Obituaries – Feb. 6, 2014

Jeffrey Duanne “Doc” Bell

RIDGELAND—Jeffrey Duanne “Doc” Bell, 53, of Ridgeland died Friday, February 21, 2014, in Little Rock, Ark.
  Born September 23, 1960, in Water Valley, he was a son of Barbara and W. R. Newman and Larry and Rachael Bell. Jeff graduated from the University of Mississippi and was a loyal member of the Ole Miss “M” Club. His nickname “Doc” came from his work as an athletic trainer at his beloved Ole Miss. He was District manager for American Modern Insurance Group and was a member of the Hall of Fame of the MS Manufactured Housing Association, where he also served on their executive board. He was a member and usher at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Madison, where he served with his prayers, his presence, his gifts, and his service. Jeff had a great sense of humor, was an avid golfer, and horse racing enthusiast. He was close to his family, who described  him as dedicated and hardworking, and he loved his nieces and nephews as though they were his children.
  Survivors include his mother, Barbara (W.R.) Newman of Water Valley; his father, Larry (Rachael) Bell of Water Valley; five brothers, Tim (Marty) Bell of Madison, Lance (Brandy) Newman of Oxford, Chad (Anita) Newman of Water Valley Forrest (Sosha) Bryan of Taylor, and Marc (Ronda) Bryan of Taylor; and seven nieces and nephews, Miram “Moe” Bell, Madison Bell, Craig Bell, Mary Kate Newman, EmmaRae Newman, Carter Newman, and Tyler Paine.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 27, at First Baptist Church in Water Valley. Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 28, at First Baptist Church with Dr. Randy Bain officiating.  Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Water Valley with Will Smith, Bill Boydston, Ricky “Monk” Morris, Rusty Runnels, Will Hobdy and Mitch Stentiford serving as pallbearers.
Memorials may be made to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, P. O. Box 1481, Tunica, MS  38676 or to UM Foundation, Wobble Davidson Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 249, University, MS 38677.

Deloris Ditto Hendrix

COFFEEVILLE—Deloris Ditto Hendrix, 68, of Coffeeville passed away Tuesday evening, February 18, 2014, in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi at Oxford.
  The family will hold a private memorial service at a later time.
  Born July 13, 1945, in Memphis, Mrs. Hendrix was a daughter of Everett Ditto and Maud Briscoe.
  She is survived by two grandchildren, James Fletcher of Batesville and Christian Dean Poole of Southaven.
  Mrs. Hendrix was preceded in death by her husband, Buford Hendrix.

Sudie Mae Polk

WATER VALLEY—Mrs. Sudie Mae Polk, 84, died February 23, 2014, in the Yalobusha County Nursing Home at Water Valley.
  The funeral will be held Saturday, March 1, at two o’clock in the afternoon, in Bayson Chapel M.B. Church, Water Valley, with Pastor Amos Sims officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held in Bayson Chapel Friday, February 28, from 5-7 p.m. Cooley’s Mortuary, Inc., Batesville, has charge of arrangements.
  Born July 2, 1929, in Yalobusha County, Mrs. Polk was a daughter of the late Daniel Phillips and Mary Pearl Benson Phillips. She was a house wife and a member of Bayson Chapel M.B. Church.
  Survivors include daughters, Geneva Clark and Mary Ann Henderson, both of Water Valley, and Mae Catherine McKinney and Carrie Mae Keller, both of Southaven; sons, Lee Edward Polk and Russell Lee Polk, both of Water Valley, and Willie C. Polk of Detroit, Mich.; 20 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Tommy Stephen “Steve” Stokes

BLUE MOUNTAIN—Tommy Stephen “Steve” Stokes, 54, passed away Tuesday, February 18, 2014, at his residence.
  Born April 13, 1959, he was a son of the late Vance Eugene “Pop” Stokes and Effie Lorene Wilson Stokes. He was a member of Flat Rock Baptist Church. Mr. Stokes was Vice President of Operations for Cotton Plant Transport. He was a member of the Black Angus Association, a board member of Mississippi Trucking Association and a member of the Century Club Foundation. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and farming.
  Visitation was held from 5-9  p.m. Thursday, February 20, in Ripley Funeral Home. The funeral service was held at eleven o’clock in the morning Friday, February 21, in the Funeral Home Chapel, with Bro. Randy Buse and Bro. Tommy Wilson officiating.
    Burial was in the Flat Rock Cemetery, with Charles Rainey, Danny Jones, David Rutherford, Randy Glover, Mike McLarty, and Bobby Stokes as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were David Crumpton, Charles Lee Triplett, Cotton Plant Transport staff and drivers, MS Trucking Association and board members and Steve Boudreaux.
  Survivors include his wife, Angela Pass Stokes of Blue Mountain; two daughters, Stephanie McNeely (Robert) and Ali Allred, both of Blue Mountain; one son, Adam Allred of Blue Mountain; two brothers, Gary Stokes (Dottie) of Blue Mountain and Jackie Stokes (Polly) of Del Rio, Texas; two grandchildren, Mason and Maxx Stephen McNeely, both of Blue Mountain; and several nieces and nephews.

Dorothy Ann Littleton True

OXFORD—Dorothy Ann Littleton True, age 100, went home to be with the Lord Tuesday, February 18, 2014, in Hermitage Gardens at Oxford.
  Born April 14, 1913, in the Orwood Community of Taylor, Mrs. True was a daughter of the late James Alexander and Virginia Traywick Littleton. Dorothy was a 1931 graduate of Jeff Davis High School, where she was an outstanding basketball player. She worked as a seamstress and shop stewardess for Big Yank, where she retired after more than 30 years of service. She also served as a “Pink Lady” for over 30 years at Yalobusha General Hospital and Nursing Home in Water Valley. She was an excellent seamstress and crafter, and enjoyed quilting, knitting, cooking, making cakes, and fishing. Mrs. True dearly loved her family and friends, faithfully attending every family reunion until her health deteriorated. Dorothy was a member of Coffeeville Church of Christ.
  Visitation was held Thursday, February 20, from 5-7 p.m. in Seven Oaks Funeral Home at Water Valley. The funeral service was held Friday, February 21, at two o’clock in the afternoon in the Henry Chapel of the Funeral Home with Bro. Hal Johnson and Bro. Don Roberson officiating. Burial was in the Hopewell Church Cemetery in Yalobusha County, with George Schmidt, III, Marty Hegwood, Tim Hegwood, Jamie True, Jody True, and Scotty McCain as pallbearers. Jack Grass, John Wayne Purdy, James Johnson, and Carl Vick served as honorary pallbearers.
  Survivors include daughters, Patricia Ann Schmidt (George) of Virginia Beach, Virginia and Mary Hegwood (Joe) of Wauchula, Fla.; sons, John True of Batesville and James “Jim” T. True of Water Valley; 12 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Meshach T. True; a daughter, Frances E. Davis; and grandsons, John L. True, Jr. and William “Billy” Davis.

Frank Coleman Wrenn

WATER VALLEY—Frank Coleman Wrenn, age 92, died Friday, February 21, 2014, in the VA Nursing Home at Oxford.
  Mr. Wrenn was born March 27, 1921, in Water Valley to Albert Joseph, Sr. and Louella Hardy Wrenn. Frank was retired from the United States Army, where he served during World War II. He enjoyed working in his yard and spending time with family and friends, but his passion was helping others. Frank was a member of First Christian Church of Water Valley.
  Visitation was held from 1-2 p.m. Monday, February 24, in Seven Oaks Funeral Home at Water Valley. The funeral service was held immediately following visitation at 2 p.m. in the Henry Chapel of the funeral  home, with Bro. David Freeman officiating. Burial was in the Camp Ground Cemetery in Lafayette County.
  Survivors include three sisters, Gladys Blaker (Bub) of Grenada, Elsie Allen (Cliff) of Batesville, Ark., and Esther Nelson of Water Valley; one brother, Stanley Wrenn (Deana) of Strawberry, Ark.; a special niece and nephew, who were his caregivers, Aubrey and Judy Davis of Senatobia; and a host of other nieces, nephews and relatives.
  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Agnes Johnson Wrenn in 2006; his sisters, Louise Hendricks, Mary Dean Baddley, and Frances Stroupe; and brothers, Arthur Wrenn, Roy Wrenn, and Albert Joseph Wrenn, Jr.