Obituaries 03-30-23

ALMA LEE LEVERETTE SMITH ARRINGTON

Nov. 8, 1927

Funeral services for Alma Lee Leverett Smith Arrington were conducted on

Monday, March 27, 2023 from Altair Missionary Baptist Church.

Interment followed at Altair Baptist Church Cemetery.

Born in State Line on Nov. 8, 1927 to Paul and Rosie Dillon Leverette,

she was a native of Forrest County. She recently became a member of

Glendale United Methodist Church under the leadership of Pastor Glenn

Freeman. In her earlier years, she was a member of Pleasant Ridge United

Methodist Church in Knobtown, and she accepted Christ at an early age.

She attended E.J. Harris High School in Meridian, where she was the team

captain on the first black women's basketball team at the school. Upon

graduating in 1947, she attended college. She became an entrepreneur

while living in Chicago, Ill. She later migrated back to Mississippi and

became an Associate for Walmart in Waynesboro, where she retired.

She was a devoted mother, wife, grandmother and church member. She

enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

She is survived by her only living child, Louis Smith, Jr.; a loving and

devoted granddaughter, Tiffany Jones; and a host of family, nieces,

nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Paul and Rosie

Leverette; two husbands, Louis Smith and Willie J. Arrington; a brother,

George; three sisters, Eula Bell, Etta Jean and Ophelia; four daughters

and their respective spouses, Juketa and Fredrick Jones, Janice and Roy

Tillman, Vickie and Charles "Booker Ray" Scott, and Peggy Smith; and

a son, Jerry Smith.

McDonald and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

MERVIN G. COXWELL

Jan. 6, 1936-MArch 23, 2023

Funeral services for Mervin G. Coxwell, 87, of Waynesboro, were

conducted on Sunday, March 26, 2023 from the Chapel of Freeman Funeral

Home, with Dr. Steve Smith officiating.

Interment followed at Mt. Zion Cemetery.

Born in Wayne County on Thursday, Jan. 9, 1936 to Daniel Hezekiah

Coxwell and Trinnie Coxwell, he was a member of First Baptist Church of

Waynesboro. He had worked as a Comptroller at Freeman Funeral Home and

Freeman Insurance Agency for 59 years.

Although Alzheimer's Disease changed him and robbed him of so many

memories and activities, some things remained the same. He will be

remembered as a fine Christian man who loved his family, friends but,

most of all, his Jesus.

He died on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at Brookwood Villa Personal Care

Home in Waynesboro.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Dororthy Coxwell of

Waynesboro; two daughters and sons-in-law, Beverly and Kyle McCoy of

Waynesboro and Gina and Wayne Yarbrough of Lucedale; his brother, Norris

Coxwell of Waynesboro; his granddaughter, Peyton Langston of Nampa,

Idaho; two step-grandchildren and their respective spouses, Morgan and

Austin Cherry and Taylor and Brandon Fraser, all of Waynesboro; a

step-great-grandson, Leo Delaney; and special caregivers, Brenda Beard

and Gail Leverette.

He was preceded in death by his father, Daniel Hezekiah Coxwell; his

mother, Trinnie Coxwell; two brothers, Thomas H. Coxwell and Elton

Coxwell; and two sisters, Eula Mae Palmer and Marilyn Stough.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.freemanfh.com.

Freeman Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

MARLENE HUTCHINGS

April 16, 1949-March 16, 2023

A private service and interment for Marlene Hutchings, 74, of

Waynesboro, was conducted by family members and friends.

Born on April 16, 1949, she died on Thursday, March 16, 2023 at Wayne

General Hospital.

She is survived by her husband, Clarence O'Neal Leverette; four sons,

Laffyete, Gerald, Clarence and Hakeem; three daughters, Maulana, Selah

and Etawah; four brothers, David Bead, Robert Bead, Freddie Bead and

Philound Bead; two sisters, Billie Hutchings and Ruby Ann Bead; 18

grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

ANNIE MAE BEAL

Oct. 31, 1957-March 11, 2023

Graveside services for Annie Mae Beal, 65, of Waynesboro, were conducted

on Saturday, March 25, 2023 from Waynesboro Cemetery.

Born on Oct. 31, 1957, she was a Homemaker.

She died on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at Wayne General Hospital.

She is survived by four sons, George Beal, Jr., Timothy Beal, Keith Beal

and David Beal; a daughter, Debra Beal; a brother, Calvin Mayfield; and

six sisters and a brother-in-law, Myrtle Mayfield, Gracie B. Hill-James,

Mary Mayfield, Azaline Mayfield, Lena Mayfield and Loretta and John

Sullivan.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and a brother.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

KYHARIE RODGERS

Oct. 11, 2004-March 11, 2023

Funeral services for Kyharie Rodgers, 18, of Laurel, were conducted on

Saturday, March 25, 2023 from Calvary Baptist church in Laurel.

Interment followed at Oak Hill Cemetery #2 in Laurel.

Born on Oct. 11, 2004, he died on Saturday, March 11, 2023 in Laurel.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

ERNEST HODGE

March 12, 2023

Funeral services for Ernest Hodge, 71, of Niles, Ill., and formerly of

Waynesboro, were conducted on Friday, March 24, 2023 from the Chapel of

Turner Funeral Home, with Pastor Wendy Cassidy officiating.

Interment followed at Waynesboro Cemetery.

A retired Laborer, he was a Veteran of the United States Army.

He died on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at Elevate Care Niles in Niles, Ill.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

ERNEST STELLE JORDAN

Nov. 29, 1948-March 6, 2023

Funeral services for Ernest Stelle Jordan, 74, of Waynesboro, were

conducted on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 from the Chapel of Turner Funeral

Home, with Pastor Hal Hayes officiating.

Interment followed at Gin Creek Cemetery in Gilbertown, Ala.

Born on Nov. 29, 1948, he was a former Textile Worker.

He died on Monday, March 6, 2023 at Pine View Health and Rehabilitation

Center in Waynesboro.

He is survived by two daughters, Regina and Yvette Jordan; three

brothers and two sisters-in-law, Michael and Sonia, Kenneth and Shelia

and Roy Jordan, Jr., of Dayton, Ohio; six sisters and three

brothers-in-law, Billie Jordan-Powe of Waynesboro, Towanda

Miles-Anderson of Las Vegas, Nev., Delores and Sidney Aaron of Sandusky,

Ohio, Cynthia Jordan-Brown, Teresa and William Young and Shirley and

Dwayne Checks of Dayton, Ohio; and three grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and a sister.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

ROBERT LEE "SPOON MAN" JOHNSON

Jan. 5, 1948-March 2, 2023

Funeral services for Robert Lee "Spoon Man" Johnson, 75, of State

Line, were conducted on Saturday, March 11, 2023 from the Chapel of

Turner Funeral Home, with Pastor Betty Robinson officiating.

Born on Jan. 5, 1948, he was a retired Fisherman.

He died on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at his residence.

He is survived by his wife, Mary King Johnson of the Battles community;

four daughters and a son-in-law, Lateria Pickens of Battles, Marilyn and

Greg Vaxter of Moss Point, Shereda King of Battles and Renae King of

Atlanta, Ga.; 15 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

HOUSTON CLARENCE LEVERETTE

Sept. 16, 1946-Feb. 7, 2023

Funeral services for Houston Clarence Leverette, 76, of State Line, were

conducted on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023 from Pleasant Ridge United Methodist

Church in State Line, with Rev. Ludrick Cameron officiating.

He was cremated after the service.

Born on Sept. 16, 1946, he was a retired Machine Operator with Interlake

Steel Mill in Chicago, Ill.

He is survived by his son, Lawrin Clarence Leverette of Chicago; his

stepson, Jerome Wells of Memphis, Tenn.; his stepdaughter, Monica Wells

of Chicago; his brother, Joe Louis Leverette of State Line; and three

sisters, Ellender "Honey" Tatum, Annie R. Shumar and Nora P.

Leverette of State Line; and three grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.

CEDRIC DARNELL ROBINSON

Jan. 11, 1979-Feb. 8, 2023

Funeral services for Cedric Darnell Robinson, 44, of Austin, Texas, were

conducted on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 from New West Point Baptist Church,

with Rev. Terrance Vallafranco officiating.

Interment followed at Waynesboro Cemetery.

Born on Jan. 11, 1979, he was an Auto Body Restorer.

He died on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 in Austin, Texas.

He is survived by his wife, Jaquita Hill Robinson of Lewisburg, Tenn.;

two biological sons, Ondario Robinson and Cedavian Robinson; an adopted

son, Earnest Moore; his daughter, Azariah Robinson; three brothers and a

sister-in-law, Roderic L. and Natasha Robinson, Marcus Daniels and Joe

Kirkland; four sisters, Benita Anderson, Cynthia Smith, Jacklyn L. Moye

and Shanteria Conyers; his granddaughter; his mother and her spouse,

Alice M. and Charles Busby; and his father, Morris Anderson.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.turnerfuneralhomems.com.

Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro was in charge of arrangements.