Obituaries

Russell Austin
Russell Austin, 52, of Holly Springs, died Aug. 10, 2005 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was a diesel mechanic with Malone International Tractors & Equipment in Holly Springs.

Services were held at 12 noon on Aug. 15 at Mt. Gilead CME Church in Holly Springs, where he was a member. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rev. Charles Richmond officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves two sons, Russell Johnson, LaShaun Johnson, both of Holly Springs; his father, John Austin of Holly Springs; and two sisters, Catherine Austin of Holly Springs, Thelma Malone of Aurora, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Lydia Hardin Austin; and a sister, Maxine McNeil.

Pallbearers were Walter Martin Jr., Rodney Miller, Bernard Mitchell, Nelson Liggins, Tony Liggins, Robert Reynolds Jr. Honorary pallbearers were Dennis Jones, Isaac Jones Jr., Lonnie Jones, James Malone, Eric McNeil, Michael Mitchell and A.C. Wilson.

Georgia Lillian Powers Cox
Georgia Lillian Powers Cox, 78, of Holly Springs, died Aug. 11, 2005 at her home. She was the widow of Lester Cox.

Services were held at 1 p.m. on Aug. 16 at Chulahoma MB Church in Holly Springs, where she was a member. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rev. J.R. Futrell officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves two daughters, Lester Jean Martin of Laws Hill, Bertha Alexander of Chulahoma; five sons, Lawrence Cox of Peoria, Ill., Wilkie Cox of Petersburg, Va., Robert Cox, Grayland Cox, Levi Cox, all of Chulahoma; 24 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by three sons, Kenneth Wayne Cox, David Earl Cox, Ira Seal Cox.

Pallbearers were Calvin Powers, Marvin Powers, Roy Powers, Alvin Taylor, Charlie Taylor Jr. and John Taylor.

Adolphus Davis
Adolphus (Blue) Davis, 53, of Byhalia, died Aug. 9, 2005 in Greenville. He was a member of Chulahoma MB Church in Holly Springs and a truck driver with Central Woodwork in Collierville, Tenn.

Services were held at 1 p.m. on Aug. 15 at Street Hill Primitive Baptist Church in Byhalia. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rev. Joseph Porter officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his mother, Louise Echols Davis of Byhalia; five sisters, Mae Davis, Erma Rayford, both of Chicago, Ill., Burma Tuggles, Gladys Hardin, both of Holly Springs, Martinia Jones of Indianapolis, Ind.; four brothers, Ozell Rayford, Jimmie Rayford, both of Chicago, Ill., Leon Davis, Cully Davis, both of Byhalia.

Pallbearers were Anthony Tuggles, I.B. Smith, Sonny Davis, Danton Taylor, Robert Fant and Orenzy Echols.

Russell Marvin Hodges
Russell Marvin Hodges, 95, of Memphis, Tenn., died Aug. 11, 2005 at Senior Services in Memphis. He was the widower of Martha Perry Hodges and a member of Shiloh MB Church in Ashland.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on Aug. 13 at Samuel Chapel MB Church in Ashland. Burial was in the church cemetery. Superintendent Bernell Hoyle officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves five daughters, Maggie Johnson of Memphis, Tenn., Delois Brooks of Grand Junction, Tenn., Elease Hodges, Annie Hodges, Ida Mae Moore, all of Ashland; an adopted daughter, Martha Ann Hodges of Dallas, Tx.; an adopted son, George Hodges of Memphis; two sisters, Earline Reeves, Mary Ann Mason, both of Ashland; 21 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and a host of great-great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Kelvin Brooks, Michael Hodges, Umargo Hodges, Eric Hodges, Cedric Hodges and Danny Watkins.

Fred Holland
Fred Holland, 93, of Holly Springs, died Aug. 10, 2005 at Baptist Memorial Desoto in Southaven. He was a member of Gray’s Chapel CME Church in Hudsonville. He was the widower of Thelma Walton, his wife of 59 years. He was a church steward, Sunday school superintendent, class leader, member of Masonic Lodge.

Services were held at 3 p.m. on Aug. 14 at Anderson Chapel CME Church in Holly Springs. Rev. Joe T. Lester officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves three daughters, Bernice H. Jackson, Freddie H. Jeffries, both of Holly Springs, Joyce L. Holland of East Point, Ga.; two sons, Robert Holland of St. Louis, Mo., Jesse J. Holland of Holly Springs; a sister, Florida Riddle of Chicago, Ill.; two brothers, Edgar Holland of Holly Springs, Robert Hopkins of St. Louis, Mo.; 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

John Marshall Kennedy
John Marshall Kennedy, 48, died August 8, 2005 in Memphis, Tenn. He was the son of the late John Floyd Kennedy and Alma McAlexander Kennedy of Holly Springs.

Private services were held in Memphis.

He leaves two daughters, Drew and Ashley Kennedy; and three sisters, Helen Kennedy Robinson of Germantown, Tenn., Sylvia Kennedy McCort of Ft. Ashby, West Va. and Patricia Kennedy Anderson of Memphis, Tenn.

Joseph E. Maurey
Joseph E. Maurey, 89, died July 26, 2005. The widower of Joan Carpenter Maurey, he joined Maurey Manufacturing Corp. in 1935. His father founded Maurey Manufacturing Corp. in Chicago, Ill. in 1917. After his father’s death, he became president and CEO. He is succeeded by his son Joseph W. Maurey. Maurey moved the company to Holly Springs in 1985. Maurey Manufacturing has become one of the largest industries in north Mississippi.

He leaves his wife, Virginia Coyle Palmer Maurey; four children, Madeleine Walker, Joan Kouba, Jeanne Schlemmer and Joseph W. Maurey; 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Mickavis Kelivon Devontai Tucker
Mickavis Kelivon Devontai Tucker, 6, of Holly Springs, died Aug. 7, 2005 at University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital in Birmingham, Ala. He was a member of True Vine MB Church in Holly Springs and a first grade student at Holly Springs Primary School.

Services were held at 1 p.m. on Aug. 13 at True Vine MB Church. Burial was in Cottrell Memorial Garden in Holly Springs. Rev. Cunningham and Rev. Powell officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his mother, Sandra Tucker of Holly Springs; his father, Michael Cannon of Rossville, Tenn.; three sisters, Kenesha Tucker of Holly Springs; Tamesha Wright, Jaleesa Wright, both of Moscow, Tenn.; and his grandmother, Martha Cannon of Rossville.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Margaret Tucker Perkins.

Pallbearers were Charles Tucker, Roger Storey, Robert DeBerry, Jimmy Tucker, Courtney Cannon, Victor Dean, Jasper Cannon, Prezell Cannon. Honorary pallbearers were Elderick Glover, Lakeith Jones, James Isom, Myron Tate, Melvin Jones, Campaneris Hayes, Keldrick Tucker, Antonio Tucker, Pierre Tucker, Tony Burns, Mike Jones and Matthew Tucker.

Sweetie Faulkner Walton
Sweetie Faulkner Walton, 68, of Holly Springs, died Aug. 12, 2005 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. She was a member of Marshall County Retired Teachers Association, Mississippi Association of Educators and National Education Association. She was a retired teacher of Holly Springs public school system.

Services were held at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 15 at Asbury United Methodist Church in Holly Springs, where she was a member. Rev. J. Michael Culbreth officiated. Burial was in Camp Memorial Garden in Fayetteville, Ga. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves her husband, Artis Walton Sr. of Holly Springs; a daughter, Keener Walton-Odom of Fayetteville, Ga.; a son, Artis Walton Jr. of Holly Springs; two sisters, Mary C. Alford of Gary, Ind., Elene Thomas of Grand Rapids, Mich.; and two grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Fletcher Faulkner.

Pallbearers were Chauncey Walton, Andre Jackson, Kenneth Thomas, Willis Walton Jr., James Alford, Willie James Faulkner, Mark Alford, Melvin Faulkner. Honorary pallbearers were Willie Glenn Walton, James Conard, James Walton, Howard Walton, Walter Thomas, Donald Street, James Drummond and Lee Williams.

Memorials may be made to the Asbury UMC Building Fund, c/o J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home, 125 Memphis Street, Holly Springs, MS 38635; 662-252-2341.

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