Obituaries

Harold L. Bell
Harold L. Bell, 71, of Red Banks, died Sept. 29, 2005 at Baptist DeSoto Hospital. A Vietnam veteran, he served 21 years in the United States Air Force. He continued his career in law enforcement in Miami, Fla., for 21 years. He served as the Byhalia chief of police for two years before he retired to Red Banks.

Services were held at 10 a.m. on Oct. 4 at Brantley Funeral Home Chapel in Olive Branch. Burial was in West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery with full military honors.

He leaves his wife of 52 years, Ellen J. Bell; two daughters, Terry Presley of Red Banks, Sharon Carpenter of Homestead, Fla.; two sons, Harold M. Bell, Lee T. Bell, both of Red Banks; a brother, Larry Bell; two sisters, Joanne Butts, Donna Calvin, all of Memphis, Tenn.; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Christine Potts Brents
Christine Potts Brents, 73, of Byhalia, died Sept. 26, 2005 in Batesville. She was the widow of William (Bill) Brents and a member of Meadowbrook Baptist Church.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Brantley Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Byhalia Cemetery.

She leaves two daughters, Barbara Diane Snow of Waterford, Brenda Spivey of Sardis; five sons, Chester Dallas Brents of Potts Camp, James Lee Brents, Donald Joe Brents, Gary K. Brents, Barry K. Brents, all of Byhalia; a brother, Elmer Lee Potts of Memphis; four stepsons, William D. Brents of Collierville, Bobby Brents, Paul Brents, both of Alabama, David Brents of Georgia; 15 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Christina Marie Brents.

Hugh Boswell Garner
Hugh Boswell Garner, 65, of Etta, died Sept. 27, 2005 at his home. He was a member of Salem Baptist Church in Etta and a retired truck driver with Red Ball Freight.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on Sept. 30 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel in Olive Branch. Burial was in Salem Cemetery. Bro. Jeff Lawrence officiated.

He leaves two sons, Hugh A. Garner, Brandon Scott Garner, both of Millington, Tenn.; two daughters, Denise A. Garner of Munford, Tx., Crystal Hatlewick of Jackson, Tenn.; two brothers, Keith B. Garner of Memphis, Tenn., Thomas Neil Garner of Pickwick, Tenn.; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Autry Hicks
Autry Hicks, 83, of Holly Springs, died Sept. 27, 2005 at his home. He was the widower of Christine P. Hicks.

Services were held at 12 noon on Oct. 1 at Hopewell No. 2 MB Church in Hudsonville. Burial was in Gray’s Chapel CME Church Cemetery in Hudsonville. Serenity Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves four sons, James Wright of Chicago, Ill., Leroy Hicks of Holly Springs, Willie Hicks of Clarksville, Tenn., Lee Hicks of Holly Springs; nine daughters, Lillian Crawford of Clarksville, Tenn., Rubye Bailey of Chicago, Ill., Addie Boga of Memphis, Tenn., Lavern Zinn of Holly Springs, Charlene Moore of Holly Springs, Arlene Wicks of Holly Springs, Margaret McDonald of Holly Springs, Katie Autry of Oxford, Ruthie Gatewood of Holly Springs; six sisters, Rethie Reliford of Holly Springs, Susie Martin, Annie Deboes, Arlita Swinger, Marie Bailey, all of Chicago, Ill.

Oplis King
Oplis (Bush) King, 78, of Holly Springs, died Sept. 26, 2005 at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was the widower of Naomi Lester King. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge #450, and a retired factory worker with Wurlitzer of Holly Springs.

Services were held at 11 a.m. on Oct. 1 at Smith Grove MB Church in Holly Springs. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rev. Willie C. Conner officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home officiated.

He leaves five daughters, Emma Stephenson, Margie King Hughes, Hazel King, all of Holly Springs, Brenda King, Stacey Brimfield, both of Columbia, S.C.; six sons, Lee Mack King, Thesslonia King, Ivy Lee King, Melvin King, Conerly King, all of Holly Springs, Kelsey King of Charlotte, N.C.; two sisters, Mahalia King of Coldwater, Connie Hopkins of East St. Louis, Ill.; a brother, Dennis King of Holly Springs; 26 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Sherry Young.

Pallbearers were Percy Stephenson, Tony Stephenson, Lamont King, Johnathan Traylor, Derrick Phillips, Anthony King, Tracy King, Benorise King, Cedric Scott, Wayne Hughs. Honorary pallbearers were Thessalonia King, Lee Mack King, Ivy King, Kelly Young, Melvin King, Conerly King, Kelsey King, Dennis King and Melvin Brimfield.

Lue Bell Mayfield
Lue Bell Mayfield, 87, of Holly Springs, died Sept. 24, 2005 at Alliance HealthCare System in Holly Springs. She was a member of the mother board.

Services were held at 1 p.m. on Oct. 2 at Jones Grove MB Church in Holly Springs, where she was a member. Burial was in Cottrell Memorial Garden in Holly Springs. Rev. John Powell officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves her son, Leroy Mayfield of Chicago, Ill.; a brother, Ben Mayfield of Holly Springs; two grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Isaac Mayfield, Anthony Mayfield, Brian Mayfield, Curtis Mayfield, Tony Mayfield, James F. Mayfield Jr., Rodney Holloway. Honorary pallbearers were Leroy Mayfield, James F. Mayfield Sr., Ben Mayfield Jr., Prentiss Mayfield, Raymond Mayfield and Kenneth Mayfield.

Ronald Johnson McBride
Ronald Johnson McBride, 55, of Ashland, died Sept. 30, 2005 in Ashland. He was disabled.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on Oct. 2 at Beech Hill Church of Christ near Ripley, where he was a member. Burial was in the church cemetery. Minister King McCarver officiated, assisted by Minister James Draper. McBride Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his son, Ronald Eric McBride of Ashland; two brothers, Gary McBride of Hickory Flat, Steve McBride of Ripley; and one grandson.

Pallbearers were Steve Farese, James Moody, Tony Farese, Micah McBride, Richard Woods and French Woods.

Rickey Jerome Moore
Rickey Jerome Moore, 51, of San Bernardino, Calif., died Sept. 15, 2005 at his home. He was a machine operator for The Sun newspaper of San Bernardino.

Services were held at 1 p.m. on Sept. 29 at J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Baptist Hill MB Church Cemetery in Potts Camp. Rev. Deldrick Leasure officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his wife, Gwendolyn Moore; a daughter, Betty Brown of Atlanta, Ga.; two stepsons, Maurice Brown of Rochester, N.Y., Will Brown of Ralston, Va.; five sisters, Marilyn Shinault, Melody Walls, Carolyn Grayson, Sheryl Grayson, all of Memphis, Tenn., Sherrie Scales of Eden, N.C.; a brother, Jesse Grayson of Memphis, Tenn.; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Michelle Grayson; and a brother, Lucious Clarence Waldon Jr.

Margaret Carter Palmer
Margaret Carter Palmer, 93, of Holly Springs, died Sept. 24, 2005 at Hillcrest Nursing Home in Magee. She was the widow of H. Guy Palmer. She was a former piano teacher. She served as organist at First Baptist Church in Holly Springs for more than 50 years.

Services were held at 3 p.m. on Sept. 28 at First Baptist Church in Holly Springs, where she was a member. Burial was in Hill Crest Cemetery in Holly Springs. Bro. James Parham and Dr. Curtis Ferrell officiated. Holly Springs Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves four daughters, Dorothy Parham of Canton, Carolyn Nane of Fort Worth, Tx., Marjorie Blackwell of Magee, Elizabeth Polk of Columbus, Ohio; two sisters, Mabel Piper, Georgia Myers, both of Ruston, La.; a brother, Rolland Carter of Virginia; 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Alice Spigener.

Memorials may be made to State Mission Offering for Lottie Moon Offering.

Earl Price
Earl Price, 82, of Ashland, died Sept. 23, 2005 at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was a church trustee, steward and usher. He was retired from the Benton County Road Division.

Services were held at 12 noon on Oct. 1 at Mt. Zion CME Church in Benton County, where he was a member. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rev. Harper officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his wife, Verlene Dean Price; two daughters, Doris Price, Beatrice Pirtle, both of Memphis, Tenn.; a son, James E. Price of Olive Branch; two sisters, Annie Ruth Glason of Memphis, Tenn., Ivy Bell Price of St. Louis, Mo.; a brother, Eric Price of Newport News, Va.; three grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

Pallbearers were Ernest Price, Lindell Price, Sterling Tallie, Lee Price, Robert Tallie, Tran Price. Honorary pallbearers were Jessie Crawford, Thurmond Rutherford, Walter Webber, Henry Tallie, Willie T. Matthews and Walter Reaves.

Sweetie Mae Wilson
Sweetie Mae Wilson, 70, of Aurora, Ill., formerly of Holly Springs, died Sept. 21, 2005 at Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora. She was a retired presser for a dry cleaners.

Services were held at 1 p.m. on Oct. 1 at Union Valley MB Church in Byhalia, where she was a member. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rev. Joe Tunstall officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves her niece who cared for her, Penny Austin of Aurora, Ill.; her nephew who cared for her, Murry Ship of Aurora, Ill.; four sisters, Loris Shipp of Byhalia, Susieanna Wilson of New York, Kimberly Wilson, Jessica Wilson, both of Memphis, Tenn.; three brothers, Sammy Wilson, Junior (Cat) Wilson, both of Gary, Ind., Ray Wilson of Memphis, Tenn.

Pallbearers were David Harris, Gene Earl Hardin, Lecedric Houston, Steve Harris, Frank Rayford, Steve Harris. Honorary pallbearers were Lawrence Harris, James Shipp, Donald Warren, Michael Harris, Murry Shipp and Prentiss Harris.

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