Obituaries – May 07, 2007
James Daniel “Shorty” Goodwin
WATER VALLEY – James Daniel “Shorty” Goodwin passed from this life at the age of 93 in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi at Oxford
Services were conducted by Dr. Randy Bain in Seven Oaks Funeral Home on May 3, 2009. Interment followed in Hopewell Cemetery, near Water Valley, with nephews, Jimmy Goodwin, Kenny Goodwin, Ricky Goodwin, Sam Goodwin, Thomas Card, and Bob Norwood, as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Leon Benson, Randy Marchbanks, Jimmy Stewart, and Richard Terrell.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Goodwin was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Annis Terrell “Matt” Goodwin, a son, Ronald Wayne Goodwin, a sister, Marie Goodwin Norwood, and four brothers, Charles Thomas Goodwin, J. B. Goodwin, Richard Goodwin and John Goodwin.
Born May 31, 1915, in Lafayette County, he was a son of the late Charlie Lee and Beulah Irene Bynum Goodwin. He graduated from O’Tuckolofa High School and attended Moorehead Junior College. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1939.
Survivors include daughters, Jimmie Sue Goodwin Crain of Crane, Texas and Barbara Ann Goodwin Densing of Atlanta, Ga.; a son, James Daniel Goodwin, Jr. of Norfolk, Va.; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; and one brother, Houston Kade Goodwin of Grenada.
Mr. Goodwin volunteered for the Army at the outbreak of the war in Europe and as part of the 31st Infantry “Dixie” Division, he was among the first group to go overseas. As a radio operator in the Army Signal Corps, he was at the forefront of action in Northern Africa, serving under Eisenhower and Montgomery during the initial assaults against Romell. His unit went in and established communications prior to the bulk of the attack beginning. They were in country and in position when the battleships first started pounding the beachfront in preparation for the main landing. After the stabilization of North Africa, he again was in the forefront of the expedition into Italy, arriving in Naples and setting up the communications at the allied command post in Italy.
Prior to shipping overseas, Mr. Goodwin married his loving wife, Mary, in 1941. Mary remained home in Water Valley until his return. When he came home, he accepted a position with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a Soil Conservation Agent. Having received a degree in Agriculture from Miss. State, he was in a perfect position to help modernize farming in the post-war period. He instigated many organic farm programs that are still being used today. He won numerous awards during his 32-year career with the Soil Conservation Agency.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman all his life, hunting first in the Hassaway area (now under Grenada Lake) then in the Yazoo Area when he was transferred there. Mr. Goodwin was a leading member of the “Big House” Hunting Club in Yazoo County. As a founding member, his leadership kept the members on the up and up with respect to some fishing laws.
When he retired, he took advantage of the free time to fish and travel. He and Mary toured with the senior citizens of First Baptist Church of Yazoo City throughout the U.S. and Canada. He was a member of the Soil Conservation Society of America and spoke to many groups in this capacity. Even after retirement he remained active in Yazoo County, assisting the courts in many capacities with farm related cases. In 1998, he and Mary came from Yazoo City to Water Valley. Here they were members of First Baptist Church, where they attended Sunday School, and renewed friendships. His last days were spent in the company of comrades in the Veterans Home in Oxford.
Lloyd George Wells
NEW ALBANY – Lloyd George Wells, 89, retired employee of the Mississippi Forestry Commission, died Monday, May 4, 2009, in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi at Oxford.
The funeral service will be Wednesday, May 6, beginning at 2 p.m. in the Waller Funeral Home Chapel in Batesville. Burial will follow in Church Grove Cemetery.
Born in Quitman County, Mr. Wells was a Veteran of World War II, where he served in the Marine Corps. He was also retired from the National Guard. Mr. Wells had worked for Kellwood. He attended Northside Baptist Church in New Albany. Mr. Wells was a Mason and enjoyed gardening. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ida Mae Wells, one daughter, Brenda Dean, and a brother, James Wells.
Survivors include his wife, Eula Wells of New Albany; two daughters, Teresa Eichhorn of Ridgeland and Judy Glick of Water Valley; two sons, Billy Wells and George Wells, both of Water Valley; three sisters, Alice Churchill of Water Valley, Pearl Conner and Essie Lee Wells, both of Oxford; three brothers, Enos Wells of Humbolt, Tenn., Harold Wells of Phoeniz, Ariz., and Buddy Wells of Booneville; 14 grandchildren; 10 step grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and five step great-grandchildren.
The flag of the United States Marine Corps will be flown at Waller Funeral Home in honor of Mr. Wells’ service to his country.
Larry Duke Willingham
BRANDON – Larry Duke Willingham, 47, died Sunday, May 3, 2009, in Mississippi Baptist Medical Center at Jackson.
Services were held Monday, May 4, in Pinelake Church at Brandon, with Dr. Chip Henderson officiating. Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Brandon handled arrangements.
Mr. Willingham was a native of Tennessee and a resident of Rankin County for the past five years, moving from Madison County. For a number of years he lived in Water Valley and attended school here. He was a member of Pinelake Church in Brandon. Mr. Willingham earned degrees at Northwest Mississippi Junior College and Delta State University and had 23 years in the field of Information Technology. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Delta Mu Delta Honorary and Phi Theta Kappa Honorary. Mr. Willingham was the co-founder of Integrated Health Care Solutions, an Electronic Medical Records software business, and was elected president of the MS Chapter of HIMSS.
Mr. Willingham enjoyed spending time with his family, especially watching his daughter at sporting events. He also enjoyed watching football and especially attending Ole Miss Rebel games. Some of his other favorite pastimes included playing golf, traveling and riding horses. Mr. Willingham had a very special time in his day, that of a daily devotional and having quiet time with the Lord. He had a strong belief in the power of prayer and brought a smile to the faces of all the medical clinic staff and patients.
Survivors include his wife, Toni Willingham, whom he married on June 19, 1996, in Ocho Rios, Jamaica; a daughter, Alexis Willingham of Brandon; his father, Lowell Willingham of Pope; his mother, Dorothy Jean Harris of Sedona, Ariz.; brothers, Buddy Willingham of Pope, Bradley Willingham of Olive Branch, and Stefan Duncan of Jackson, Tenn.; father and mother-in-law, Will and Bettye Lackey of Meridian; and sisters-in-law, Willa Frazier (Willie) of Meridian and Vickie Patterson (Randall) of Biloxi.
Pallbearers were Buddy Willingham, Brad Willingham, Stefan Duncan, Tim Barrentine, Tim Bell, Buster Quinn, Steve Edwards, and Chris Parker.
In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be sent to Pinelake Christian School, 6073 Highway 25, Brandon, MS 39047, Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org or CARA at www.carams.org in honor of Duke Willingham.