Melvin Benison

Forkland

Melvin Benison, 49, of Forkland, died Saturday, February 8, 2003, at Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital.

Services were held Saturday, February 15, 2003, at Lloyd Chapel Baptist Church in Forkland with Rev. Clayborn May officiating.

Burial was held in the church cemetery under the direction of Larkin and Scott Funeral Directors.

He is survived by his mother, Creasie Benison of Forkland; eight sisters, Mary (Percy) Williams, Juanita James, Willie Ann (Edward) Green, Nellie (Robert) Biggs, and Bobbie Benison of Forkland, Emma Benison of Demopolis, Viola Benison of Boligee and Elizabeth (Joe) Powell of Eutaw; three brothers, Gary Benison and Celosis Benison of Forkland, and George Benison of Bessemer; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Mary L. Russell

Coatopa

Mrs. Mary L. Russell, 84, of Coatopa, died Wednesday, February 5, 2003, at her residence.

Services were held Saturday, February 15, 2003, at Bethel-Pine Baptist Church in Coatopa with Rev. F.O. Bell and Rev. John Sanders officiating.

Burial was held at the Dugg Hill Cemetery in Coatopa under the direction of Larkin and Scott Funeral Directors.

She is survived by 10 children, Frank (Sadie) Russell of North Chicago, Ill., Willie Russell of Zion, Ill., John (Pat) Russell of Waukegan, Ill., Ottice (Ernestine) Russell of Coatopa, Charles (Diana) Russell and David Russell of Birmingham, Israel (Jacqueline) Russell of Tuscaloosa, and Leon Russell of Waukegan; two brothers, Otis (Mary) Russell of Coatopa and Fred (Vernel) Russell of Waukegan; 42 grandchildren; 66 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Fred Zanders

Betty Bates

Newbern

Fred Zanders, 53, and Betty Bates, 54, both of Newbern, died Monday, February 10, 2003, as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident on Highway 25 in Newbern.

Double funeral services were held Sunday, February 16, 2003, in the Sunshine High School Gymnasium in Newbern with Rev. Hershel McGhee Jr. officiating.

Burial was held in St. Michael Cemetery in Faunsdale under the direction of Larkin and Scott Funeral Directors.

Mrs. Bates is survived by three children, Christine (Carl), Percy (Katrina) and Tracy of Newbern; four sisters, Ruby (Billy), Velma (Willie), Minnie (Willie) and Annie (Mick) of Newbern; two brothers, Willie (Lena) James of Tuscaloosa and Eugene of Newbern; five grandchildren; one aunt; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Mr. Zanders is survived by his loving mother, Louisa Zanders of Faunsdale; six children, Angela Collins, Tracy, Percy (Katrina), Christina (Carl) Bates, all of Newbern, Nicholas of Uniontown and Clarence Scott of Gallion; seven grandchildren; six sisters, Gallian (Alvin), Sarah (Jerry), Polly, Katherine (Erzell), Louise (Walter), all of Gallion, and Joann Zanders of Uniontown; eight brothers, Percy (Mary), Jimmy, Charlie (Merion), James (Portia) and Steve of Gallion, William (Doretha) of Ohio, Allen of Florida and Ed (Dorothy) of Linden; three uncles; fice aunts; and a hosy of other relatives and friends.

Jessie Thomas Jr.

Coatopa

Jessie Thomas Jr., 84, of Coatopa, died Monday, February 10, 2003, at Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital.

Services were held Monday, February 17, 2003, at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Coatopa with Rev. Wesley Winston officiating.

Burial was held in the church cemetery under the direction of Larkin and Scott Funeral Directors.

He is survived by a devoted friend, Sadie B. Wright of Demopolis; seven children, Guster Lee (Maxine) Thomas of Columbus, Ohio, Sallie (James) Orr of Boston, Mass., Fannie (Isiah) Harrison of Boston, J.T. Thomas of Detroit, Mich., and Spencer Thomas of Seattle, Wash.; one sister, Lucy Penn of Birmingham; six step-children; 25 grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Samson Alston

Evanson, Ill.

Samson Alston, 61, of Evanson, Ill. and a native of Jefferson, died Monday, February, 10, 2003, at St. Francis Hospital in Evanson.

Services were held Tuesday, February, 18 at the Small memorial AME Zion Church in Jefferson with Rev. James Christian officiating.

Burial was held in Scott Memorial Cemetery in Jefferson under the direction of Larkin and Scott Funeral Directors.

He is survived by a devoted wife, Louise Thurman Alston; two children, Tony Alston and Dee Alston of Evanston; five grandchildren; three brothers, Ade Alston of Moundville, Isadore Alston of Jefferson and James Alston of Chicago, Ill.; two uncles, James Johnson of Ohio and Malachi Johnson of Alabama; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Isom Jeffries

Gallion

Isom Jeffries, of Gallion, died Saturday, February 15, 2003, at Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital.

Services will be held at noon on Saturday, February 22, 2003, at Evening Star Baptist Church in Gallion with Rev. Laymon Hardy officiating.

Burial will be held in the church cemetery under the direction of Larkin and Scott Funeral Directors.

Howard Giles

Forkland

Howard Giles, of Forkland, died Thursday, February 13, 2003 at the DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2003, at the First United Baptist Church in Forkland with Rev. Joe Webb officiating.

Burial will be held in the church cemetery under the direction of Larkin and Scott Funeral Directors.

Charles Leon Etheridge

Linden

Charles Leon Etheridge, 92, of Linden, died Thursday, February 13, 2003, at the Marengo Nursing Home.

Graveside services were held Monday, February 17, 2003, at Linden Memorial Park with Dr. Roy Jerrell officiating and under the direction of O’Bryant Chapel Funeral Home in Linden.

Mr. Etheridge was born September 8, 1910 in Sweet Water. He was a cattle farmer and a member of Linden Baptist Church.

He is survived by two daughters, Iris Etheridge Jerrell of Gainsville, Fla. and Ellen Etheridge Parker of Prattville; a sister, Cora Gray Etheridge of Linden; two brothers, B.R. Etheridge of Campground, Ala, and Kelly Etheridge of Myrtlewood; three grandsons, Reid Parker of Montgomery, Bryan Anderson of Gainsville, Fla. and Adam Parker of Montgomery; a granddaughter, Dr. Aymee Parker Anderson of Tuscaloosa; and four great-grandchildren.

James Eldred Jowers

Linden

James Eldred Jowers, 76, of Linden, died Monday, February 10, 2003, at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham.

Services were held Thursday, February 13, 2003, at the O’Bryant Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Don Newton officiating.

Burial was held in Linden Memorial Park under the direction of O’Bryant Chapel Funeral Home.

He was born June 5, 1926 in Marengo County. He was a merchant and attended Forest Hill Baptist Church in Linden.

He is survived by his wife, Sybil Jowers of Linden; two daughters, Martha (Sandy) Addis of Anderson, S.C. and Cathy (Rick) Kopel of Tampa, Fla.; a son, Kenny (Karen) Jowers of Birmingham; three grandchildren, Sherri Kopel Hamburg of Moscow, Ind., Kate Robinette of Anderson, S.C. and Kasey Jowers of Birmingham.

Pallbearers were Donnie Glass, John Glass, Jimmy Glass, Mike Gunter, Josh Hinson and Ronnie Langley.

Honorary pallbearers were the Brotherhood at Forest Hill Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Forest Hill Baptist Church Building Fund in Linden.

John K. Joiner

Demopolis

John K. Joiner, 84, of Demopolis, died Saturday, February 15, 2003, at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa.

Services were held Monday, February 17, 2003, at the First Baptist Church with Dr. Rex Kent and Rev. A.L. Courtney officiating.

Burial was held at Riverside Cemetery under the direction of Kidd-Robbins Funeral Directors.

He was a native of Jackson, Ala, and a resident of Demopolis for many years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church and also a member of Hugh Lloyd Sunday School Class.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Signal Corps.

He was retired from the U.S. Corps of Engineers.

He is survived by his wife, Sarah C. Joiner of Demopolis; a daughter, Rebecca J. Hobbie of Selma; and two grandchildren, Jason Kendrick Pope of Georgia and Julie Pope of Selma,

Honorary pallbearers were members of the Hugh Lloyd Sunday School Class.

Pallbearers were Don McGee, Higley Parr, Fred Steen, Henry Baxley, Chuck Willis and John Malone.

Margaret M. Stephens

Greensboro

Margaret M. Stephens, 59, of Greesnboro, died Sunday, February 16, 2003, at the Greensboro Health Care Center.

Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2003, at the Oakwood Cemetery in Greensboro under the direction of Kidd-Robbins Funeral Directors.

She was preceded in death by her son, Joseph Williams.

She is survived by a son, Dewayne (Kristi) Williams of Moundville; a sister, Linda (Andy) Kelley of Moundville’ three brothers, Robert Meggs of Creola, Ala., Jimmy Meggs of Akron and William Meggs of Prattville; and three grandchildren, Brennan Williams, Landon Williams and Forest Williams, all of Moundville.