Appeared in the Independent Appeal Wednesday, February 24, 1999 MELEAH RENEA BUSBY, age five days old, died on Weds., Feb. 17, 1999, at her residence of heart failure. Services took place at 3 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 20, 1999, at Maggie Jones United Methodist Church. Burial was held at Maggie Jones Cemetery. Officiating the services was Minister Tony Moss. Miss Busby was preceded in death by her great-grandparents Maurine Helton and D. C. Busby. She is survived by her mother. Leslie Busby, maternal grandparents, Janice and Denver Jaggers of Adamsville and Gary Busby of Henderson, and maternal great-grandparents, Fred and Betty Helton of Bethel Springs and Kathleen Busby of Henderson. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> EMMIE W. GRANT, age 88, died on Mon., Feb. 15, 1999, at her residence of cardiac arrest. She was a homemaker and a member of Grand Junction Church of Christ. Services took place at 1 p.m. on Thurs., Feb. 18, 1999, at Shackelford Chapel in Selmer. Burial was held at henry Cemetery in Corinth. Miss. Mrs. Grant was preceded in death by her mother, Della Billings Walker and father Ulyss Grant Walker. She is survived by her husband, Ralph Grant, one daughter, Sarah Jane Griffen of St. Petersburg, Fla., three sons, William Ralph grant of Holly Springs, Miss., Glen Everett Grant of Horn Lake, Miss, and Arnold W. Grant of Memphis, one brother Henry D. Walker of Henderson, Seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. >>>>>>>>>>> VERBLE T. DILLON, age 79, died on Tues., Nov. 16, 1999, (this must be Feb. 16) at Methodist Healthcare McNairy of heart failure. She was a homemaker and a member of the Sanctified church. Services took place at 3 p.m. on Weds., Feb. 17, 1999, at Shackelford Chapel in Selmer. Burial was held at McCalips Chapel Cemetery in Selmer. Officiating the services was Minister Robert Cottle. Mrs. Dillon was preceded in death by her husband, Claude A. Dillon, mother, Dovie Kirk Locke, father Ernest Locke, one brother, Ezra Locke, and one sister, Lessie Mullins. She is survived by two daughters, Helen Jernigan of Selmer and Elizabeth Smith of Ramer, one son, Willie Dillon of Selmer, four sisters, Vestie Goolsby of Pocahontas, and Velvie Dillon, Bertie Sur Hill, and Vergie Redmon, all of Selmer, one brother, Tildon Locke of Selmer, seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>. MARY LOU MORRIS SHUTT, age 64, died on Mon. Feb. 15, 1999, at her residence near Sardis of cancer. She was a retired quality controller for MKD, Inc., and a member of Lebanon United Methodist Church and the Savannah Art Guild. Services took place at 11 a.m. on Weds., Feb. 17, 1999, at Saltillo. Burial was held at Lebanon Cemetery near Saltillo. Mrs. Shutt was preceded in death by her husband, Edwin H. �Hode� Shutt. She is survived by three daughters, Donna Love of Memphis, and Bobbie Eubank and Cynthia Potts both of Sardis, one sister, Artie Massey of Belleville, Ill., one brother, Bobby Morris of Bath Springs, and four grandchildren. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> LAURA BELLE DUCK, age 71, died on Sun., Feb. 21, 1999, at Decatur Co. General Hospital of cancer. She was a retired homemaker. Services took place 2 p.m. on Mon., Feb. 22, 1999, at Brewer Chapel in Decaturville. Burial was held at Fellowship Baptist Church in Scotts Hill. Pallbearers were Danny Pope, Charlie Pope, Roy Lynn Gurley, Larry Don Hamm, Bobby Hamm, and J. Mark Smith. Mrs. Duck was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Cecil Duck, father, Wellborn Yarbro, and mother, Gladys Crawley Yarbro Smith. She is survived by two sons, Wellborn B. Duck of Lexington, and Robyn R. Duck of Decaturville, one daughter, Annie Ivey of Decaturville, one brother, Jerry Smith of Decaturville, three sister, Mary K Pope of Bath Springs, Margaret Rainey of Linden, and Mary J. Cox of Selmer, and three grandchildren, Tooty Ivey, Zoey Duck, and Fallon Wooley. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> EVELYN HIPSHIRE GOOCH, age 71, died on Tues. Feb. 16, 1999, at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville of a stroke. She was a business woman and homemaker. She was a member of the 1st United Methodist Church, founding member of Selmer Jr. Civic League, a member of Stephen Foster Music Society, and Tennessee Tri=Delta Alumni Association. Services too place at 11 a.m. on Thurs. Feb. 18,1 99, at Shackelford Chapel in Selmer. Burial was held at Oak Hill Cemetery in Selmer. Officiating the services was Dr. Paul Millikin. Pallbearers were Sam Chambers, Tim Hutcherson, Benard Blasingame, Bob Gooch, Will Henley, Bill Bowlin, and Johnny Bowlin. Mrs. Gooch was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Bryan Gooch, Jr., mother Grace Gilbert Hipshire Hamilton, and father Charles Hipshire. She is survived by two daughters, Margaret Blasingame of Adamsville and Grace Henley of Jackson, Miss., one son, Robert B. Gooch, III of Adamsville, one sister, Nancy Chambers of Selmer, and eight grandchildren. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>. BEN F. CLAYTON, age 90, died on Sat., Feb. 20, 1999, at Hardin Co. General Hospital in Savannah of heart failure. He was a retired supervisor for Illinois Central Gulf Railroad and a Baptist. Services took place at 1 p.m. on Mon. Feb. 22, 1999, at Shackelford chapel in Selmer. Burial was held at Clear Creek in Lawton Community. Officiating the services were Ministers Lamar Ball and Jerry Wood. Pallbearers were Greg Clayton, Mike Clayton, Blake Droke, Aaron Inman, Billy Ashe, and Rayburn Clark. Mr. Clayton was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Browder Clayton, and father, Jack Clayton. He is survived by his wife, Alice Clayton of Selmer, two daughters, Mary Alice Droke of Adamsville and Pam Scott of Crump, one son, George Robert Clayton of Selmer, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. >>>>>>>>>>>>> LOTTIE MARIE ECK, age 75, of Mabelvale, died Sat. Feb. 20, 1999. Born Jan. 24, 1924 in Bolivar, Tenn., Mrs. Eck survived by her mother Ilar Moore of Bethel Springs, two sisters, Wilma Nixon of Mabelvale, Ark., and Betty Parker of Bethel Springs, one brother, Troy Moore of Selmer, and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Mon. Feb. 22, 199, at Roller-Ballard Funeral Chapel in Benton, Ark. Interment will be at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Alexander, Ark. Family will be at the Wilma Nixon residence at 16712 N. Sardis Rd. In Mabelvale, Ark. >>>>>>>>>>>> FRANK MITCHELL, age 72, died on Sun., Feb. 21, 1999, at Jackson General Hospital of cancer. He was retired from Jackson Madison County Hospital and a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Services took place at 3 p.m. on Tues. Feb. 23, 1999, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Burial was held at Mt. Zion Cemetery. Officiating the services were Rev. J. H. Patterson and Rev. Edwin Alexander. Mr. Mitchell is survived by his wife, Joye Faye Miller Mitchell of Bethel springs, two daughters, Donna Arnold of Finger, and Kimberly Elmore of West Point, Miss., two sisters, Mary Alice Autry of Bethel Springs and Shirley Hunt of Selmer, and two grandchildren, Dustin Arnold and Tori Elmore. He was born and reared in Masseyville Community of Chester County, son of the late John Edgar (Ed) and Mary Elizabeth Henson Mitchell. He attended schools at Masseyville and in 1953 was married to Joye Faye Miller of McNairy County and they made their home in the McNairy Community where Mr. Mitchell farmed and worked for Tenn. White Oak of Jackson, he was security guard at Freed-Hardeman University and retired from Jackson General Hospital in 1985. He was a Mason, member of the Purdy Lodge in Bethel Springs, and was a Deacon of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> PAUL RIETZ, JR., beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, and friend, Paul Revere Rietz, Jr., 72, of Finger, died Thursday morning of cardiopulmonary arrest at University of Tennessee Bowld Hospital in Memphis. Born in Columbus, GA, in 1926, and a long-time member of Henderson Masonic Lodge #485, Mr. Rietz was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during WWII in the European Theater with the 94th Infantry, K Company, and attaining the rank of Technical Corporal. Following WWII, Mr. Rietz entered the University of Georgia, studying forestry, before going to work for the Planning Division of the Tennessee Dept. of Conservation, where he helped survey , plan and map out many state parks throughout the State of Tenn. He left the Planning Division for a career with the Tenn. Dept. of Conservation, division sState Parks, where he served as first a Ranger, and then as Superintendent of many Tenn. State Parks, retiring with 35 years service in 1980. After retirement, Mr. Rietz worked for 19 years at Murray Guard of Jackson attaining the position of Security Post Supervisor at Ameristeel in Jackson. He is succeeded by is loving widow, Mary Alyse Murray Rietz of Finger, a daughter, Lysa Susan Rietz Wilkes of West Lafayette, Ind., two sons, Paul Revere Rietz, III of Finger, and Allen Harbert Rietz of Jackson, and grandson, William henry Wiles of west Lafayette, Ind. Mr. Rietz is also survived by his mother, Mrs. A. H. Gray of Brownsville, and a sister,. Mrs. Marjorie Fredricks of Brownsville. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A. W. ELAM, age 71, died on Sat., Feb. 20, 1999, at Methodist Healthcare McNairy of respiratory failure. He was a retired farmer and a member of New Hope United Methodist Church. Services took place at 2 p.m. on Sun. Feb. 21, 1999, at Shackelford Chapel in Selmer. Burial was held at new hope Cemetery near Michie. Officiating the services was Minister Danny Adkisson. Mr. Elam was preceded in death by his mother, Nellie McKeen Elam, father, Dolphus Elam, and sister, Linda Martin. He is survived by his wife, Betty Elam, three daughters, Judy Moore and Patsy Britton both of Michie, and Donna Williams of Burnsville, Miss., two sons, Danny Elam of Selmer, and Ricky Elam of Guys, three brothers, James Ralph Elam of Iuka, Miss., Gerald Elam and Joe Elam both of Selmer, and five grandchildren, Dana Elam, Tara Britton, Kimberly Moore, Lauren Moore, and Drew Williams. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> WILLIAM L. SANSON, age 88, died on Fri., Feb. 19, 1999, at Fair Haven Retirement Center in Birmingham, Ala. He was teacher at Fellowship Sunday school class, Charter member of United Methodist Men at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, member of Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, and graduated from Lambuth College in Jackson. Services took place at 11 a.m. on Mon., Feb. 22, 1999, at Roselawn Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was held at Roselawn Cemetery in Decatur, Ala. Officiating the services was Rev. Gene Landford. Pallbearers were members of Memorial Drive United Methodist Men. Mr. Sanson was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Anne Sanson. He is survived by two daughters, Anne Irwin of Decatur, Ala., and Geraldine Short of Pelman, Ala., and four grandchildren. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>END Have a great day!! Barbara Barbara@matnet.com