Obituaries 01/04/2018
Ira L. “Sonny” Foster
SARDIS – Ira L. “Sonny” Foster, age 72, passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife and children Saturday evening, December 23, 2017, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford after a lengthy illness.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, December 26, at Calvary Baptist Church with interment at Hebron Cemetery near Sardis. Wells Funeral Home of Batesville was in charge of arrangements.
Sonny was a life-long resident of Sardis, a devoted and loving husband of 45 years and a father and grandfather. He was a loyal fan of the South Panola Tigers and the Ole Miss Rebels. He was also an avid sportsman and a beloved member of his community.
Sonny was born January 27, 1945 in Sardis to the late Robert and Edna Scallorn Foster. He attended Sardis High School and was one of six children. Sonny loved God, his country and his family. He was passionate about his friends, hunting, and his beloved pets. Sonny was full of life and will be truly missed by all who knew him.
Never one to remain still, after retirement he was constantly looking for odd jobs. When not working, Sonny would help solve county and world problems over a cup of coffee with his friends at the round table.
The heartbreaking loss of his son, Donnie, couldn’t keep him from living life knowing the day would come when they would be together again. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the many skilled and compassionate doctors, nurses, and caregivers who crossed paths with Sonny through the years, especially during these last few months; as well to his many dear friends and hunting buddies. Special thanks to Camilla Hospice and to Sonny’s special nurse, Brandy, whom lovingly call him the “silver fox” for his lovely white hair.
Sonny met and married the love of his life, Mary Jo, and the two became one. He lived life, laughed often, and loved much. He leaves a legacy of love, pride and pleasure that our grateful hearts will forever treasure.
Sonny is survived by his loving wife, Mary Jo Foster of Sardis; four daughters, Cassie Foster Arnold (Jay) of Batesville, Vicki Foster Turnage (Baine) of Water Valley, Tonya Foster Jones (Jeff) of Oxford, Kim Foster Beloate (Frank) of Batesville; a sister, Lorene Foster Hudson of Sardis; a brother, Hugh Foster of Hernando; seven grandchildren, Meri Morgan Fortune, Brayden Locke, Brinley Locke, Sam Jones, Emma Jones, Molly Jones, Parker Turnage; and host of step-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorial gifts be made to the Calvary Baptist Church Building Fund, 305 Keating Rd, Batesville, MS 38606.
William Larry “Billy” Hooper, Jr.
BATESVILLE—William Larry “Billy” Hooper, Jr. of Batesville, age 48, passed away on December 21, 2017, in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi at Oxford.
A memorial service was held for Billy at 2 p.m. Saturday, December 30, in the Martin Willingham Memorial Chapel of Wells Funeral Home at Batesville with Rev. Kevin Crofford officiating. The family received friends beginning at noon prior to the service.
Born October 25, 1969, in Memphis Billy was a son of William Larry Hopper, Sr. and Brenda Starr Webb McCaleb. He was a mechanic by trade, built transmissions and was the owner of Williams Transmission in Batesville. He will be remembered by his enormous personality and his ability to make people laugh. Billy had many hobbies. He loved to fish, play golf, enjoyed the outdoors and could ride anything. If the ride included mud it was even better, whether it be a truck or ATV.
Survivors include his loving wife, Dawn Davis Hopper of Batesville; children, Christopher Allen Hopper (Amber) of Water Valley, William Corey Hopper of Water Valley, and Nathan Andrew Hopper of Batesville; two sisters, Lori Hopper Barksdale of Memphis and Amy Hopper Ingram (Clint) of Gallatin, Tenn.; two brothers, Jerry Wayne Hopper (Stacey) of Gallatin, Tenn. and Johnathan Hopper (Brittney) of Fort Bragg, N.C.; two step-sisters, Jennifer Woodard (Jason) of Oxford and Jamie Sanders of Batesville; one step brother, Jason Andrew Whitten (Mary Ann) of Bossier City, La.; two grandchildren, Macy Hopper and Addison Hopper; his father, William Larry Hopper, Sr. (Tracy) of Batesville; and his mother, Brenda Starr Webb McCaleb (David) of Gallatin, Tenn.
Annie-Glenn Johnson Howell
BATESVILLE – Annie-Glenn Johnson Howell, 96, died Friday, December 29, 2017, a production day at her sons’ newspaper business. Such an occurrence has always been discouraged among the Howell family, associated with The Panolian for 62 years. Babies weren’t allowed to be born on press day, nor weddings held, nor people dying.
The one thing Miss Annie-Glenn had expressed in recent weeks was her wish not to disturb the wedding plans of great-grandson Nelson Howell, who was to wed Grace Hover in Liberty on New Year’s Eve. The wedding would take place as scheduled.
Funeral services for Miss Annie-Glenn were held Tuesday, January 2, at 3 p.m. at Batesville First United Methodist Church, where she was among the oldest members.
Visitation was held at 2 p.m. before the service. Dickins Funeral Home had charge of arrangements.
Born August 12, 1921, she was the daughter of the late Daniel Rupert and Annie Dickins Johnson.
She was a graduate of Batesville High School and the University of Mississippi, where she studied home economics. On August 31, 1943 she married Irenaeus Huntington Howell, a Birmingham native who had come to Panola County to work on Sardis Dam.
The couple made their home for a time in Fayette where Hunt was publisher of the Fayette Chronicle. In 1955 Hunt, with two partners, purchased The Panolian, and the couple returned to Batesville.
They had three children, John, Rupert and Trudy, and Annie-Glenn was kept busy as a homemaker, scout troop leader, band booster, Bible School teacher. In addition, she took care of her elderly father and uncle, Brown Johnson.
She sang in the church choir, belonged to the Batesville Woman’s Club and the DAR, the Panola Genealogical and Historical Society and the Friends of the Library.
Annie-Glenn had all kinds of friends, including the furry feral colony that assembles at her back door twice a day awaiting catfood.
Her human friends came from all walks, income brackets, races, and age groups. During the last month of her life, she came to appreciate new friends, the army of caregivers who tended to her, and whose company she enjoyed.
Among those who will miss her are her children, John Howell and wife, Rosemary; Rupert Howell and wife, Rita; Trudy Howell Bounds and husband, David; grandchildren John Howell Jr. and wife, Jennifer; David Howell and wife, Charlotte; Mary Howell Taylor and husband, Phillip; Jack Bounds and Thomas Murphree; great-grandchildren, Hunt Howell and wife Mary Lynn; Nelson Howell and wife Grace; Blair Howell, Lauren Howell, Charlie Martin, Eli Taylor; great-great granddaughter Maci Martin.
John Kennedy Gurner
WATER VALLEY – John Kennedy Gurner Sr., 90, died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford.
Jack was born January 21, 1927 in Water Valley, and was a son of the late B. G. Gurner and Margaret Kennedy Gurner. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and was an electronics technician with the Columbia Gulf Natural Gas Transmission System until his retirement in 1989.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Water Valley and served on the board of trustees. Jack was also a member of the Water Valley Jaycees and a long time Boy Scout and Scoutmaster with Troop 14 in Water Valley.
He received the Braswell Hatcher Service Award from the Water Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2008 and served as Grand Marshal of the 2015 Water Valley Christmas Parade.
Jack involved himself in the Gurner family tradition of preserving Water Valley’s history. He served as curator of the Casey Jones Railroad Museum that houses many of the artifacts collected by his brother, Bruce.
He is survived by a son, John Kennedy Gurner Jr. and his wife, Jessie, and a grandson, John Jason Gurner of Birmingham, Ala. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Nell Groves Gurner; a son, Marvin Douglas Gurner; his brother, Bruce Gurner; his sisters, Tommy Mae Bessent, Margaret Wolfe, and Nell Jackson.
A memorial service and visitation was held Thursday, Dec. 28, at First United Methodist Church in Water Valley. Honorary pallbearers were former members of Water Valley’s Troop 14, Boy Scouts of America. A private graveside service was held at Oak Hill Cemetery.
The family asks that memorials be made to the Second Chance Animal Alliance or to a church or charity of the giver’s choice.
Dr. Robert “Bob” Patrick Myers
COLUMBUS—Dr. Robert “Bob” Patrick Myers, 85, of Columbus passed away Thursday, December 14, 2017, in Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Triangle, Columbus.
Visitation was held Saturday, December 16, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, with the funeral service following with Rev. Anne Harris as officiant. Interment was in Pine Flat Cemetery, Oxford, with Lowndes Funeral Home directing.
Born February 6, 1932 in Magee, Dr. Myers was a son of Luke Patrick and Minnie Magee Myers. He graduated from Magee High School in 1950, attended Millsaps College where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, then received his BS degree in chemistry from Ole Miss. Dr. Myers graduated from University of Mississippi Medical School and completed his residency at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson.
Dr. Myers served as a medic in the US Army and began practicing in Jackson in the field of family medicine where he had the privilege of delivering his daughter, Jo-Anna Myers Bolton. He also received a degree from the Mississippi School of Law. He attended Samford University where he received his pharmacy degree. Dr. Myers was over the Atomic Medical Hospital at Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula.
He later did a fellowship in dermatology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham,and started a dermatology practice in Birmingham, and later moved that practice to Columbus, where he started seeing patients in 1978 and practiced until 2012.
He created the Myers Itch Cream and had a significant role in the creation of Aquaphor Ointment. He loved his work because it gave him the ability to help people. He was known to many as the shingles doctor, and he gave speeches on the topic throughout the United States.
He was a Paul Harris Fellow in the Columbus Rotary Club and he was active with the Palmer Home and Good Samaritan Medical Clinic, as well as several nursing homes throughout Columbus. He saw patients after hours at Baptist Hospital and also helped during disaster relief efforts across Mississippi by offering his expertise in times of need.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Bobby Myers, and his sister, Patricia; Steen.
Dr. Myers is survived by his wife of 53 years, Joann Taylor Myers of Columbus; his daughter, Joanna Myers Bolton (Paul) of Columbus; a step-daughter, Lorrie Brandy of Oxford; step-grandchildren, Megan Beemster, Sarah Beemster, and Sam Beemster; and three brothers-in-law, Benny Cole, Kenny, and Tim Taylor, all of Water Valley.
Memorials may be made to Good Samaritan Medial Clinic, P. O. Box 661, Columbus, MS 39701, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, or the charity of donor’s choice.