Vernell Cox

BATESVILLE– Vernell Cox, 64, died Wednesday, December 22, 2010, at her residence.

Services were Monday at Cooley’s Mortuary. Rev. Zannie Leland Jr. officiated. Burial was in Macedonia Cemetery.

Cox, born January 26, 1946, in Sardis, to the late Booker Griffin and Samella Menzie, was a member of Mt. Evia M.B. Church.

Survivors include: her husband, Joseph Cox Jr. of Batesville; two daughters, Cynthia  Morris and Pamela Griffin, both of Nashville; one son, Reginald Cox of Batesville; three sisters, Mary Moore of Chicago, Rose Marie Griffin of Washington, D.C. and Angie Corrine Crawford of Memphis; four brothers, Robert Griffin, James Griffin and Terry Griffin, all of Batesville and Tyrone Griffin of Chicago; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

BATESVILLE– Harvey Earl Latham, 76, died Friday, December 24, 2010, in Oxford. Mr. Latham, owner of Latham’s Western Store and Subway Sandwich Shop in Batesville, retired from the U.S. Postal Service after 25 years of service. He was a member of the Church of Christ in Batesville,  and was a veteran of the U.S. Army where he served as a sergeant and a medic. He enjoyed working outdoors and loved visiting with his customers.

Services were Monday at at the Church of Christ in Batesville. Robert Rawson, Michael Bates and Chris Cooksey officiated. Burial was in Batesville Magnolia Cemetery.

He is survived by his wife, Monique Latham; one daughter, Vicki Crites and her husband, Robert; one son, Hal Latham and his wife, Lisa, all of Batesville; one sister, Margaret Long of Sardis; one brother, Claude Latham of Bartlett, Tenn.; four grandchildren, Chance Crites, Lindi Latham, Luke Latham and Summer Latham Snider and husband, Gary; and one great-grandchild, Garrett Snider.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Batesville Church of Christ or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Dickins Funeral Home had charge of arrangements.

COURTLAND–The Rev. Sarah Martin, a presiding elder in the AME Zion Church, died Sunday, December 26. She was 62.

Funeral arrangements were still pending at press time.

A complete obituary will be published in the Friday, December 31 issue of The Panolian.

COMO– Ida Mae McDowell, 65, died Thursday, December 23, 2010, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto.

Services were Sunday at Highland Baptist Church. Burial was in Milwaukee, Wis. Felix Cauthen Funeral Home had charge.

McDowell was a registered nurse and a member of Highland Baptist Church.

Survivors include: her husband, Percy H. McDowell; two daughters, Cheryl Spears of Milwaukee and Briana Patton of Como; three sons, Tommie Ford of Atlanta, Ga., Lyle McDowell of Milwaukee and Brian Jones of Como; four sisters, Michelle Thomas, Barbara Thomas, Annette Thomas and Linda Thomas, all of Milwaukee; four brothers, Guy Ford, Frankie Thomas, Daniel Thomas and Christopher Thomas, all of Milwaukee; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.