Woods and Josephine (Jean) Josephs; three grandchildren; one daughter-in-law; one brother-in-law; and a host of nephews and nieces.

Active pallbearers are family and friends.

Cecil Edwards Jr.

Cecil Edwards Jr., 10, of Dallas County, died Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002, at his home.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at Tabernacle of Praise, Woodrow Ave., with the Rev. Dan Moore officiating. Burial will follow in New Sister Spring Church Cemetery with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include two brothers, Orlando James Robinson Jr. and Kenneth Antonio Robinson; one sister-in-law; one nephew; and two nieces.

Active pallbearers are family and friends.

Willie Nita Allen

Willie Nita Allen, 69, of Selma, died Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002, at her home.

Services are at 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23, at the Chapel of Lawrence Funeral Home with the Rev. Joe Britton officiating. Burial will follow in New Live Oak Cemetery with Lawrence Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include her husband, Andrew M. Allen; sons, Wayne (Mary Ann) Swift of Meridian, Miss., Victor (Kay) Swift and Andy (Barbara) Allen all of Selma; daughter, Ann (Randy) Cobb of Evergreen; brother, Walter B. (Louise) Hamm of Selma; two sisters-in-law, Doris Hamm and Betty Hamm; grandchildren, Chris and Lindsey Swift, Kristi Swift, Lenae and Timmy Hatfield, Margie and Dewayne Bowden, Kaylee and Jamie McWherter, Drew Allen, James Allen, Jeremy and Amanda Cobb, Jessica Cobb and Jay Faulk and Jenna Cobb; great-grandchildren, Will Swift, Blake and Britney Hatfield, Allen Crawford, Elizabeth Day, Kaylen Bowden and Taylor and Hayden Cobb; aunt, Trudie Mae McBride; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Active pallbearers are Chris Swift, Drew Allen, Jeremy Cobb, James Allen, Timmy Hatfield, Dewayne Bowden, Jamie McWherter and Walter L. Hamm.

Family visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, at the funeral home.

Johnnie Hubbert Jr.

Johnnie Hubbert Jr., 83, of Forkland, died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002, in Forkland.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at Mt. Zoar Baptist Church, Boligee, with the Rev. William M. Branch and the Rev. Arthur Coleman officiating. Burial will follow in Bethlehem Baptist Cemetery, Boligee, with Larkin and Scott Funeral Home of Demopolis directing.

Family visitation will be from 6-7 p.m. on Friday, at Larkin and Scott Funeral Home.

Pearlie Mae Fikes

Pearlie Mae Fikes, 81, of Selma, died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002, at a local hospital.

Services are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at New St. John Baptist Church, Selma, with Bishop C.J. Nicholson officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include one daughter, Mildred Fikes; one sister, Idea Mae Roller; two grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two sisters-in-law.

B. J. McCary

B. J. McCary, 54, died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2002.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later by Walker Mortuary.

Lena Moore

Lena Moore, of Dallas County, died Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002, at a local nursing home.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later by Miller Funeral Home.