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Obituaries

Billy Ray Downs

Billy Ray Downs, 51, of Byhalia, died June 11, 2008 at his home.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on June 14 at Brantley Funeral Home in Olive Branch. Burial was in Macedonia Cemetery.

He leaves his wife, Carol Downs; four daughters, Elizabeth Downs, Heather Downs, Amber Taylor, Julie Downs; a stepson, Tracy Busby; two sisters, Eula Cook, Irise Green; a brother, Roger Downs; and eight grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Eugene Herbert Edwards

Eugene Herbert Edwards, 76, of Mt. Pleasant, died June 15, 2008 at Alliance HealthCare System. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant, a maintenance worker with Container Corp of America and a National Guard veteran.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on June 17 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Carey Chapel Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant.

He leaves his wife, Peggy Hurdle Edwards; a daughter, Sue Medlin of Walls; three sons, Terry Edwards, Joe Edwards, both of Mt. Pleasant, Steve Edwards of Olive Branch; two sisters, Clara Nell Morton of Columbus, Tx., Dorothy Griffin of Heber Springs, Ark.; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Mattie Goolsby Gurley

Mattie Goolsby Gurley, 88, of Potts Camp, died June 10, 2008 at Methodist Hospital Germantown in Germantown, Tenn. She was the widow of Harvey J. Gurley and a Baptist.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on June 12 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Chewalla Cemetery. Bro. Joe Epting officiated.

She leaves two daughters, Jan Morris of Potts Camp, Sherry Lothridge of Denton, Tx.; a sister, Dorothy Wayne Nowlin of Myrtle; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a brother, W.C. Goolsby; and two sisters, Delta Wilson and Marie Collier.

Memorials may be sent to Chewalla Cemetery Fund.

Thomas Houston Sr.

Thomas Houston Sr., 76, of Walls, died June 9, 2008 at Tri Lake Medical Center in Batesville. He was retired from Desoto Hardwood in Memphis, Tenn.

Services will be held at a later date. Serenity Funeral Home will be in charge of arrangements.

He leaves a son, Thomas Houston I; a brother, William Houston of Walls; and a sister, Mary Whitehead of Ashland.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Eugene Houston; and four sisters, Helen Scott, Elizabeth Hurdle, Marie Clayton, Mildred Houston.

Bobby James Owens Sr.

Bobby James Owens Sr., 71, of Holly Springs, died June 11, 2008 at Trinity Mission Health and Rehab in Holly Springs; He was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church, a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and a retired purchasing agent with Rust College.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on June 15 at Rust College Doxey Auditorium. Burial was in Cottrell Memorial Garden. Bishop Earnest Jordan officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his wife, Justine Benford Owens of Holly Springs; a daughter, Brittany Owens of Holly Springs; five sons, Bobby Owens Jr. of Chicago, Ill., Ricky Owens of Texas, Kanorris Benford of Collierville, Tenn., Rodney Owens, Ronald Harris, Justin Owens, all of Holly Springs; a brother, George Owens of Denver, Colo.; and five grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Judge Ernest Cunningham, Robert Curry, Enoch Lester, John Marion, William Moore, Elvis Scott, Michael Taylor, Gary Tunstall and Rudy Whitelow. Honorary pallbearers were brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Frances Marie Pryor

Frances Marie Pryor, 78, of Oxford, formerly of Holly Springs, died June 11, 2008. She was the widow of Lauren (Ball) Pryor and a member of Church of Christ, Holly Springs.

Services were held at 10 a.m. on June 14 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Hill Crest Cemetery. Bro. Todd Sanderson and Bro. Danny Dodd officiated.

She leaves four sons, James R. Pryor, Jimmy D. Pryor, Robert W. Pryor, David W. Pryor; a daughter, Sarah L. Playfor; a brother, Jesse E. Fesmire; four sisters, Judy McCarver, Marcelle Slankard, Katherine Usry, Louise Moncrief; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Randolph Scott

Randolph Scott, 60, of Franklin, Ga., formerly of Holly Springs, died May 11, 2008 at his home. He was an independent plumbing contractor and owned Scott’s Plumbing. In his early years he held the Mid South Golden Gloves Heavy Weight Title.

Services were held on May 14 at Tom Stutts and Son Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in the Heard County Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Rev. Scott Hannah officiated.

He leaves his wife, Jeanette Poole Scott; a daughter, Jennifer Bohnsack of Highland Park, Tx.; a son, Jeremy Scott of Franklin; two sisters, Dianne Hurdle, Edna Hayes, both of Holly Springs; three brothers, John Scott of Memphis, Rene Scott of Arlington, Tx., Joel Scott of Memphis; and four grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Chris Hayes, Bill Collier, Steve Guffey, Stephen Guffey, Jim Raptis and Mickey Ethridge.

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