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Obituaries

Billy Wayne Degraw

Billy Wayne Degraw, 60, of Holly Springs, died Nov. 26, 2009 at Alliance HealthCare. He was a Baptist and a mechanic.

Memorial services were held at 3 p.m. on Dec. 3. at Church Road Baptist Church in Horn Lake. Holly Springs Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his wife, Brenda Jeffries of Red Banks; three sons, Nick Degraw of Lake Cormorant, Michael Degraw of Oakgrove, Ky., Brian Degraw of Red Banks; two daughters, Ladonna Hamm, Heather Williams, both of Oxford; two brothers, Jackie Degraw of Bartlett, Tenn., Bobby Degraw of Horn Lake; two sisters, Mary Jo Smith of Covington, Tenn., Janice Morris of Elgin, Ala.; 22 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by a grandchild, Emily Hamm.

Leon Hall

Leon Hall, 66, of Red Banks, died Nov. 16, 2009 at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was a self-employed brick mason.

Services were held at Pleasant Grove MB Church in Red Banks, where he was a member. Burial was in Mt. Newell Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Red Banks. Rev. S.A. Phillips officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves his wife, Nola B. Johnson Hall; two daughters, Stephanie Malone, Jacquelyn Hall, both of Holly Springs; two sons, Kelvin Hall of Olive Branch, Leon M. Hall of Red Banks; his mother, Eliza Robinson Hall of Red Banks; two sisters, Maxine Hall, Delois Walton, both of Memphis, Tenn.; six brothers, Wavie C. Hall, Leroy Hall, both of Red Banks, Irby Hall, Walter Hall, Lee Willie Hall, all of Holly Springs, Earl Goodman of Memphis, Tenn.; and five grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Chauncey Walton, Reyshan Hannah, Terence Malone, Dwayne Burton, Willis Walton, Harlon Hall, Tim Oliver and Dayton Reed. Honorary pallbearers were Wavie C. Hall, Lee Willie Hall, Walter Hall, Irby Hall, Leroy Hall and Earl Goodman.

Minister I.U. Hoyle

Minister I.U. Hoyle, 94, of Ashland, died Nov. 22, 2009 at his home. He was the widower of Lizzie Mae Yancy Hoyle. He was a member of New Life Church of God in Christ, associate minister and retired farmer.

Services were held at 12 noon on Nov. 28 at St. Luke Church of God in Christ in Ashland. Burial was in the church cemetery. Supt. Bernell Hoyle officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves seven daughters, Jean Adams, Patricia Moore, Annie Price, all of Memphis, Tenn., Jane Ledbetter of Huntsville, Tx., Dee Wilson of Palmdale, Calif., Bobbie Jean Edgeston of Jackson, Tenn., Gertha Richardson of Saulsbury, Tenn.; and eight sons, Udell Hoyle of Los Angeles, Calif., Willie Hoyle of Corinth, Fred Hoyle of Olive Branch, Odell Hoyle of Blue Mountain, James Hoyle of Ashland, Cleo Hoyle of Potts Camp, Roosevelt Hoyle of Michigan City, Johnny Yancy of Philadelphia, Penn.; a sister, Anna Lee Richards of Ashland.

He was preceded in death by two children, Henry Hoyle and Linda Hoyle.

Pallbearers were Roosevelt Hoyle Jr., Ricky Hoyle, Lawrence Hoyle, Corey Hoyle, Antonio Price and Ricky (Mookee) Hoyle. Honorary pallbearers were Roosevelt Hoyle, Udell Hoyle, Fred Hoyle, Willie Hoyle, Odell Hoyle, Cleo Hoyle, James Hoyle and Johnny Yancy.

Rebecca Ann Looney

Rebecca Ann Looney, 27, of Byhalia, died Nov. 29, 2009 in Memphis, Tenn. She was a member of Barton Baptist Church.

Services were held at 2 p.m. on Dec. 4 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Byhalia Cemetery.

She leaves two brothers, Michael Looney, David Looney, both of Olive Branch; a sister, Dasha Looney of Olive Branch; her grandmother Mary E. Looney; special friends, Shirley Harding, Ralph Harmon, Paris Hicks, all of Byhalia.

Lucilla Martin McKinney

Lucilla (Mary) Martin McKinney, 61, of Holly Springs, died Nov. 19, 2009 at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. She was the widow of Charlie McKinney. She was a member of the Missionary Society and senior choir, and a disabled care giver with Nest Day Care.

Services were held at 11 a.m. on Nov. 28 at Strawberry MB Church in Holly Springs, where she was a member. Burial was in the church cemetery. Rev. Willie F. Jeffries officiated. J.F. Brittenum and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

She leaves three daughters, Jacqueline McKinney, Deborah Williamson, both of Holly Springs, Shirley McKinney of Red Banks; a son, Jonathan McKinney of Guntown; her mother, Fannie Jones Martin of Holly Springs; four sisters, Ruthie Hardaway, Linda Martin, Effie Ayers, all of Holly Springs, Georgia Phillips of Memphis, Tenn.; a brother, Edgar Martin Jr. of Cleveland, Ohio; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Walker D. Martin, Eddie Lee Martin.

Pallbearers were Kelsey Freeman, Peter Gulledge, Brad Campbell, Darryl Wilson, Freddrick Martin and Steven Turnage. Honorary pallbearers were Tony Martin, Brian Martin, Darryl Ayers, Dandle Ayers Jr., Tyrone Mayfield, Issac Mayfield, James Hardaway and Eddie Martin.

Ural Taylor

Ural Taylor, 63, of Gary, Ind., died Nov. 19, 2009 at his home. He was born March 10, 1946 in Holly Springs. He was a drummer with the Legendary Fabulous Kings for many years. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. After 35 years of service with the city of Gary, he retired as radio communications technician. After retirement, he drove a school bus for Laidlaw Bus Company part-time.

Services were held at 11 a.m. on Nov. 25 at New Bethel MB Church in Gary. Burial was in Chulahoma MB Church Cemetery. Serenity Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

He leaves two daughters, Desiree Taylor, Angela Taylor, both of Laurel, Md.; his mother, Valena Lawson of Byhalia; five brothers, Troy Jones of Gary, Percy Lawson of Memphis, Tenn., Dwayne Lawson, Eric Lawson, Marshall Lawson, all of Byhalia; four sisters, Deborah Oliver of Phoenix, Ariz., Janet Lawson Jones of Memphis, Tenn., Valena Watson of Fort Worth, Tx., Lola Reenia Mayes of Lewisville, Tx.; and seven grandchildren.

Ralph Thompson

Ralph Thompson, 87, of Mt. Pleasant, died Nov. 29, 2009 at Germantown Methodist Hospital. He was a carpenter and a member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church.

Services were held at 11 a.m. on Dec. 2 at Holly Springs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

He leaves his wife of 68 years, Nadine Thompson, three sons, Ralph Thompson of Slayden, Mood Thompson of Mt. Pleasant, Jimmie Thompson of Collierville, Tenn.; his daughter, Myra Bailey of Mt. Pleasant; a brother, Wesley Thompson of Collierville, Tenn.; a sister, Jessie Stedman of Memphis, Tenn.; 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Tammy Skelton.

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