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TUPELO - Rev. William J. Benefield, 87, died Sunday, March 8, 2009, at Golden Living Center after a lengthy illness. He was born Sept. 10, 1921, in Lee County to Joseph and Jimmie Benefield. He was a graduate of Unity High School and a member of the first graduating class of Itawamba Junior College. He attended Mississippi State University. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, where he earned the Purple Heart. He was a minister for more than 40 years, serving in and around Lee County. He was a school teacher and a member of Thomas Street Baptist Church. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed doing carpentry work.
Services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 18, at Lee Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Grady Davidson officiating. Burial was in Lee Memorial Park.
Survivors include his wife of nearly 60 years, Janie Jones Benefield of Tupelo; one son, Danny Benefield of Smithville; six daughters, Jimmie Hicks of Mooreville, Debra Bradley (Doyle) of Mooreville, Judy Royce (Richard) of Bethlehem, Pa., Pauline Smith (Barry) of Fulton, Lynn Mize (Thomas) of Saltillo and Sonja Byars (Jimbo) of Houlka; nine grandchildren, April Gonzales (Joe), Shane Hicks, Kim Bradley (fiance Derek Mishou), Cathy Bradley, Will Smith, Casey Smith, Maegan Mize, Joby Byars and Sawyer Byars; one great-great-grandchild, Abby Grace Gonzales.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son-in-law, Terry L. Hicks; six sisters, Mittie Lou Raper, Marie Brooks, Cleatous Benefield, Lois Benefield, Alice Barber and Mae Barber; and one brother, John Robert Benefield.
Pallbearers were Shane Hicks, Doyle Bradley, Richard Royce, Barry Smith, Thomas Mize, Jimbo Byars, Will Smith and Joe Gonzales.
Honorary pallbearers were Billy Joe Raper, James Raper, Johnny Benefield and W.C. Barber.
Memorial donations may be made to Gideons International.
Artie Schreppel III
LAKE PIOMINGO - Arthur Harold "Artie" Schreppel III, 49, died Tuesday, March 10, 2009, at his home. He was born Oct. 25, 1959, in New Jersey to Arthur Harold and Barbara J. Pearce Schreppel Jr. He was a native of Middletown, New Jersey, where he served on the Middletown Township Police Department for 19 years before retiring in 2003. He served as a dispatcher, patrolman, detective and investigator. He was trained in hostage negotiations, working on task forces and working undercover. He was heavily involved in the recovery efforts during 911 in New York. He was highly decorated in his line of work. He had been a resident here the past year.
Services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14, at McNeece-Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Fulton with Rev. Ray Rooney officiating.
Survivors include his mother, Barbara Pearce Schreppel of Dorsey; two sisters, Kellie Wasson of Charlotte, N.C., and Sandra Rosario of Miami, Fla., and seven nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Honorary pallbearers were his fellow officers of the Middletown Township police department.
Jessie Roberts
FULTON - Jessie Matthew amp"Little Jesseamp" Roberts, 22, died Sunday, March 8, 2009, at Fulton. He was born March 19, 1986, in Lee County to Pierce Collel and Christie Shedd Roberts. He worked in construction. He was an outdoorsman and enjoyed mud riding in his Ford Ranger.
Services were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at Senter Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Jackie Gray officiating. Burial was in Keyes Cemetery.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Christie and Billy Harmon of Fulton; one son, Collel David Roberts of Peppertown; his grandparents, Pierce and Brenda Roberts of the Evergreen community, and Bernice West of the Shiloh community; his stepgrandmother, Myrtle Harmon of Fulton; two sisters, Brittney Roberts of Mantachie and Summer Crawley of Peppertown; one brother, Joshua Roberts of Baldwyn; two half brothers, Blake Roberts and Zack Roberts, both of Mooreville; three half sisters, Jennifer, Kadie and Keshia Roberts, all of Mooreville; two stepbrothers, Brian Harmon and Kevin Harmon (Evelyn), both of Fulton; one stepsister, Tonya Wood (Thomas) of Fulton.
He was preceded in death by his father, Pierce Collel Roberts, in 2007.
Pallbearers were Thomas Kelly, Josh Chamblee, Phillip Haynes, Kevin Harmon, Jason Smith, Buddy Smith and Josh Roberts.
Ozie Randolph
FULTON - Ozie L. Randolph, 61, died Saturday, March 7, 2009, from injuries received in a car accident. He was born Dec. 7, 1947, to Zachary and Mary Randolph of Itawamba County. He attended Hess Elementary School and Marshall High School. He joined the U.S. Army at age 17 and served for three years. He lived in Chicago until returning to Mississippi in 1970.
Services were held at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church at Fulton with Rev. Perry Carr officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery. N.L. Jones amp& Son Funeral Directors of Tupelo was in charge of the arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Helen Jean Randolph of Amory; two sons, Andrea Boulerce of Chicago and Lance (Wendy) Randolph of Tupelo; one daughter, Tammy (Maurice) of Smithville; three sisters, Doris Nails of Nettleton, Mary Jean (Cleveland) Williams of Chicago and Dessa (Bay) Carroll of Fulton; one brother, Raymond, of Fulton; seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by Zachary and Mary Randolph, Andrea Jr. and JoAnn Randolph.
Ora M. Hughes
HAMILTON, Ala. - Ora M. Hughes, 95, died Wednesday, March 11, 2009.
Services were held at Hamilton Funeral Home with Ted Burleson presiding. Burial was in Itawamba Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include her daughters, Ola Traw and Nella R. Daley; one son-in-law, Dorsey Traw; two grandchildren, Cameron Traw and Tassance Demick; seven great-grandchildren; several extended family members; and a host of friends and church family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Webster G. Hughes of Itawamba County.
Mae Loden
FULTON - Era Mae Loden, 80, died Monday, March 9, 2009, at the Countrywood Plantation Assisted Living Facility in Mantachie. She was born May 10, 1938, in Alabama to Zollie and Eva Estelle Eady Blackmon.She was a member of Greenwood Baptist Church. As a pastor's wife, she was instrumental in her husband's pastoral ministry in churches in Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. She was a beautician. She enjoyed seamstress work, crocheting and cooking for others, especially fellow pastors' families. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Most of all, she loved the Lord.
Services were held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at the McNeece-Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Fulton with Bro. Gary O'Neal, Bro. Gary Smith and Bro. Vern Holifield officiating. Burial was in the Dorsey Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband of 63 years, Bro. John Loden of Fulton; one daughter, Mary Beachum (Roger) of Fulton; two grandchildren, Debra Bailey (Jeff) and Eugene Beachum (Amy), both of Fulton; four great-grandchildren, Darbie Bailey, Reid Bailey, Eva Beachum and Jonathan Beachum.
She was preceded in death by an infant son, Donnie Eugene Loden; her parents; one brother, Odis Blackmon; and one sister, Edith Loden.
Pallbearers were the deacons of Greenwood Baptist Church.
Memorial donations may be made to the Greenwood Baptist Church Building Fund, 4810 Dorsey-Evergreen Road, Fulton, MS 38843.
James Moore
FULTON - James Luther Moore, 68, died Monday, March 9, 2009, at his home. He was born July 22, 1940, in Itawamba County to James Luther Moore Sr. and Jessie Mae Roberts Moore. He worked for Mueller Copper Tubing and Mueller Industrial Gas for 28 years. He was a member of Harden's Chapel United Methodist Church. He was known as Santa Claus to many during the Christmas season. He was an avid baseball fan, especially of the Chicago Cubs. He enjoyed woodworking and gardening.
Services were held at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 12, at the McNeece-Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Fulton with Bro. Danny Wilburn and Rev. Ronnie Goodwin officiating. Burial was in Harden's Chapel Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Shirley Moore of Fulton; one son, Jim Moore (Janet) of Carthage; two daughters, Julie Moss (Barry) of Wadley, Ala., and Karen Farris (Kevin) of Tuscumbia, Ala.; two sisters, Ann Colburn and Katie Box, both of Fulton; two grandchildren, Chris Beemon and Jennifer Alexander, both of Lena; four great-grandchildren, Shaun Beemon, Lauren Beemon, Haley Alexander and Addison Alexander.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Ola Buchanan and Maedean Franke.
Pallbearers were Nathan Wilburn, Chris Beemon, Wally Scholl, Mike Horton, Ray Embrey and Jerry Garner.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or to the donor's favorite charity.
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