Monroe Journal

NORFOLK, VA - Shelloy Jean Persons Crawford, 96, died peacefully in her sleep on Friday morning, January 27, 2023 in Norfolk, VA. Shelloy, known as "Babe" for being the youngest of four siblings to Irene and Erwin Persons, was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. After arriving in Annapolis, MD upon completion of high school, Babe met the love of her life, naval officer Bentley Baker Crawford whom she married and shared 65 years. Shelloy raised five children while living around the country and world as a naval officer's wife. Ben and Shelloy then settled in Oxford, Mississippi in 1969 to a beloved 18th century farmhouse for the next 35 years at 7C's Farm. She became an expert...

GREENWOOD SPRINGS, MS - GREENWOOD SPRINGS, MS - Cheryl Jane Barksdale, 75, began her new life in Heaven on Monday, December 20, 2022. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 25, 1947, to the late Polly Jane Harns Harris and Charles V Gillespie. Cheryl grew up in a very close knit family with five other siblings and she attended school in Vina Alabama. At a young age, on June 24, 1967, she married the love of her life, Curt O'Neal Barksdale. They were blessed by God with a son, five grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren, in whom she was most proud. Cheryl had a great work ethic and she worked her entire career as a fabric cutter in the sewing department of Amory...

AMORY, MISSISSIPPI -- Wayne Reeed Thompson , 83, passed away Sunday, Dec 18, 2022, in Amory, Mississippi. at North Mississippi Medical Center - Gilmore Services will be at 1:00 pm, on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at E. E. Pickle Funeral Home, Amory, MS Visitation will be at 11:30 am until 1:00 pm on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 E. E. Pickle Funeral Home, Amory, MS.

CORINTH - Brian Hodges McCullen, 62, of Corinth and Amory, Mississippi, died at Gilmore Memorial Hospital in Amory on Monday, December 12, 2022. Brian was born in Amory, MS on March 21, 1960, to Joe and Beckie McCullen. He graduated from Amory High School in 1978 and attended Mississippi State University. While at MSU, Brian met and married Cathy Corrigan on January 8, 1983. He and Cathy raised their son and daughter in Corinth. He worked in the banking industry for 40 years and was honored to currently serve as the President & CEO of Amory Federal Savings and Loan. A man of few words, Brian showed his love and support through service to others, whether civic, church, or family...

SULLIGENT - Madison Caroline Arnold, age 14, of Sulligent, AL, passed away on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at Children's Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham, AL. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 2:00pm at New Centerpoint FWB Church with graveside services and burial to follow in Lann Cemetery. Bro. Terrance Andrews, Bro. Colby White and Bro. Michael Griffin to officiate. Visitation will be held at Otts Funeral Home on Friday, December 9, 2022 from 6:00pm until 8:00pm. Pallbearers: Johnny Guthery, Edward Goode, Micah Andrews, Trey Miller, Jacey Rogers, Dalton McMillan Honorary Pallbearers: Glenn Smith, Terry Smith, Ernie Miller, Dewayne Smith, Ethan Smith,...

AMORY, MS - Catherine Ming Allen, 98 of Amory passed away on Friday, November 25, 2022. She was a resident of Monroe County for 78 years. Catherine was born on November 30, 1923, in Lee County, MS. She was a faithful member of the Nettleton Church of Jesus Christ. Preceded in death are her husband, Earnest L. Allen, brother, Johnnie C. Ming, sister, Winnie P. Wright, half-sister Charlotte Waltz, half-sister Christine Hall, and half-sister Norene Inmon. She leaves to cherish her memory, her nephews Gaynor Perkins (Earleen); Bobby Perkins (Wylene); and her nieces Shelby J. Lister, Carolyn A. Miller (Blaine); Rachel K. Mack (Kendall); Sylvia K. Ming-Ghee, Virginia L. Ming (Peter); and...

SMITHVILLE, MS James Franklin Gaskin, Jr ,66, died November 19, 2022, at North Ms Medical Center in Tupelo, MS Our family at Associated are very honored to have been chosen to serve the Gaskin family.. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by ASSOCIATED FAMILY FUNERAL & CREMATION CENTER - TUPELO. Log on to associatedfuneral.com for more info. A message can be left by clicking on the Tributes link. ASSOCIATED FUNERAL GROUP, INC.

AMORY - Donald Alfred (Don) Baker, 86, passed away Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at his home in Amory. He was born January 18, 1936 and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior at a young age. He married Martha Elizabeth Parnell on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1960 in Aberdeen and they celebrated 62 years of marriage this past Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022. Preceded in death by his parents, Robert Dilworth Baker and Charline 'Peggy' McKinney Baker and his sister, Peggy Baker Hadaway, he is survived by his children Don Baker (Charlotte) and Beth Fortenberry (Keith), three grandchildren, Dr. Carlisle Livingston (Erin), Dr. Reagan Livingston and Sam Baker (Hannah), two bonus grandchildren,...

JONESBORO, ARK. - Kathy Waltman Abel, 63, of Jonesboro, AR went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 after a sudden and brief battle with brain cancer. Born on February 23, 1959 in Aberdeen, MS, Kathy moved to northeast Arkansas after marrying the love of her life and best friend, Jim, right after getting her Accounting degree at Mississippi State. A friend to all and someone who never met a stranger, Kathy loved everyone in her community and everyone loved Kathy. However, there has never before been an earthly love as deep as Kathy's for her husband, kids, and grandkids. Kathy was an avid pianist, a horse whisperer, a beloved tennis teammate, a puzzle wizard, a crafty...

SMITHVILLE, MS -- Jane C. Hunter , 85, passed away Tuesday, Oct 25, 2022, in Amory, Mississippi. at Riverplace Nursing Center Services will be at 2:00 pm, Friday, October 28, 2022 at E. E. Pickle Funeral Home Visitation will be at 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm, Friday, October 28, 2022 E. E. Pickle Funeral Home in Amory, Mississippi.

SPLUNGE - SPLUNGE - James B. "J.B." Markham, Jr., 76, passed away on October 24, 2022, at Oaktree Nursing Center, Amory, Mississippi. He was born in Amory, MS, on March 11, 1946, to the late James Buford and Jessie Mae Ray Markham. JB grew up in Monroe County and served as the class president at Smithville High School in 1964 and he graduated Valedictorian. Driven for knowledge, he went on to further his education at Itawamba Junior College. He then completed his Bachelors of Science and Master's Degree in Education at MSU and he was a proud member of the MSU Alumni Association and MSU Bulldog Club. Later in life because of his appreciation for education, he also attended some...

BATON ROUGE, LA - BATON ROUGE, LA - Sara Tubb, 86, began her new life in Heaven on October 16, 2022, at Sunrise Nursing Facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was born on August 14, 1936, in Amory, MS to the late Talmadge Brice Tubb and Sara Thomas Gilbert Tubb. Sara graduated with a Masters Degree in Library Science from Florida State University and she was a loyal Seminole fan. She worked for a short while as a civilian librarian at a US Army Base in Germany. Sarah worked the majority of her career as the Head Acquisitions Librarian at the Mississippi Library Commission. She help build a balanced collection of materials for research and made the materials available for...

TUPELO - Billy Carl "Bill" Bailey passed away at his home on October 8, days before his 84th birthday. He was the son of Fred and Flora Wise Bailey of the Lone Star Community in Union County. He is survived by his wife, Ellen; his sons, David (Dee Dee) Bailey of Philadelphia, MS, and Brad (Kelly) Bailey of Columbus; two granddaughters, Morgan (Caleb) Jay of Philadelphia and Mary Margaret (Andrew) Hanna of New Orleans, LA; great-grandchildren Bailey and Lucy Jay, James Hanna; and one sister Joyce (Dwight) Gentry of Sulligent, AL. Services will be held at United Funeral Service on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 1:00 o'clock with visitation from 11:00a.m. until the time of service

Maxine Waltman Halbert, 99, of Jonesboro, Arkansas passed away at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House on September 21, 2022. She was born on May 2, 1923 in Fort Wayne, Indiana to John Gebhart and Amy Durst Gebhart. She was of the Methodist faith. She was a long-term resident of Aberdeen, Mississippi which she was the Secretary of the Aberdeen, Mississippi First United Methodist Church for 38 years. After moving to Arkansas later in life she attended the First United Methodist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Maxine was an avid walker and finished her first 5k in 2015 on her 92nd birthday. She volunteered at the Jonesboro First United Methodist Church, the Jonesboro Public Library, and the St....

Amory - Annie Jean Kuykendall Rogers Cole, 89, was able to finally meet her Savior face to face on Monday, September 5, 2022. She was born on November 16, 1932, in Amory, MS to the late Elmer Carroll Kuykendall and Burma Mae Ausborn Kuykendall. Growing up in Monroe County, Annie Jean attended and graduated from Hatley High School. For the entire 12 years of High School, Annie Jean had perfect attendance and was named the Salutatorian at the end of her senior year. On January 20, 1952, she married her best friend, James Ray Rogers, and they were blessed with two children. James Ray passed away at a young age and Annie Jean raised her two children with the help of God and her parents. ...

Mrs. Alice Eugenia Kendrick, 81, passed away on August 25, 2022 at Waverly Care Home in West Point, Alice was born on February 16, 1941, in Okolona, the daughter of the late Ezra Shannon Kelley and Clara Nell Osburn. She was a devoted wife and a giving mom to her children. Alice spent most of her working years at Bryan Foods in West Point as the company store manager for over 33 years until retirement. It was here that she let her light shine among her many friends and colleagues with an exuberance and infectious spirit. After retirement, she was a caregiver for Peggy Williams. In earlier years, she was a homemaker and childcare provider which led to her position at Calvary Baptist...

Connie Hawkins Love, 73, passed away on July 21, 2022 at her home after an extended illness. Connie was born in Amory on February 9, 1949, to Ellie and Sallie Hawkins. She graduated from Amory High School in 1967 and attended the Mississippi University for Women where she was a member of the Lancer social club. On March 17, 1973, Connie married Andy Love. They started a family shortly after and were blessed with two children, Drew and Nancy. They were members of First Presbyterian Church of Amory where Connie was a Sunday school teacher, member of The Session, and a true servant who used her gifts of creativity and hospitality to enrich the lives of her church family. Through the...

Ellie Don Leech, 86, passed away June 30 at his home in Amory. Don is survived by his wife of 66 years, Betty Welch Leech, as well as two children and their spouses, Marsha and Mike Tapscott and Michael and Debbie Leech; four grandchildren, Zachary Leech, Whitney Fisher, David Tapscott and John Tapscott; and four great grandchildren, Cole Fisher, Clay Fisher, Ryleigh Leech and Jaxon Leech. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vester and Edna Leech, two sisters, Mary Cody and Carolyn Leech, and an infant daughter. He earned an associate of arts degree from Itawamba Junior College in 1955 and a bachelor of business administration from the University of Mississippi in...

Judy McCary Wright, 78, passed away on Wednesday, June 21, 2022 at the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. Born on July 4, 1943, she was a twin daughter to the late William Vardaman and Dimple Florence Copeland McCary. Judy was a 1961 graduate of Amory High School and went on to further her education at Itawamba Junior College. While at both Amory High School and IJC, she and her twin sister, Jane, were talented majorettes with the marching band. She often referred to her twin sister Jane, as "Twin A". A lady with the gift of gab and a natural socialite, she went to work at American Airlines for over 5 years as a Flight Attendant. Her family said she was the picture...

Audrey "Lynn" Boyett Crutcher (age 66) entered into her eternal home on June 16, 2022, and was reunited with the love of her life, James Crutcher. Lynn was born on November 29, 1955, to the late Houston Eugene "Gene" Boyett and Doris Adele Willis Boyett in Marks, Mississippi. She was a 1973 graduate of Clarksdale High School. At the young age of 12, Lynn met James Michael Crutcher and they began their lifelong relationship. Lynn enjoyed telling the story of them going to the movies to watch "Gone With the Wind" on their first date. They dated throughout her high school years and were married at Clarksdale Church of God on June 9, 1973. Lynn and James had two daughters: Jamie Lynn...

Jimmie Depriest Griffin, age 71, of Gattman, MS, passed away on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at NMMC-Gilmore in Amory, MS. No public services will be held. Burial will be in Blair Cemetery. Jimmie was born on October 14, 1950 in Gattman, MS to the late Moman Depriest and the late Jessie Williams. She was a graduate of Hatley High School. Jimmie previously worked at Gattman Sportswear and at Gilmore Memorial Hospital in the cafeteria. She was a member of Gattman Holiness Church. Survived By: Husband: Tulon Griffin, Gattman, MS Preceded In Death By: Parents: Moman and Jessie Depriest Condolences and special memories may be shared with the family at: www.ottsfuneralhome.net Otts Funeral...