Thomas Essex, Sr

Thomas Essex, Sr., age 77, of Fort Wayne, Ind., died Friday, April 22, 2005, at a hospital in Indiana.

He will be funeralized Saturday, April 30, 2005, at 1:00 p.m. at Warsaw Street Baptist Church, 2901 Warsaw Street, Fort Wayne, Ind. Interment will follow in Covington Memorial Gardens,

with Ellis Funeral Home of Fort Wayne, Ind., is in charge of the arrangements.

Family hour will be held at the church one hour prior to the service from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Mr. Essex was born in Marion, AL, November 6, 1927. He moved to Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1951.

Recently he retired from L.S. Ayres.

Survivors include a daughter, Willie Mae (Harry) Griffin of Fort Wayne, Ind.; three sons, Thomas M, (Ann) Essex. Jr. of Indianapolis, Ind., Mickey R. Essex and Donald G. (Kimberly) Essex both of Fort Wayne. Ind.; one brother, Lewis (Madelene) Essex of Miami, FL; two sisters, Oddie Ridley of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Louise Essex of Miami, FL; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Isaac and Mabel Harper Essex; his wife, Lula Mae Starks Essex, a daughter, Patricia Dowdell-Porter, a grandson, Jordie Essex and six siblings including Hattie Essex-Stewart, Gordon Essex, Page Cook, and Isaac “Papa” Essex.

Benjamin McMillian

Benjamin “Ben” McMillian, 64, of Marion Jct., died Tuesday, April 19, 2005, at a Selma hospital.

Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30, 2005, at Salem P.B. Church with the Rev. Lee A. Green officiating. Burial will follow in Rising Star Cemetery with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include his wife, Marzel McMillian; three sons, Eugene (Hazel) Rivers, Cleophus (Ruth) and Willie (Lashonada); six daughters, Roberta (Elisha) Couch, Mary Smith, Maggie Cunningham, Betty Cunningham, Laurene (Adam) King and Catherine (Eugene) Griffin; five brothers; 10 sisters; 35 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; four sons-in-law; three daughters-in-law; two adopted daughters, Diane Bell and Cynthia Bennet.

Robert Lawrence Brown

Robert Lawrence Brown, age 88, died Thursday April 28, 2005 in a local hospital. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.m. Saturday April 30, 2005 in the Chapel of Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home, Inc. officiated by Dr. Jerry Henry and Rev. Glen Taylor. Mr. Brown is survived by three sons, John W Brown, Fred A. Brown, and Fred Allman, daughter, Patricia R Burns, 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, brother, Thomas Lester Brown, sisters, Mildred Scott, Clarice Woods, and Julie Alma Combs. He was preceded in death by his wife, Eloise Barnes Brown. He was a son, father, grandpapa, farmer Brown, and friend of many. Born in 1916 in a family of nine.

At age 15 he joined the CC Camp to help support his family and has been doing it ever since. He married Eloise Barnes of Selma and worked for Black Belt Experimental Station at Marion Junction and Berry Farm in Orrville. He was happiest working with family, animals, and farming. A statement in a letter received on his last birthday says it all, “Through the years you have stood firm and strong for that which you believe to be right and you have been kind to others”. And you have said if you give someone something give your very best. Serving as active pallbearers will be Sam Brown, Drew Brown, Frank Brown, Shannon Allman, Todd Allman, and Tim Morton. Honorary pallbearers will be David Brown, Sam Neely, John Burns, Bruce Guinn, Andrew Bennett, and Johnny Blackmon. The family will receive friends at Lawrence Funeral Home from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Saturday April 29, 2005.

Benjamin K. Wesley

Benjamin K. Wesley, 78, of Selma, died Sunday, April 24, 2005, at a local nursing home.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, 2005, at Galilee Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Sandridge Baptist Church Cemetery with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include one daughter, Linda; one brother, Joe (Elizabeth) Wesley; one sister, Minnie Dower; one aunt, Willie Mae McCurdy; a host of grandchildren; five brothers-in-law; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Charles Lamar

Charles Lamar was born January 24, 1943 in Selma, Al to Cardelia Lamar and the late Phil Lamar Jr. He accepted Christ at an early age at West Trinity Baptist

Church in 1959 and later joined Mt. Aarat Baptist Church under the administration of J.S. Selma and remained there until his death.

He departed this life on April 27, 2005 in Autauga Co.

He leaves to cherish his memories a devoted mother Cardelia Lamar; two daughters, Carolyn Hardaway, Shante Jones; one son., Rodney Griffin; seven grandchildren, Javaris, Kendall, Tiffany, Kayla, Shauntia, Deonte and Shauntrice; two great-grandchildren, Taylor and Amarian; four sisters, Debbie Rodgers, Louise Edwards, Doris Smith, Eula (Leroy) Jackson; three brothers, Issac (Ann) Lamar, Frank (Darlene) Lamar and John Lamar; one aunt, Julia Foster; one uncle, Phillip Clay and a host of nieces and nephews and other relative and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grand mother Jane Lamar; father, Phil Lamar; two brothers, Phil Lamar III, Arthur Lamar; two sisters, Cardelia Lamar and Sandra Nell Lamar.

David Lewis Brown

David Lewis Brown, 56, a resident of Farmersville, AL, died Friday, April 22, 2005.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, April 30, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. at Temple Gate C.M.E. Church with Pastor Deas officiating.

Burial in will follow in Temple Gate C.M.E. Cemetery with Bell Funeral Home directing.

Willie Lee Howze

Willie Lee Howze, 89, a resident of Hayneville, AL, died Monday, April 25, 2005.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, April 30, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. at Hook St. Church of Christ with Bro. James L. Daniels officiating.

Burial will follow in Mt. Moriah #2 Cemetery with Bell Funeral Home directing.

Lerlene Mitchell

Lerlene Mitchell, 86, of Jones, died Thursday, April 21, 2005, at a Selma nursing home.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 30, 2005, at Brien Chapel AME Church with the Rev. Joann Sharpe officiating. Burial will follow in Home Aid Cemetery #2 in Burnsville, with Miller Funeral Home directing.

Survivors include sons, L.M. Mitchell of Jones and Thomas Mitchell of Birmingham; four daughters, Catherine Curry of California, Minnie Blevins of Selma, Betty Nixon and Louise Edwards both of Jones; brothers, Fate Faulkner and James Faulkner; sisters, Lillie M. Woods, Lillian Nixon and Arealia Wallace; 22 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; three sons-in-law; one brother-in-law; two sisters-in-law; 12 nephews; and 13 nieces; and a host of other relati

ves and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Elijah “Buster” Mitchell, parents, Henry “Sam” Faulkner and Carrie Moore Faulkner, son, Clarence Mitchell, brother, Hazel Faulkner; two sisters, Zda Mae Williams and Bertha McCants.

Cornelius Howard

Services for Cornelius Howard, 66, of Marion, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 30, at Marion Baptist Academy in Marion with the Rev. Richard Bryant officiating. Burial will follow in Greenleaf Cemetery with Lee & Rollins Funeral Home directing.