All Obituaries

There will be a Visitation for Mrs. Mary K. Coates, Friday, October 8, 2021, at Stephens Funeral Home, 2800 Old North Hills Street in Meridian, from 12:00 to 1:30 pm with a 2:00 Graveside Service to follow at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens Cemetery, 7774-A Highway 39 North in Meridian. Dr. Marcus Finch will be officiating. Mrs. Coates, 74, died Saturday, October 2, 2021, at her home. Mrs. Coates enjoyed playing the piano and organ and singing in her church choir at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church....

Mable Virginia (nee Shelton) Guarr, 94 years old, of Daphne, AL, passed away October 2, 2021. Mable, born in Oceola, AR, spent most of her adult life in Meridian, MS, where she worked for both Bell South and AT&T. After retirement from AT&T, she worked at Rush Memorial Hospital in several capacities.  More recently she resided in the Memory Care Facility at Brinnity in Daphne, AL.  Mable is survived by three children: Brenda J. Little, Diamondhead, MS; Bartes A. Guarr,...

A Celebration of Life service for Johnnie Marvin Spires will be Sunday, October 3, 2021, at 1:00 pm at Stephens Funeral Home in Meridian. Bro. Greg Mangum will be officiating. Mr. Spires, 56, died Friday, September 24, 2021, at Lakeside Health and Rehab in Quitman. Mr. Spires was a devout Christian who loved jazz music and playing the trumpet. He graduated from a Culinary Arts program in college and was a really good cook. He also loved his L.A. Rams. He is survived by his sisters...

Graveside services for Linda Ann Millsaps will be Friday, September 24, 2021, at 11 am, at Cumberland Cemetery in Cedar Bluff, MS. Brother Chris Gully will be officiating. Mrs. Millsaps, 70, died Tuesday, September 21, 2021, at her residence. Stephens Funeral Home - Dekalb is honored to be handling her arrangements. Mrs. Millsaps was a free spirit who loved to travel, do all kinds of crafts, and loved her pets. She loved concerts and her favorite artist was Uncle Kracker. Mrs. Millsaps is...

Graveside services for Mr. Jerry Boutwell will be held Wednesday at 12:30 pm at Antioch Southern Methodist Church cemetery. Bro. Keith Lovett will officiate. Stephens Funeral Home of Meridian has been entrusted with the arrangements. Mr. Boutwell, 65, of Meridian, passed away Saturday at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was a machinist for Fairbanks Scales Co. Mr. Boutwell loved his wife Virginia, who preceded him in death. He also loved his church, Antioch Southern Methodist...

Funeral services for Robert Lee “Robbie” Pearson will be held Tuesday at 2:00 pm at Stephens Funeral Home of Union. Burial will follow at Union City Cemetery. Bro. Rick Benson and Bro. Therman Hodge will be officiating. Mr. Pearson, 58, of Union, passed away Friday at Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian. He was a graduate of Union High School and was a dedicated public servant, serving his community as a paramedic with several local ambulance services, a police officer for...

Funeral services for Gayle Anne “Doodle” Hawkins will be held Monday at 5pm at Stephens Funeral Home of Meridian. Rev. Chuck Overby will be officiating. Mrs. Hawkins,61, of Meridian, passed away at her residence on Friday. She had previously been employed as a cardiology tech, working for several years at Matty Hersee Hospital and Riley Hospital. Mrs. Hawkins loved to sing and enjoyed watching the Andy Griffith Show reruns.  Though she enjoyed these things, her world was...

James Leslie Ford, 88, died peacefully at his home in Meridian, Thursday, September 16, 2021. Stephens Funeral Home is entrusted with his care. Mr. Ford loved truck farming as well as fishing and playing cards. But he especially loved family and playing with his babies. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Donna; his children Jerri Winfield (Johnny), Joanie Boyd (Bobby Ray), Angela Norris (Michael), and Jesse Ford; grandchildren Lance Allen, Ashley Dickerson, Tody Ratcliff, Jennifer...

Robert Earl McLaurin, 66, of Porterville, MS, died Monday, September 13, 2021, at Anderson Regional Medical Center. Stephens Funeral Home is entrusted with his care. Mr. McLaurin is survived by his wife of 47 years, Ouida; his brothers Jim McLaurin (Joyce), and Mike McLaurin; his sister Linda King (Charles); his mother Dorothy Smith, along with numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father John Earl McLaurin. Robert owned his own snack business, Southern Snacks, for...

Services for Glenn Van Stephens will be Thursday, September 16, 2021, at 1:00, at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery, in Newton with military honors. There will be a visitation at the funeral home prior to the service from 10:30 to 11:30. Mr. Stephens, 59, died Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at Rush Hospital. Stephens Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with his care. Mr. Stephens is survived by his wife of 27 years, Scheri; his children Amber Lee (Bobby), Trinity Lee (Allen),...