Obituaries 08/01/19
Betty Jane Henry Brooks
FAYETTEVILLE, TENN.—Betty Jane Henry Brooks was born June 27, 1930, in Water Valley. She passed away peacefully in her home at Fayetteville, Tenn. on July 24, 2019, surrounded by her family.
Mrs. Brooks grew up in Water Valley, moving to Memphis after graduating from high school. She went to work at Kimberly-Clark, where she met her husband, Ed. They were married February 14, 1953, and lived their lives serving each other and their family. Because of their love for Jesus Christ, they have been a wonderful example of help—mates all the days of their marriage and taught their children through word, action, and deed. They raised their family in Memphis and moved to Mississippi after Ed retired and then moved to Fayetteville in 2007.
She worked for 20 years as a crossing guard for the Memphis Police Department. She was assigned to multiple schools throughout this time and loved seeing children every day and watching them grow from year to year. However, her greatest love was her family and her Savior, Jesus Christ. She shared His love with many children through her years at Berclair Baptist Church, Bible Study Fellowship in Memphis, and in First Baptist Church, Explorer’s Bible Study in Batesville.
Survivors include her husband of 66 years, Ernest Edward (Ed) Brooks, Sr.; two daughters, Denise Brooks Kidd (William), and Connie Brooks Pitpitan (Siegfred), both of Fayetteville; grandchildren, Russell Brooks (Angela), Adam Brooks, Dr. Charles Kidd (Meghan), Rebekah Kidd Thomas (Jeremiah), and Calvin Kidd (Haley); 13 greatgrandchildren; a sister, Charlotte Johnson Gray (Robert) and a brother-in-law, Russell Gray, both of Batesville; a sister-in-law, Linda Johnson of New Albany; and several special nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Elsie Williams Johnson; her son, Ernest Edward (Eddie) Brooks, Jr.; a sister, Eleanor Johnson Gray; a brother, Roy Eugene Johnson; and great-granddaughter, Lily Elizabeth Thomas.
A graveside service was held in Forrest Memorial Park near Batesville on Monday, July 29, 2019, at noon, with Rev. Philip Bunch officiating.
Johnny Dale Flowers
OXFORD—Johnny Dale Flowers, 67, passed away Wednesday, July 17, 2019, in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi at Oxford.
Visitation was held Thursday, July 25, from 5-7 p.m. in Coleman Funeral Home. The funeral service was held Friday, July 26, at 11 a.m. in Clear Creek M.B. Church, Oxford. Interment was in Harrisonville M.B. Church Cemetery, Oxford. Coleman Funeral Home of Oxford was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Flowers was born and raised in Oxford and he professed his faith in Christ at an early age. As a young man, he enjoyed participating in many different sports. When he was 13 years old, he started delivering newspaper to different neighborhoods in Oxford and he got many other children in the community involved in this as well. He enjoyed shopping and spending as much time with his friends as he could. Mr. Flowers was also known to be a very selfless man, who would always do his best to help others. He was a salesman for JCou Watches, and a member of the American Civil Liberties Union and the LinkedIn Business Site.
Survivors include his father, Larry Gatewood of Gary, Ind.; two uncles, Bobby J. Flowers (Carolyn) of Phoenix, Ariz. and Leroy Flowers of Atlanta, Ga.; and a host of half brothers, half sisters, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Lula Mae Flowers; one aunt, Marie Flowers; and two uncles, Roosevelt Flowers and J. R. Flowers.
Bobby Gene Woodall
PULASKI, TENN.—Bobby Gene Woodall, 80, of Pulaski, Tenn., passed away June 14, 2019, in Maury Regional Hospital, Columbia, Tenn.
The family received friends on Monday, June 17, followed by the funeral service in the chapel of Bennett–May & Pierce Funeral Home and Crematory. Pastor Dusty Frierson of Lifepoint Pentecostal Church in Pulaski officiated. Burial followed in Giles County Memory Gardens in Pulaski.
Born October 6, 1938, in Water Valley, he was the son of the late Jessie Vernon and Elvie Manerva Tutor Woodall. Bobby was the husband of Geneva Weeks Woodall for 60 years. He served his country in the U.S. Army National Guard and as a Memphis Reserve Police Officer. He was employed for 37 years with General Electric/Trane and retired in 1999. In 2014 Bobby moved to Pulaski, where he enjoyed hunting, raising cattle, and gardening on his own land.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Robert Leven Woodall (Amelia) of Pulaski, and Myles Aaron Woodall of Nashville, Tenn.; grandchildren, Amber Autrey of North Little Rock, Ark., Michael Cameron Oakes of Ala., Scott Jamison Oakes of Virginia (wife Elizabeth) from North Carolina; seven great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Helen Virginia Weeks Tubbs of Sumner; and a host of friends and family. In addition to his parents, Bobby Gene was predeceased by brothers, Malcom “Sonny Man” Woodall and Leonard Woodall; and sisters, Edna Earl Woodall Fox, Doris Woodall Ruff, Helen Woodall Dickey, and Baby Jean Woodall.
Richard Herman “Rick” Wright
KATY, TEXAS—Richard Herman “Rick” Wright went to be with the Lord on Saturday, July 20, 2019.
Born January 16, 1947, in Water Valley Rick was a son of the late Frances Lenore Ross and Herman Wright. He graduated from Water Valley High School in 1965 and attended the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) but just couldn’t decide what to study. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served from 1967-1971, on aircraft carriers off the coast of Vietnam. On May 24, 1969, he married Susan Beattie Cockrell in Macon, after having met her on a blind date at Ole Miss.
After being discharged from the Navy he attended Mississippi State University and studied ornamental horticulture where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1975. He spent his career working at wholesale nurseries and owning a nursery and landscape business. He was last employed as the Campus Landscape Manager for Mississippi University for Women in Columbus (the first public university for women in the United States). He retired in 2010.
Rick enjoyed fishing and prior to retirement returned to his hobby of woodturning and woodcarving. In 2015 Rick and Susan moved to Katy, Texas, to be near their daughter and her family. He was a long time member of Main Street Presbyterian Church in Columbus and most recently was a member of Christ Church in Katy, Texas. His first love was for his Savior, and he would want you to know that is the most important relationship for anyone to have. He loved his family and friends and he will be greatly missed.
His parents preceded him in death. Survivors include his wife, Susan; a daughter, Elizabeth Wright Darby (Tommy); a son, James Richard Wright (Sheri), all of Katy, Texas; a brother, Joe Ross Wright (Patsy), of Water Valley; five grandchildren, Duncan, Emma, Carter, Jack, and Alex; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held on, July 27, in Christ Church in Katy, Texas. A second service was held for his Mississippi friends on July 29 in Main Street Presbyterian Church, Columbus.
Elnor Johnson Womble
WATER VALLEY—Elnor Johnson Womble, age 91, of Water Valley died peacefully Monday, July 29, 2019, in Yalobusha County Nursing Home.
Born July 31, 1927, in Water Valley, she was a daughter of the late Chester and Myrtis Johnson. Mrs. Womble was the owner and operator of the Otasco Store in Water Valley. She enjoyed sewing and playing the piano and organ for Bethel Baptist Church until her health kept her from attending. After she became a resident at the nursing home, she played the piano along side of Lenair Person during the church services.
Visitation is planned Wednesday, July 31, in the Gardiner Room of Seven Oaks Funeral Home from 10-11 a.m. Services will follow at 11 a.m. in the Henry Chapel of the funeral home with Bro. Owen Riddick officiating.
Elnor is survived by three daughters, Ann Womble Still and Jan Womble, both of Water Valley, and Patricia Oliphant of Mandeville, La.; one sister, Ima Jones, of Water Valley; two brothers, Chester Johnson and Kenneth Johnson, both of Memphis; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Along with her parents, Elnor was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Womble; one daughter, Fran Womble; and one sister, Hazel Mooney.