Barbara Easterwood

Services for Barbara Easterwood, of Brookhaven, are 11 a.m.,Thursday, March 9, at First United Methodist Church. HarrigillFuneral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation is today from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mrs. Easterwood, 71, died March 5, 2006, at The ConciergeNursing Care Facility in Houston, Texas. She was born inMontgomery, Ala., on Jan. 1, 1935, to Addie Bea and Edward Edeker.She was “Miss Montgomery of 1935” for being the first baby of theyear born in the state capitol. She was a resident of Brookhavenfor 38 years.

She was a homemaker, an artist and a writer. Her Ole Brookcommunity column, “In Touch” was a Sunday Lifestyles regular in TheDAILY LEADER for many years. She was a member of Abundant LifeChurch.

Preceding her in death were her parents; and her husband, BillEasterwood.

Survivors are her son and daughter-in-law, Mark William Blackand Teresa Stringer Black, of Dallas, Texas; her daughters, LisaBlack Jeanson and son-in-law, Frank Jeanson, and Sherry L. Black,all of Houston; her brother, Eddie Edeker, of Evergreen, Ala.; andher seven grandchildren, Bethany, Gracie, Lauren, Jeremie, Ellen,Jacob and Jason.

Jerry Arden Martin

Services for Jerry Arden Martin were Tuesday, March 7 at Dalton& Son Funeral Home. Interment was today at 11 a.m., atDallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery with military honors.

Mr. Martin, 57, died March 3, 2006. He was born and reared inBrookhaven.

He was a disc jockey during his high school years and continuedto use his speaking talents during his many travels in militaryservice. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1970, and retired in1991 as a Senior Master Sergeant. He served honorably in the UnitedStates, Germany and Spain. He served as a recruiter, an instructorat the NCO Academy and as a First Sergeant at Barksdale AFB, inLouisiana. He relocated to Dallas in 1994, and was employed forseveral years with Verizon Wireless as a trainer and most recentlyat Home Depot in the Plano area. He was an avid motorcyclist andwas a Certified Motorcycle Safety Instructor.

Survivors are his present wife, Ruth Carnes; his two lovingchildren, Bradley Scot Martin and Stephanie Dawn Martin Paul andher husband, Andrew, of Shreveport, La.; his first wife and motherof his children, Dawn Lewis Ruggles and her husband, Arthur, ofShreveport. His extended family includes his children’sgrandparents Jim and Dot Lewis, of Brandon; his half sisters, Judyand Linda; his half brother Ricky Spacek, of Houston, Texas; hiscousins in Mississippi and Louisiana, and a host of family andfriends in the Dallas area.

Martin A. Parker

Memorial services for Martin A. Parker will be 4 p.m. Saturday,March 11, 2006, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Monroe,La. The Rev. Dick Humphries and the Rev. Nancy Wofford will beofficiating under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home,Monroe.

Mr. Parker was a beloved husband and dedicated father, marriedfor 63 years to his wife, Liz. He passed away on March 6, 2006, tohis gracious Father and Creator. Martin was known as a quiet,unassuming man with a genuine Christian spirit. He loved people andpeople loved to be around him.

Mr. Parker and his twin sister, Merceliete Aubuchon, were bornon March 24, 1920, in Flat River, Mo., to Mr. and Mrs. John AlbertParker.

He had five years of military service with the U. S. Army andserved in World War II. After his military service, he attended andgraduated from embalming school in St. Louis, Mo. He then worked inthe funeral business in Brookhaven and Monroe. He retired asmanager of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home; then worked for severalmore years at Kilpatrick Funeral Home.

Martin was a member of the Downtown Rotary Club in Monroe, theCivitan Club in Brookhaven, a Mason of the Scottish Rite Lodge anda Shriner in Brookhaven, and St. Paul’s United Methodist Church ofMonroe where he was a member of the Lea Joyner UMC Men’s BibleStudy.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his son, Dr. JohnDuane Parker.

He is survived by his wife: Liz; his daughters, Barbara EllenParker, of Dallas, Texas, and Carole Parker Ennis of, OklahomaCity, Okla.; his daughter-in-law, Laura Allen Parker; his sister,Merceliete Parker Aubuchon; his grandchildren, Dan Blue and wifeAnn, of Phoenix, Ariz., Brandee Blue Lester, of Oklahoma City, MimiParker Rutledge and husband Mike, of Monroe, Randy Parker and wifeMissy, of Monroe, and Parker Elizabeth Drain, of Carrolton, Texas;and his great-grandchildren, Christopher Sullivan, of Illinois,McKenna Lester, of Loveland, Colo., John Michael Parker, of Monroe,Hanna Elizabeth Boyd, of Oklahoma City, Hanlon Parker and MaryAlice Rutledge, both of Monroe.

The family would like to extend thanks to all the prayer groups,the Hospice Care of Louisiana, many friends, Dr. Michael Cage andDr. Charles Morgan.

Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s United Methodist ChurchAllen-Parker Choir Fund, 1901 Lexington, Monroe, LA 71201, or theJohn D. Parker Golf Scholarship in care of ULM Athletic ScholarshipFoundation, 700 University Ave., Monroe, LA 71209.

Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to service time at St. Paul’sUnited Methodist Church in Monroe.

Roy Shell Sr.

Services for Roy Shell Sr., of Roxie, are 11 a.m. Thursday,March 9, at Spring Hill Baptist Church in Franklin County, withburial in the church cemetery. Franklin Funeral Home is in chargeof arrangements.

Visitation is today from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home. The bodywill be present at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of theservice on Thursday.

Mr. Shell, 95, died March 7, 2006, at Community Hospital inNatchez. He was born in Knoxville, Miss., on Jan. 6, 1911, toThomas Shell and Mary Carney Shell.

He was retired from the U.S. Forestry Service and a retiredFranklin County Supervisor for District 1, where he served as vicepresident. During his time as supervisor, he worked diligently onthe Lake Okhissa Project. He was a member of Spring Hill BaptistChurch. He was a member of CC Camp and founder and president ofIndian Mound Hunting Club. He was a board member of SouthwestPlanning and Development and a committee member of the AgingAdvisory Council;

Preceding him in death were his parents; seven brothers and twosisters.

Survivors are his wife of 71 years, Allie I. Shell, ofKnoxville; his sons, Roy Shell Jr., of Knoxville, and Wilber Shell,of Brookhaven; his daughters, Elizabeth Griffin and Linda S.Carraway, both of Knoxville; his nine grandchildren and 12great-grandchildren.

Gertie Lou Smith

Services for Gertie Lou Smith, of Brookhaven, are 11 a.m.Friday, March 10, at Brookhaven Funeral Home with burial inEasthaven Cemetery.

Visitation is Thursday from 5-9 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mrs. Smith, 91, died March 7, 2006, at her residence. She wasborn in Lincoln County on June 16, 1914, to O.G. Tillotson andRoberta Annie Strait Tillotson.

She was a homemaker. She was a member of Brookhaven Branch ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, AubreySmith; and her daughter, Lorraine Townsend.

Survivors are her son, Marshall Smith, of Brookhaven; herdaughter, Jeanette Bounds, of Hammond, La.; her eight grandchildrenand seven great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews andother relatives.

Michael Lee Smith

Services for Michael Lee Smith, of Kenny, Texas, are 2 p.m.Thursday, March 9, at Riverwood Chapel with burial in MacedoniaBaptist Church Cemetery. Riverwood Family Funeral Service is incharge of arrangements.

Visitation is Thursday from 12-2 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mr. Smith, 53, died March 9 2006, in Kenny. He was born on Dec.1, 1952, to Pete Smith and Glynn Thrasher Smith.

He was in inventory control for International Oil Supply Co.

Preceding him in death were his parents; and his maternal andpaternal grandparents.

Survivors are his sons, Mason Smith, of Starkville, and JudsonSmith, of College Station, Texas; his sisters, Judy Nell Smith, ofHawaii, Dixie Shannon, of Houston, Texas, and Linda Jacobs, ofCalifornia.

Thomas ‘Tom’ Conn Ward

Services for Thomas “Tom” Conn Ward, of Silver Creek, are 11a.m., Thursday, March 9, at Wilson Funeral Home Chapel with burialin Arm Cemetery.

Visitation is today from 2:30-9 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mr. Ward, 92, died March 9, 2006, at King’s Daughters MedicalCenter. He was born on Feb. 15, 1914, to Sebron Benton Ward andEmily Ward Ward.

He was a retired derrick man and a farmer. He was a member ofWard Valley Church of God.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife, Lois D.Woodward Ward; his daughters, Hazel Lavonne Ward and Shirley IreneWard; his brothers, Tarvey Venton Ward, Cephus Bruce Ward and IsomSwan Ward; and his sisters, Sabie Davis and Damie Ward.

Survivors are his sons, John Thomas Ward, Gordan Benton Ward andTarvey Mitchell Ward, all of Silver Creek; his daughters, MyrnaAudrey Ward Dyess, of Calhoun City, and Zona Rebecca Ward Tirello,of Silver Creek; his brothers, Toxie Hall Ward, of Monticello, andZolon Chapman Ward, of Silver Creek; his nine grandchildren and 10great-grandchildren.