BATESVILLE –– Melvin Wayne Ferrell, 84, died Tuesday, March 19, 2013, at his residence. 

Services were held Thursday at Wells Funeral Home. Rev. Tim Morgan and Rev. Dave Tribble officiated. Burial was in Good Hope Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.

Ferrell, born May 1, 1928, to Jerry Lee and Mary Elizabeth Woodruff Ferrell, graduated from Courtland High School. He served in the United States Army for two years and was a retired farmer, cattleman and carpenter. He was a member of Good Hope Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and Sunday school treasurer. He also served his community on the Board of Directors for the Eureka Water Assocation.

He was preceded in death by one son, Melvin Wayne Ferrell Jr. and one brother, Charles Warren Ferrell.

Survivors include:  his wife, Tommye Woodruff Walker of Batesville; two daughters, Lisa Ferrell Perry of Batesville and Susan Ferrell Evans (Phil) of Olive Branch; one son, Robert Lee Ferrell of Batesville; one step-daughter, Janet W. Johnston of Batesville; one sister, Jerelene Armstrong of Batesville and two grandchildren, Cliff Evans and Meredith Evans.

Memorials may be made to Good Hope Baptist Church, 1541 Good Hope Rd., Batesville, Miss. 38606.

Floyd Porter

OMAHA, Nebraska –– Floyd Porter, 56, died Sunday, March 3, 2013.

Services were held Thursday, March 21 at Tyro M.B. Church in Senatobia. Pastor Derrick Johnson officiated. Burial was in Tyro Church Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary had charge. 

Porter, born Feb. 18, 1957, to Afton Young and Lity Porter, was an air set operator at Steel Company.

Survivors include: three daughters, Sherry Denise Porter Lipkin, Andrea Porter and Natoshia Shanell Porter, all of Omaha, Neb.; one son, James Earl Keyes of Omaha; five brothers, Lee Matthew Wallace, Larry Darnell Washington, Billy Wayne Porter, Elbert Porter and James Albert Porter, all of Senatobia and two sisters, Mary Nell Porter and Delois Porter Wooten Lowe.

Leon Elliott Ridgeway

COURTLAND –– Leon Elliott Ridgeway, 80, died Monday, March 18, 2013, at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis.

Services were held Wednesday at Wells Funeral Home Chapel with burial in Magnolia Cemetery. Rev. Doug Tutor Jr. officiated. Wells Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Ridgeway was born in Courtland, on May 9, 1932 to James and Fannie Wise Ridgeway. He proudly served his country in the United States Army during World War II. Mr. Ridgeway retired from Chrome Craft-Senatobia, where he worked in the tool and dye Department.

Survivors include his daughter, Patricia Neblett of Booneville; three sons, Jerry Ridgeway and Barry Ridgeway, both of Courtland and Leon Avery of Batesville; two brothers, Marvin Ridgeway of Courtland and James Ridgeway of Texas; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. 

Audrey Hall Darby Simpson

MONEE, Illinois –– Audrey Hall Darby Simpson, 85, died, Saturday, March 16, 2013 at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, Ill. Mrs. Simpson is the mother of Panola County Sheriff, Dennis Darby. 

Services will be held today at 2 p.m. at Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Kenny McMinn will officiate. Burial will be in Forrest Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:00 until service time. Wells Funeral Home has charge.

Simpson was born on November 2, 1927 to Watler Edward and Lovie Weeks Hall in Pope. She graduated from Courtland High School and went on to attend Governors State University. She worked as an administrative assistant. She was a member of Sauk Trail Baptist Church. 

Survivors include: three daughters, Judy Darby Smith of Wadsworth, Texas, Janet Darby Stewart of Jonesboro, Ark., Rita Darby McArthur of Sardis, two sons, Dennis Darby of Batesville, and Eddie K. Darby of Monee, Ill.; three sisters, Flora King Canton of Southaven, Annie Ruth Hughes Criswell of Batesville and Joann Kiihnl of Enid; one brother, Larry Hall of Batesville; 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by four sisters, Frances June Hall, Dorothy Mae Hendrix, Ivy Dale McMinn and Wanda Sue York, three brothers, Lois Hall, Walter Gene Hall and Steve Hall. 

Bobbie Nell Segars Stapp

BATESVILLE — Bobbie Nell Segars Stapp,  74, died Monday, March 18, 2013, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center. 

Services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Wells Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ray Legge officiating. Burial will follow in Forrest Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday at Wells Funeral Home. Wells Funeral Home has charge.

Stapp was born to Rush Knox and Valeria Wood Segars in Panola County, February 4, 1939. She worked as a bookkeeper for Bud Oakman Car Dealership in Clarksdale, and also for Self Furniture Co., in Marks and the Hosiery Mill in Batesville. She owned and operated “Bobbie’s Beauty Shop” in Clarksdale, and retired from being a beautician and began She was of the Baptist faith.

She was preceded in death by one great-grandchild, Aaden Kyle Hallford.

Survivors include: her husband, Aaron Thomas Stapp of Batesville; three daughters, Amy Stapp and Cynthia Hale, both of Batesville and Susan Hallford of Winona; two sons, Troy Segars of Walls and Dennis Hallford of Winona; three grandchildren, Ali Honaker, Paige Hallford Colotta and Kyle Hallford along with three great-grandchildren, Paisley Anne Colotta, Cannon Colotta and James Kale Hallford.

Anyone wishing to make donations please direct those to the American SIDS Institute, 528 Raven Way, Naples, Fla. 34110 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73123-1718.