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Obituaries

Cora Davis Aiken
Cora Davis Aiken, 93, of Byhalia, died Feb. 16, 2005 at Trinity Mission Health & Rehab of Holly Springs. She was the widow of Charlie Aiken.

Services were held at 1 p.m. on Feb. 19 at Mt. Sinai M.B. Church in Byhalia. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rev. Wayne Aiken officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves a daughter, Stella Davis of Byhalia; two sons, Winford Aiken of Lansing, Mich., Henry Aiken of Byhalia; two sisters, M.T. Hilber of Memphis, Tenn., Catherine Jones of St. Louis, Mo.; 10 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Curtis Aiken, Richard Aiken, Atha Davis, Tyrone Aiken, Trent Aiken, Toney Davis.

James Keith Bing
James Keith (Cheetah) Bing, 32, of Waterford, died Feb. 18, 2005 at his home. He was a member of Holly Hill Baptist Church and a heating and air employee.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on Feb. 21 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Laws Hill. Bro. Frank Feathers officiated.

He leaves a son, John Keith Bing of Waterford; a daughter, Ashley Bing of Waterford; his parents, Billy and Sue Bing of Waterford; his grandmother, Christine Thomas of Waterford; and his brother, Billy Bing Jr. of Waterford.

Pallbearers were Shane Smith, David Minor, Mark Shaw, Gary Stacks, Dewayne Bing, Kevin Bing. Honorary pallbearers were Tim Shaw, Mickey Bing, Kevin Bing, Wade Yeager, Mark Bing, Allen Bing, Brian Bing.

Mae Dora Blackmon
Mae Dora Blackmon, 79, of Holly Springs, died Feb. 14, 2005 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Southaven. She was the widow of Cotterell Blackmon Jr.

Services were held at 1 p.m. on Feb. 19 at Chulahoma MB Church in Holly Springs. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rodgers Funeral Home in Coldwater was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves nine daughters, Vera D. Blackmon, Vera L. Bobo, both of Memphis, Tenn., Lula Wofford of Milwaukee, Wisc., Ivory Blackmon, Ruby Blackmon, Ethel Mosley, Joyce Blackmon, all of Holly Springs, Clara Jones of Olive Branch, Chenelle Blackmon of Byhalia; two sons, Clarence Blackmon, J.T. Blackmon, both of Holly Springs; 43 grandchildren; 43 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Christine Burnett
Christine Burnett, 69, of Coldwater, died Feb. 14, 2005 at her home. She was the widow of Willie Burnett and a retired butcher.

Services were held at 12 p.m. on Feb. 19 at New Garden MB Church in Coldwater. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rodgers Funeral Home in Coldwater was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves five sons, Roger Brownlee of Memphis, Randy Brownlee of Sylvania, Ga., Spencer Burnett of Coldwater, Tony Burnett of Coldwater, Phillip Burnett of Coldwater; a brother, Willie Cathey of Memphis, Tenn.; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Eula Mae Hurdle
Eula Mae (Tump) Valentine Hurdle, 84, of Slayden, died Feb. 20, 2005 at Alliance HealthCare in Holly Springs. She was the widow of Leslie Byron (Tootsie) Hurdle Sr. She was a member of WMU.

Services were held at 1 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Slayden Baptist Church, where she was a member. Burial was in Slayden Cemetery. Dr. Bill Hardin, Bro. Armand Taylor, Rev. David Bishop and Dr. Lee Castle officiated. Holly Springs Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves three sons, Byron Hurdle Jr, Paul Hurdle, Alan Hurdle, all of Slayden; five daughters, Kathy Crawford of Slayden, Jennifer Campbell of Oxford, Dinah Kay Lundine of Slayden, Eydie Branyan of Waller, Tx., Beverly (Nubbie) Hurdle of Slayden; three sisters, Vera V. Hunsucker of Early Grove, Katherine V. Boling of Slayden, Yvonne V. Taylor of Slayden; 17 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were her grandsons. Honorary pallbearers were her granddaughters and in-laws.

Josephine E. Hurdle
Josephine Elizabeth Hurdle, 70, of Mt. Pleasant, died Feb. 16, 2005 at her home. She was a Baptist.

Services were held at 11 a.m. on Feb. 19 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Carey Chapel Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant.

She leaves her husband, Richard Hurdle; three sons, Arnold Edwards Sr., Kenneth Edwards, both of Bartlett, Tenn., Irby Jessie Hurdle III of Mt. Pleasant; a daughter, Joyce Mitchell of Ellijay, Ga.; two brothers, William Authur Houston of Southaven, Thomas Houston of Clarksdale; a sister, Mary Whitehead of Southaven; and two grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Carolyn Irene Edwards.

Louise Gooch King
Louise Gooch King, 97, of Holly Springs, died Feb. 15, 2005 at Graceland Care Center in Oxford. She was the widow of Dallas King. She was a nurse for 55 years, a lifetime member of the DAR, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and Eastern Star. A faithful member of the Potts Camp Baptist Church, she taught Sunday school for many years. After the death of her husband, she continued to maintain the museum they had built in Potts Camp that was dedicated to the memory of the men in the area who had died in service to their country.

Services were held at 11 a.m. on Feb. 17 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Potts Camp Cemetery. Bro. Charles Fowler and Bro. Jim Buchanan officiated.

She leaves a brother, William D. Gooch of Madison; and three sisters, Marjorie Gilmore of Oxford, Madge Burgess of Memphis, Tenn., Martha Gardner of Silver City.

She was preceded in death by four brothers, Howard (Son) Gooch, Charles (Red) Gooch, James Gooch, Herman Cooper (Bo) Gooch, and a sister, Fannie Pearl Coleman.

Pallbearers were Edward Overall, Roger Clayton, Johnny Westmoreland, Lloyd Kelly, William Minor.

Robert Gene Leopard
Robert Gene Leopard, 44, of Byhalia, formerly of Memphis, Tenn., died Feb. 12, 2005 at his home. He was a retired television installer for Berclair TV.

Covington Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his wife, Rose Leopard; two daughters, Tamaron Lopez, Sarah Leopard, both of Byhalia; a son, Walter Leopard of Memphis, Tenn.; his father, Mancel Leopard of Collierville, Tenn.; two sisters, Diane Jones, Shirley Raybun, both of Alabama; a brother, Larry Leopard of Collierville, Tenn.; and five grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Donnie Leopard.

Bishop Knox McCallum
Bishop Knox McCallum, 81, of Holly Springs, died Feb. 20, 2005 at St. Peter’s Villa in Memphis, Tenn. He was the widower of Sybil Winkley, a carpenter and an Army veteran of World War II.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on Feb. 22 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Butler Cemetery in Potts Camp.

He leaves a son, Douglas Ray McCallum of Memphis, Tenn.; two daughters, Brenda Boone of Atlanta, Ga., Linda Nowlin of Millington, Tenn.; three sisters, Grace Johnson of Holly Springs, Joyce Jones of Waterford, Loyce Smith of Bartlett, Tenn.; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Jerry Nowlin, Mike Nowlin, Robbie O’Connor, Buck Smith, Doug McCallum, Jesse Johnson, Jerry Boone, Jason Boone.

Ollie Lucille Roach
Ollie Lucille Roach, 77, of Harmontown, died Feb. 19, 2005 at North Oaks Regional Hospital in Senatobia. She was the widow of Willie Roach, a member of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Laws Hill and a retired factory worker with Sunbeam.

Services were held at 11 a.m. on Feb. 21 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Laws Hill. Dr. Jim Pinkerton officiated.

She leaves a son, Willie Anthony Roach of Charleston; two daughters, Fay Tomlin, Tanda Roach, both of Harmontown; five brothers, Gerald Billingsley of Southaven, B.B. Billingsley Jr. of Coffeeville, David Lee Billingsley of Byhalia, Larry Billingsley of Harmontown, Kenneth Billingsley of Looxahoma; two sisters, Shirley Davis of Oxford, Elizabeth Tomlin of Harmontown; two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and several step-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Anthony Roach, Tony Roach, Joel Chrestman, Thomas Rushing, Tracy Byers, Roger Cooper, Richard Parnell, David Tomlin, Len Tomlin, Orris Williams Jr.

Johnny Asberry Snow
Johnny Asberry Snow, 77, of Waterford, died Feb. 15, 2005 at his home. He was a switchman with IC Railroad and an Army veteran of World War II.

Services were held at 11 a.m. on Feb. 18 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Spring Hill Baptist Cemetery in Waterford. Bro. Bobby McKay and Bro. Steve Wilson officiated.

He leaves his wife, Mary Elizabeth Snow; two sons, James Robert Snow of Cooperstown, Pa., William Snow of Waterford; a daughter, Joyce Laird of Waterford; his stepmother, Sue Snow of Springdale, Ark.; two sisters, Diana Brooks of Missouri, Barbara Copeland of Springdale, Ark.; eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Bobby Snow, John Snow, Randy Laird, Douglas Snow, Tim Baldwyn Nolan Buchanan, J.L. Verrell.

Judge James Earl Swearengen
Judge James Earl Swearengen, 72, of Memphis, Tenn., died Feb. 12, 2005 at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was a retired judge with Shelby County, Circuit Court Division 4. He served briefly in the U.S. Army. His professional career began in 1957 when he was appointed by the Memphis Park Commission to head the city’s first community center serving minorities. In 1964 he enrolled in the previously segregated law school at Memphis State University. He became the evening law school’s first black graduate and later became the first black member of the Tennessee Bar Association. In 1982 he was elected judge of the Circuit Court and was the first black Tennessee State Court Judge to take the bench by elections rather than by gubernatorial appointment. He is a founding member of the Ben Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association, a life member of the NAACP, and has numerous other civic and professional affiliations. He is a member of Mt. Pisgah Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

Services were held at 3 p.m. on Feb. 16 at Greenwood CME Church in Memphis, Tenn. Burial was in Galilee Memorial Gardens in Memphis, Tenn. Bishop William H. Graves officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves two daughters, Jamita Swearengen of Memphis, Tenn., Jana Swearengen-Richey of Memphis, Tenn.; three sisters, Mildred Hayes of Memphis, Tenn., council woman Barbara Swearengen-Holt of Memphis, Tenn., Dorothy Strong of Olympia Fields, Ill.; a brother, Clarence Swearengen of Memphis, Tenn.; and two grandchildren.

Pallbearers were William James, Nathan Jones III, Thomas Long, Cecil David Moore Jr., Michael Steven Moore, Walter Leon Nelson, Dr. William E. Nelson, Bryant Swearengen, Clarence Edward Swearengen Jr., Colangelo Everett Swearengen, John H. Swearengen.

Isabella Balfour Thomas
Isabella Balfour Thomas, 84, of Memphis, Tenn., formerly of Holly Springs, died Feb. 12, 2005 at St. Peter’s Villa Nursing Home in Memphis, Tenn. She was the widow of Rev. W.H. Thomas, a member of the Missionary Society, the church choir, a Sunday school teacher, District Directors of Christian Education, annual Conference President of Minister’s Wives, Alliance Holly Springs District, secretary of annual Conference, youth director, secretary of the Treasure of the North Mississippi Conference 12 years, first vice-president of National Youth Conference of CME Church four years.

Services were held at 12 noon on Feb. 18 at Anderson Chapel CME Church in Holly Springs, where she was a member. Burial was in New Hope CME Church Cemetery in Red Banks. Rev. S.A. Phillips officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home in Holly Springs was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves nieces who cared for her, Doris Leatherwood, Tiffany Harris, Audrey Pounder, all of Memphis, Tenn., Daisy Martin of Holly Springs; a sister, Didentry Harris of Memphis, Tenn.; and two grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Clarence Leatherwood, Sylvester Martin, Charles Terry, Lee Echols Jr., James Massie, Thomas Harris. Honorary Pallbearers were Rev. Wardell Harris, Bernard Hearn, William Henley, Wallace Longest, Gary Pounder, Purvis Long, Charles Gary, Floyd Miller, Kevin Mullins, Courtney Harris, Lawrence Autry, Thomas Harris, James Adams, Brian Harris, Darryl Smith, trustees and steward board of Anderson Chapel CME Church.

Nancy Harwell Tubbs
Nancy Harwell Tubbs, 63, of Holly Springs, died Feb. 18, 2005 at Baptist Hospital-East in Memphis, Tenn. She had lived in this area her entire life except for a time during her husband’s military service.

Graveside services were held at 10 a.m. on Feb. 21 at Anchor Cemetery in Oxford. Bro. Scott Wright officiated. Coleman Funeral Home in Oxford was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves her husband, Bobby Gail Tubbs Sr.; a daughter, Susie Tubbs Murphy of Holly Springs; a son, Bobby Gail Tubbs Jr. of Cutoff, La.; her father, James Bradford Harwell of Oxford; two sisters, Glenda Kay Burns of Oxford, Brenda Gay Biggs of Memphis, Tenn.; a brother, James Larry Harwell of Memphis, Tenn.; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association or the Arthritis Foundation.

Vernon Rudell Thompson
Vernon Rudell Thompson, 63, of Holly Springs, died Feb. 15, 2005 at Alliance HealthCare in Holly Springs. He was a factory worker with Hart’s Manufacturing.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on Feb. 17 at Clear Creek Baptist Church, where he was a member. Burial was in the church cemetery. Bro. James Polk and Bro. Frank Feathers officiated. Holly Springs Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his wife, Carolyn A. Thompson; two brothers, Larry Thompson of Red Banks, Jerry Thompson of Lamar; two sisters, Ruth Rogers of Ashland, Wanda Byrd of Lamar; several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Brad Thompson, Larry Joe Thompson, Rick Rogers, Kevin Byrd, Jake Cothern, Gary Byrd, Mitchell Allen, John Cothern.

Minnie L. Ridley Wilson
Minnie L. Ridley Wilson, 63, of Holly Springs, died Jan. 30, 2005 at Vista Hospice at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Ill. She was the widow of Benjamin J. Ridley. She was a member of Bryn Mawr Community Church in Chicago, Ill. Minnie was employed for the Chicago Board of Education for 20 years.

Services were held at 11 a.m. on Feb. 5 at Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. Burial was in Restvale Cemetery, Alsip, Ill. Rev. E.C. Cunningham officiated. Leak and Sons Funeral Chapels was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves her husband, Derek Wilson; three daughters, DeJeanette Taylor of Holly Springs, Katie Curry Ridley of Chicago, Ill. Cynthia Peacock of Chicago, Ill.; a son, Sidney B. Ridley of Chicago, Ill.; a twin sister, Mattie L. Walker of Chicago, Ill.; two stepchildren; nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

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