OBITUARIES – 12/27/2013

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Alan Wright Arrington
AKRON–Alan Wright Arrington, 44, died Monday, December 23, 2013, as a result of an automobile accident in Panola County.  He was the husband of Gail Perkins Arrington, formerly of Batesville.

The funeral service will be Saturday, December 28, 2013, at 11 a.m. at North Oxford Baptist Church with Rev. Alan Cochet and Rev. Justin McGuire officiating.  Burial will follow in College Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be held today 4 to 7 p.m. at Waller Funeral Home. 

 Born in Water Valley, he was preceded in death by his father, Jimmy Lynn Arrington.

 Nicknamed “Tank,” he was in his second season on head coach Terry Bowden‘s staff and, in addition to his assistant head coaching duties, also worked with the offensive line.  He came to UA after six seasons at North Alabama, serving as the program’s offensive coordinator for the last four years.  He joined the UNA staff following 12 years as an assistant coach at Northwest Mississippi Community College after serving as a student assistant coach at Northwest and Ole Miss. 

Survivors along with his wife include: his mother, Gale Wright Arrington of Oxford and a brother, Perry Arrington of Oxford.

Memorial contributions may be made to College Hill Cemetery Fund,  339 CR 102, Oxford, MS 38655 or National Multiple Sclerosis Society, PO Box 4527, New York, NY 10163.

Alberta Bobo
SARDIS–Alberta Bobo, 66, died Saturday, December 21, 2013, at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis.

Services will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Mt. Zion M.B. Church in Sardis. Pastor Derwin Dickerson will officiate. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be today from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary.

Bobo, born Feb. 2, 1947, in Tunica, to Charlie Williams and Altha Sykes, was retired from Springs, Industries and a member of New Faith Ministry where she was in the choir and on the Usher Board.

Survivors include: her husband, Robert L. Bobo of Sardis; five daughters, Gloria Lofton, Teresa Wilbourn, Latosha Bobo and Tanya Bobo, all of Sardis and Tammy Bobo Campbell of Batesville; seven brothers, Eddie Williams, Willie B. Jones and John Henry Jones, all of Memphis, Jimmy Williams, John L. Williams and James Williams, all of Como and Henry B. Williams of Indianapolis; four sisters, Linnie Blanks of Summertown, Tenn., Lucille Gant and Betty Wren, both of Memphis and Marie Noel of Milwaukee; 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Jerry L. Denman
SARDIS–Jerry L. Denman,  81, died Monday, December 23, 2013, at his residence.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 4, at Wells Funeral Home. Burial will be in Rosehill Cemetery. Visitation  will be held from 11:00 a.m. until service time.

Denman, born Nov. 28, 1932, to the late Kenneth Arlington and Evelyn Terrell Denman in Memphis, served as an elder for Churches of Christ in Virginia, Tennessee and Texas. He was a member of Como Church of Christ. He was Commissioned in June 1955 after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. After serving the United States Army for 28 years, he retired as a Colonel in 1983. Military awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star for Valor, Air Medal for Valor, Combat Infantry Badge and Master Parachutist Badge. He began is second career in 1984 as Director of Gift Planning for World Christian Broadcasting Corporation, a Christian international radio ministry with offices in Franklin, Tenn. and stations in Alaska and Madagascar. After leaving the staff in 1996, he served on the board of directors.

Survivors include: his wife of 58 years, Anita Haney Denman of Sardis; three daughters, Dianne Reed and son-in-law, Owen Reed of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Andra Denman of Jacksonville, Fla. and Lou Ann Denman of Memphis; and two grandchildren, Erin Walsh Chambers (husband, Josh) and Ryan Walsh of Atlanta, Ga.; one sister, Patricia Denman Wiley and brother-in-law, Dr. William A. Wiley Jr., of Johnson City, Tenn. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to World Christian Broadcasting, 605 Bradley Court, Franklin, Tenn. 37067-8200.

Charles Ray Nix
BATESVILLE–Charles Ray Nix, 82, died December 21, 2013. He was a former state senator, having served from 1972-1988. Nix also served as  executive director of the South Panola Chamber of Commerce from 1984-1996.

During his service in the Senate, he served as chairman of the conservation committee and in 2010 he was honored for his work in the area of conservation when the state Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks named its Wildlife Management Area near Sardis for him.

Born in Charleston March 1, 1931 to Charles Howard and Eunice Bryant Nix, he attended Batesville High School, Northwest Junior College and the University of Hawaii. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1948-1952 and was stationed at Pearl Harbor.

An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting deer, turkey, quail, and especially ducks, and passed along his hunting skills to his children and grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mr. Nix will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Batesville Presbyterian Church. Visitation will be tonight from 5-8 at the church. Dickins Funeral Home has charge.

He is survived by Pat Nix, his wife of 62 years; daughter Rebecca N. Reed of Batesville; sons Charles Ray “Chuck” Nix Jr. and Howard Malcolm Nix, both of Batesville; sisters Carol N. Crafton of Batesville and Betty Sue N. Whitten of Tyler, Texas; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Myrtle E. Shaw
POPE–Myrtle E. Shaw, 78, died Friday December 20, 2013, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. today at Nelson Chapel M.B. Church. Burial will be in Pope Chapel Cemetery.

Pastor Fred Butts will officiate. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.

Shaw, born Dec. 28, 1934, in Pope, to Earl Ellis Sr. and Bertha Ware Ellis, was retired from Parker Hannifan. She was a member of Nelson Chapel M.B. Church. She was a member of the Mother Board, president of the Usher Board and the Missionary Society and Victory Chapel #121 Order of the Eastern Star.

Survivors include: one son, Curtis Shaw, of Pope; three daughters, Delorise Shaw and Dora Hall, both of Pope and Gwen Shaw of Holly Springs; three brothers, Herman Ellis and Lamar Ellis Sr., both of Pope and Earl Ellis Jr. of Detroit; six sisters, Margaret Cosby of Enid, Rosie Hamilton of Chicago, Glady Ellis, Nettie Ellis, both of Pope and Emma Hentz of Sardis and Helen Ellis of Detroit; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.