SARDIS–Margaret Burel Anderson, 98, formerly of Sardis, died February 26, 2013 at Bright Glade Nursing Home in Memphis. Graveside services will be today at 2 p.m. at Davis Chapel Cemetery in Panola County.

She was the daughter of the late Johnson Burel and Hazel Ruth Burel. She was the widow of Andrew Stratton Anderson Sr.

Mrs. Anderson is survived by one daughter, Carolee Eldred of Cleveland, Tenn. and one son, Andrew Stratton Anderson Jr. of Sardis; three grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

The family has asked that memorials be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association, Mississippi Chapter, 1900 Dunbarton Dr., Suite H, Jackson, MS 30216.

BATESVILLE–Richard Lionel Bethea, 74, formerly of Memphis, died February 27, 2013 at his home in southeastern Panola County.

Born April 4, 1938 in Dallas County, Ark., to the late Jesse Lee and Myrtle Gilmer Bethea, he graduated from Humes High School in Memphis in 1956. He worked in Memphis at Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. for 25 years, until the company closed in 1983. He later worked for the City of Memphis at the Memphis Botanic Gardens.

He enjoyed coaching baseball at Leawood Baptist Church and football for the Gaisman Sports Association.

Mr. Bethea was the widower of Glenda Baird Bethea, whom he had met in high school, and was also preceded in death by a son, Michael.

He is survived by his brother, Billy; daughter Renee and her husband, Jerry;  sons Russell and his wife, Sandy; Rick and wife Cindy and Ronald and wife Christine; grandchildren Zack, Michael, Lindsey, Alicia, Justin, Ryan and Elizabeth; great grandchildren Taylor and Gracie.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Wells Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Paul Middleton officiating. Burial will follow in Forrest Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be at 1 p.m. Sunday until service time at the funeral home.

CRENSHAW–Patsy Harris, 71, died February 23, 2013 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at noon at Harmonia M.B. Church in Sardis, with burial in the church cemetery. Visitation will be today from 1-7 p.m. at Felix Cauthen Funeral Home in Senatobia.

Mrs. Harris was a factory worker. She is survived by two daughters, Audra Harris of Batesville and Dequberneice Harris of Crenshaw; two sons, Terry Harris and David House, both of Memphis; one sister, Minnie House of Memphis; one brother, Jimmy House of Como; 42 grandchildren and a host of great grandchildren.

BATESVILLE–Darrell Jenkins, 48, died February 27, 2013 at Quitman County Hospital in Marks.

A memorial service will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at Batesville First United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Rusty Miller, the Rev. Vincent Clay and Jamie Smith officiating.

Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until service time at the church. Wells Funeral Home has charge.

Mr. Jenkins was born January 25, 1965 to Mike and Barbara Patton Jenkins. He graduated from South Panola High School in 1983 and worked for Donnie Miller Livestock of Starkville as a truck driver. He was a member of Batesville First United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Windy Lauderdale Jenkins of Batesville; daughters Allyson Jenkins and Jenna “Gigi” Jenkins, both of Batesville; a sister, Tajuana Grissom and her husband Rick of Ashland; two brothers, Kevin Jenkins and his wife Samantha of Olive Branch and Carl Jenkins and wife Dina of Batesville; two grandchildren, Jayda Jenkins and Kyson Jenkins.

Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

SARDIS–Georgia Mae Lester, 81, died Friday, February 22, 2013, at North Oak Regional Medical Center in Senatobia.

A native of Panola County, she was the daughter of Mose and Lydia Hill. She was a member of Greater Harvest Church of God in Christ where she served on the mother’s board. She was the widow of M.C. Lester.

Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, March 2 at Joyful Fellowship Church of God in Christ in Sardis. Burial will be in Pleasant Green Cemetery in Sardis. Keneth I. Roberson Funeral Home of Sardis is in charge of the arrangements.

She is survived by one son,  Jimmy Lloyd of Memphis; one stepson, M.C. Brown of Memphis; one brother, Lee Willie Hill of Indiananpolis, IN; six grandchildren and a host of great grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. at the funeral home.

HERNANDO–Panola native Lottie Maxine McCullar Meredith, 82, died February 26 at her home. Services will be today at 2 p.m. at the Hernando Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Hernando Memorial Park.

Mrs. Meredith was a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader, played Mrs. Santa Claus for 30 years, and was the first woman to run for a county-wide office in DeSoto County.

Mrs. Meredith was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Lee Meredith.

She is survived by four sons, Alan Meredith, David Meredith Sr. and Blake Meredith all of Hernando, and Kyle Meredith of Horn Lake; seven grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

SENATOBIA–Caroline Little Polk, 57, died February 22, 2013 at her residence. She was the sister of James Little and Josie Little, both of Como.

Services for Mrs. Polk will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Cistern Hill M.B. Church. Burial will be in Senatobia Memorial Park. Visitation will be today from 4-7 p.m. at Felix Cauthen Funeral Home in Senatobia.

In addition to her brother and sister in Como, Mrs. Polk is survived by her husband, Jimmy Polk of Senatobia; her daughter Roshanda Little; three stepdaughters, Melody Polk and Alicia Polk, both of Jackson, Tenn.; Ocie Polk of Hanford, Calif.; her sons Rodney Little of Horn Lake and Rontoya Little of Louisville, Ky.; her stepson Javon Polk of Senatobia; eight sisters, Georgia Rosemon and Earnestine Polk, both of Senatobia, Lillie M. Davis of West Memphis, Ark.; Jessie Wilson, Gracie Little and Pearl Harper, all of Memphis; Gerald Shannon of Licton, Ill. and Veronica Onkwo of Power Spring, Ga.; three brothers, Jimmie Little of Senatobia, Melvin Little of Atlanta and Herbart Shannon of Byhalia; nine grandchildren.

BATESVILLE–Retired school teacher Sallie Mae Sturdivant Robison, 95, died February 26, 2013 at Golden Living Nursing Center. She was the widow of Lawrence “Junior” Robison, Jr., to whom she was married for 72 years.

Visitation will be held today from 11 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. at Wells Funeral Home. A graveside service will follow at 12:30 p.m. at Magnolia Cemetery, with the Rev. Melodie Pointon and the Rev. Steve Pointon officiating.

Born in Como to the late Joseph William and Irene Taylor Sturdivant, Mrs. Robison was a first grade teacher for 20 years at Batesville Elementary School.

She was a Sunday School teacher at Batesville Presbyterian Church and belonged to Explorer’s Bible Study. She enjoyed playing bridge and square dancing.

Survivors include her daughter Sandra Robison Davenport of Birmingham; two  sons, Lawrence S. Robison III of Garner, N.C. and Rocky C. Robison of Teasdale; four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

COURTLAND–Cecil Watson, 55, died at his home on February 22, 2013. Services were held February 25 graveside at Yellowleaf Baptist Church Cemetery in Oxford. The Rev. Tommy Darby officiated. Dickins Funeral Home had charge of arrangements.

Watson was born June 22, 1957 in Marks to the late Leland Watson and Ruby Mae Hitchcock Watson.

Survivors include three sisters, Linda Melton of Batesville, Vera Martin of Enid and Judy Lamb of Senatobia; three brothers, Bobby Watson of Batesville and James Watson and Billy Watson, both of Courtland.

Memorials may be sent to Willow Springs Assembly of God Church, 4600 Pope-Crowder Road, Enid.

OXFORD–Myrtle Frances Williams, 80, died February 21, 2013 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi.

She was a retail bookkeeper, a Navy veteran of the Korean War, and belonged to Como Baptist Church.
Funeral services will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Ray-Nowell Funeral Home Chapel in Sardis, with Dave Tribble and Hal Johnson officiating. Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

She was born December 21, 1932 in Texarkana, Ark., to the late Lonnie Yancey and Birdie Wilburn Yancey and was the widow of Hubert Williams. Survivors include her daughter Gilda Russo of Southaven; her son, Dale Williams of Tucson, Ariz.; her sisters Lee Leaton of Senatobia and Jean Hymer of Southaven; two grandchildren and four great grandchildren.