Obituaries – May 29, 2008
Bonnie Laura Chandler
WATER VALLEY – Bonnie Laura Chandler, age 63, of Water Valley, died at home Friday, May 23, 2008.
She was born May 27, 1944, in Coffeeville, to the late Jessie L. and Billie M. Tharpe Chandler. She had recently retired from the Yalobusha County Department of Human Services and was a member of O’Tuckolofa Baptist Church, located near Water Valley.
The funeral service was held Monday, May 26, at two o’clock in the afternoon, in the O’Tuckolofa Baptist Church, with Bro. Dan Dickerson and Bro. Truman Scarbrough officiating. Burial followed in Elam Cemetery with Ronnie Whitman, Lee Kelly, Kelly Pollan, Bobby Murphree, Criss Whitman, Charles Heath, and Bob Williams serving as pallbearers. Bob Chandler and Joe Ross Wright were honorary pallbearers.
Miss Chandler is survived by: four sisters, Melissa Joe Smith (Larry), and Sherry Crenshaw (Ron), both of Water Valley, Cindy Chandler of Saucier, and Rita Graham (Michael) of Pontotoc; one brother, Billy Chandler (Terri) of Batesville; a sister-in-law, Lawanda Chandler; three nieces; two nephews; and a great-nephew and great-niece, who were the loves of her life.
In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by a brother, Thomas J. Chandler.
Lena M. Clark
WATER VALLEY – Mrs. Lena M. Clark, 78, passed away Tuesday, May 20, 2008, at her home in Water Valley.
Born November 10, 1929, in Water Valley, she was a daughter of the late Samuel L. and Erma Pegues Buford. Lena was raised by her step-father, Rev. Willie Covington, and worked as a dietician at Yalobusha General Hospital for many years. She was a member of Chapel Hill M.B. Church of Water Valley.
The funeral service was held in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks Funeral Home on Saturday, May 24, at eleven o’clock in the morning, with Rev. Eric Nelson presiding. The committal was held in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Water Valley, with Michael Clark, Tremayne McGee, Matthew Clark, James Covington, and Ollie Clark serving as pallbearers.
Mrs. Clark is survived by: her husband of 57 years, Roland Clark, Sr. of Water Valley; two daughters, Patricia Clark of Water Valley and Wanda Carr of Savannah, Georgia; three sons, Roland Clark, Jr., Ollie Clark, and Joe Clark, all of Water Valley; two sisters, Rev. Inez Covington Woodard and Josie Covington Drane, both of Water Valley; one brother, W. C. “Willie” Covington of Water Valley; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one sister, Ruby B. Cox.
Beverly E. Avant Davis
WATER VALLEY – Beverly E. Avant Davis, 69, passed away on May 22, 2008, in Yalobusha County Nursing Home at Water Valley.
Born September 26, 1938, in Cleveland, she was a daughter of the late Joseph Alton and Mary Ellen Avant. She was a homemaker and a member of Springdale Family Worship Center in Water Valley.
The funeral service was held at two o’clock in the afternoon Sunday, May 25, in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks Funeral Home, with Bro. Freddie Moorman conducting the service. Pallbearers were Jonathan DuBose, Jim Taylor, David Cade, Casey Telford, Brandon Davis, Robert Livingston, Michael Avant, Ronnie Cade, and Chris Cade. Burial was in Pinecrest Cemetery, south of Water Valley.
Survivors include: her husband, Marvin Thomas Davis, Sr. of Water Valley; three daughters, Betty (James) Boyd of Gulf Shores, Alabama, Dianne (Marvin) Dubose of Devers, Texas, and Tammy (Eddie) Perkins of Water Valley; two sons, Tommy (Rose) Davis and Joe (Beth) Davis, both of Water Valley; eight sisters, Pat Cade and Betty Coleman, both of Water Valley, Brenda Avant of Batesville, Nina Pendleton of Franklin, Tennessee, Patricia Waldo and Tommie Foster, both of Greenwood, Indiana, and Linda Richards and Jeri Riley, both of Texas; two brothers, Billy Avant and Clinton Avant, both of Water Valley; fifteen grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Davis was preceded in death by two sisters, Mary Lorene Avant and Joyce Irene Avant, and one brother, James Avant.
Daniel Garavelli
OXFORD – Daniel Garavelli, 84, of Oxford passed away at Oxford in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
The funeral service was held at 2:30 p.m., Monday, May 26, in the Fireside Chapel of Memorial Park Funeral Home, Memphis.
He was a member of Gracewood Baptist Church in Southaven. Mr. Garavalli was a World War II Army veteran and graduated from the University of Memphis. He was also retired from Globe Marketing Services.
Survivors include: his wife, Helen Garavelli; one son, Dr. John Stephen Garavelli of Cambridge, England; a step-son, James Ashton of Cary, North Carolina; one daughter, Sylvia Gay Bowen of Water Valley; a brother, John Garavelli of Brownsville, Tennessee; a sister, Gloria Moeller of Forth Worth, Texas; one granddaughter; and a great-granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by a grandson, Derek J. Bowen.
Robert Pay Pate
COFFEEVILLE: Robert Ray Pate, 71, of Coffeeville, died Friday, May 23, 2008, in the VA Medical Center at Memphis.
Born December 4, 1936, in Coffeeville, Mr. Pate was a son of the late Wilton Aubrey and Nora Fielder Pate. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Mr. Pate was a retired sheet metal journeyman and a cabinetmaker. He was an army veteran.
Graveside services were held Sunday, May 25, in Broom Cemetery, with Rev. James Edwards officiating. Pallbearers were James Lowe, George Harrison, David Liles, Jimmy Hollowell, Terry Rotenberry, Lance Denley, and Steve Cummings. Garner-Harper Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Peggy Pate of Coffeeville; a son, Robert “Robbie” Pate, Jr. of Fresno, California; a daughter, Janet Rotenberry and her husband, Terry, of Water Valley; one granddaughter; and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Otis and Billy Pate, and a sister, Emma Jean Serio.
Richard Murray Surrette
WATER VALLEY: Richard Murray Surrette, age 64, passed away Monday, May 19, 2008, at Oxford in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi.
Born September 15, 1943, in Water Valley, Murray was a son of the late George Clifton and Frances Lorene Shearer Surrette. He was a member of the Air Force ROTC at Ole Miss and was a self-employed master carpenter. He was a member of Sylva Rena Baptist Church.
Services were held Friday, May 23, in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks, with the committal following in the Sylva Rena Cemetery. Bro. Ken White will officiate the service.
He is survived by: one daughter, Frances Leona Surrette of Water Valley; two sons, Richard David Surrette and Jason Murray Surrette, both of Oxford; two stepsons, Bradley Gene Hanks of Oxford and Bryan McKavin Hanks of Germany; five brothers, M. H. “Butch” Surrette and Morris Clifton Surrette, both of Water Valley, Joseph William Lee Surrette of Grenada, John Mark Surrette of Tupelo, and Kevin Lorenzo Surrette of Atlanta, Georgia; and nine grandchildren.
Morris Gene Woods
WATER VALLEY: Morris Gene Woods, 71, passed away in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi at Oxford on Friday, May 23, 2008.
Born in Yalobusha County on November 5, 1936, Mr. Woods was a son of the late John Morris and Ruby Edwards Woods. Even though Gene was born mentally handicapped, he resided happily the past 34 years at North Mississippi Regional Center in Oxford, where he was cared for with love, which his family greatly appreciates.
A graveside service and committal was held in Oak Hill Cemetery. Water Valley, at five o’clock in the afternoon Sunday, May 25, with Bro. Kenneth Arnold conducting the service. Seven Oaks Funeral Home had charge of arrangements.
Survivors include: three sisters, Anna Woods Arnold of Crosby, Tennessee, Betty Woods Strickland of Arlington, Tennessee, and Mary Woods Holyfield of Coffeeville; and two brothers, Larry Woods of Wichita Falls, Texas and Lynn Woods of Sterling, Virginia.