Pontotoc County, Mississippi
Genealogy and History

Lemuel T. Scruggs
    Lemuel T. Scruggs, 20, died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 1999, as the result of a motor vehicle accident in Itawamba County. He was an employee of Ethridge Construction in Verona and a member of the Church of God of Prophecy in Verona.
    Services were Friday, Oct. 8, at Baldwin Funeral Home Chapel in Pontotoc with the Rev. Wayne Thorn and the Rev. Frank Smith officiating. Burial was in Pleasant Grove Cemetery.
    Survivors include two sons, Taylor Scruggs of Nettleton and Dalton Clark of Verona; his father, Larry Scruggs of Verona; his mother, Beth Scruggs of Verona; one sisters, Crystal Scruggs of Verona; two brothers, James A. Scruggs of Pontotoc and Daniel Scruggs of Verona; his grandparents, Evelyn and Burma Stanford.
    Pallbearers were Ben Keith, Douglass Keith, Jerry Lee Keith, Chris Keith, Jerry Scruggs, and Derek Keith.

Ora Sellars
    Ora Stinson Sellars, 85, died Monday, July 26, 1999, at Baptist Memorial Hospital - Desoto in Southaven. She was bom March 27, 1914, in Union County to George and Rosie Motes Hale. She was a homemaker and a member of West Tallahatchie Baptist Church in Myrtle.
    Services 'were at I I a.m. July 28 at Macedonia Baptist Church near Myrtle with Bro. Steve Wilson and Bro. Billy Foley officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery. Holly Springs Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
    Survivors include two sons, Carl Stinson of Myrtle and Robert Stinson of Blue Springs; three daughters, Larell Rhynes of Alabama, Mattie Starling of New Albany and Delia Rose Williams of Hickory Flat; two brothers, Doss Hale and Joe Hale, both of Myrtle; two sister, Mattie Puff and Govie Culver, both of Myrtle; 21 grandchildren; 49 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren.
    She was preceded in death by a son, Gene Stinson, and a daughter, Florence Stinson. Her grandsons served as pallbearers.

Marie Lyons Senter
    Annie Marie Lyons Senter, 84, died Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1999, at North Mississippi Medical Center after a long illness. She was a homemaker and a member of Tupelo Freewill Baptist Church.
    Services were Friday, Sept. 24, in the Jefferson Street  Chapel of W.E. Pegues with the Rev. Wayne Bess and the Rev. Jack Raper officiating. Burial was in Lee Memorial Park.
    Survivors include three sons, Elmo Lyons and his wife, Dorothy Jean, and James E. Lyons, and  George T. Lyons Sr. and his wife, Jane all of Tupelo; one daughter, Debra Aron, and her husband, Billy G. Aron Jr., of Houlka; nine grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, eight step-greatgrandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren.
    She was preceded in death by her husband, W. T. "Tom" Lyons and Charles "Red" Senter.
    Pallbearers were her grandsons.

Harold Shelton
    Harold Goodlett Shelton, 90, died Friday, Aug, 13, 1999, at Pontotoc Extended Care Facility. He was a retired dairy farmer and a member of Chesterville Baptist Church where he serves as a deacon. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar and Lilly Shelton, and his wife, Mildred Means Shelton.
    Services were Sunday, Aug. 15, at Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors with Dr. Furman Kenney officiating. Burial was in Chesterville Memorial Cememtery.
    Survivors include a daughter, Margie Snipes and husband, Grover, of Germantown, Tenn.; three sons, George Harold Shelton and wife, Polly, of the Chesterville community, Larry Len Shelton and wife, Sandy, of Tupelo, and Barry Glen Shelton and wife, Donna, of Endville community; nine grandchildren, Greg Shelton, April Shelton, and Tammy Aldridge of Tupelo, Ginger Shelton Sartain of Pontotoc, Melaine Harrison of Salitllo, Steven Grover Snipes of Charlotteville, Va., Jennifer Snipes Vogel of Helendale Calif., Karen Rogers of Marietta, and Tina Leifheit of Saltillo; six great-grandchildren.
    He was preceded in death by a brother, Dr. Robert N. Shelton.
    Pallbearers were Claude Duke, Cecil Duke, Charles Duke, Bob Jones, Doug Johnson, Howard Holt, Bobby Cambbell and Carl Campbell.

Polly Anne Shelton
    Polly Anne Shelton, 55, died Thursday, Sept. 9, 1999, at her residence in the Chesterville community. An Itawamba County native, she lived in Chesterville 32 years. She was employed at Hunter Sadler Company for 25 years. She was a member of the Star Promenaders Square Dance Club and the Second Chance Transplant Group.
    Services were Sunday, Sept. 12, at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W.E. Pegues with the Rev. Don McCutchen officiating. Burial was in Chesterville Memorial Cemetery.
    Survivors included her husband, George H. Shelton, to whom she was married March 9, 1962; one son Greg Shelton of Chesterville; one daughter Ginger Sartin and her husband Terry of Pontotoc; one sister, Sarah Comer of Ballardsville; eight nieces and three nephews.
    Pallbearers were Howard Holt, Bob Jones, Doug Johnson, Herry Griffin, Carl Campbell and Claude Duke.
    Honorary pallbearers were members of the Star Promenaders Square Dance Club.

Edith Smith
    Edith Collins Smith, 83, died Sunday, Oct. 10, 1999, at her daughters home. She was a retired account for Dossett Big Four in Tupelo. She attended Chickasaw College. She was a member of Monroe Presbyterian Church. She was president of the Algoma Homemaker's Club.
    Services were Tuesday, Oct. 12, at Browning Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Tim Foster and Dr. Tom Campbell officiating. Burial ws in Old Monroe Cemetery.
    Surveyors include one daughter, Martha Ann Sheffield of Algoma; one son, Terry Allon Smith of Memphis; three grandchildren, Shawn Dill of Algoma, Shaye Stephens of Mantachie and Chris Sheffield of Algoma; three great-grandson.
    She was preceded in death by, her husband, Allon Vaughn Smith; and two grandsons, Tom and Collin Sheffield.
    Pallbearers were Tim Polk, Bobby Miller, Ladall McDonald, James Polk, Robert Pearce and Ray Powell.

Hal Smith
    Hal Smith, 66, died Friday, Oct. 1, 1999, at his home. He was born Jan. 8, 1933, in Booneville to Cliff and Margie Bramlett Smith. He was a Baptist and retired.
    Services were Saturday, Oct. 9, at Pilgrim Rest M. B. Church with the Rev. J. O. Barentine officiating. Burial was in Odd Fellow Rest Cemetery. Jackson Mortuary was in charge of the arrangements.
    Survivors include his wife, Dorlean Smith of Durant, his mother-in-law, Pearlie Meeks of Lexington; his daughter, Harolyn Smith Wesley and her husband, Greg, of Glendale, Ariz., Rebecca Ann Harrison and her husband, Sammie, of Aberdeen; an adopted daughter, Jean K. Payne of Aberdeen; a stepdaughter, Cornick M. Smith of Lexington; his grandchildren, Chico M. Harrison, Vernon Harrison, and his wife, LaTonya, all of Aberdeen, Tanisha Dicuss and her husband, Brandon, of Blue Springs, Nicole DeAnglo Smith of Chicago, and Tiaudra and Tramelle Wesley of Glendale, Ariz.; four great-grandchildren.
    He was preceded in death by Sammie Harrison Jr.

Janie Smith
    Janie Fern Williams Smith, 90, died Sunday, Sept. 12, 1999, at Gilmore Memorial Hospital after a long illness. She was a homemaker and a former school teacher. She was a member of Greenbrier United Methodist School, where she was a Sunday School Teacher, church pianist and a life member of United Methodist Women.
    Services were Tuesday, Sept. 14 at Pickel Funeral Home in Amory with the Rev. Kem Coleman and Bro. David Jay officiating. Burial was in Masonic Cemetery.
    Survivors included two daughters, Elizabeth S. Sullivan and her husband, Steve, of Becker, and June S. Roberts and her husband, Bob C., of Key West Fla.; one son-in-law, Frank Albert Woolf of Fulton Ky.; five grandchildren, Al Woolf of O' Fallon, Ill., David Woolf of Fulton, Ky., Anna Woolf Lannom of Memphis, Bill Roberts of Key West, Fla., and Susan Gillentine of Pontotoc; five great-grandsons.
    She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents; a daughter, Jane Smith Woolf; four brothers, Roy and Ernest Williams, and Benny and Kirb Dilworth.
    Pallbearers were Jimmy Kirkpatrick, J.D. Crump, Fred Arnold, Kenneth Whitaker, Herman Hill, Howard Moon, Denley Mobley, and Richard Kirkpatrick.
    Honorary pallbearers were Kirk Sanders and Donald Bee.

Richard Smith
    Richard Henry Smith, 50 died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1999, at North Mississippi Medical Center. He was born June 16, 1949, in Detroit, Mich. He was a self-employed mechanic and a member of Cornerstone Church.
    Services were Thursday, Sept. 2, at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Houston with Randy Hayes officiating. Burial was in Houston Cemetery.
    Survivors include his parents, Lowell Martin Smith and Virginia Metro Smith of Vardaman; one daughter, Jeanette Michelle Lilly of Pontotoc; one sister, Carolyn Y. Smith of Dallas, Texas; two brothers, Gary Smith of Derma and William F. Smith of Dayton, Ohio; one granddaughter.

Bruce L. Sneed
             Bruce L. Sneed, 83, died Tuesday, July 6, 1999, at Gilmore Memorial Hospital in Amory. He was a retired farmer, a member of Union Nazarene Church and an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II.
            Services were Tuesday, July 8, at Browning Funeral Home Chapel in Ecru. Burial was in old Union Cemetery.
            Survivors included his wife, Mildred Hudson Sneed of Aberdeen; one daughter, Melba Applewhite, and her husband, Henry, of Aberdeen; three brothers; Dwight Sneed of Oxford, Byron Sneed of Belden and Hilton Sneed of Tupelo; three grandchildern, Jennifer and Amanda Garrett, and Russell Applewhite.
            He was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Launa Sneed, and two brothers, Oscar Rylan Sneed and Lamon Sneed.

Phillip Spicer
    Phillip Spicer, 52, died Monday, May 3, 1999, at North Mississippi Medical Center. He was a member of Center Hill M.B. Church.
    Services were Tuesday, May 11, at Center Hill M.B. Church with the Rev. J.C. Humphery officiating. Burial was in the Hosley Cemetery. Carter's Funeral Home of Houston was in charge of the arrangements.
    Survivors include his wife, Jewel Gates Spicer of Houlka; one daughter, Wanda Berry of Pontotoc; one sister Ether Gilder of Houlka; three brothers, Leon Spicer and Arzell Spicer, both of Houlka, and Clarence Spicer of Grand Rapids, Mich.; three grandchildren.

Loice Stanford
    Locie Standford, 86 died Sunday, July 25, 1999, at Shelby County Health Care Center. She was born July, 25, 1912. She was a member of West Ingomar Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Annie Lee Wray McMillen; and her husband, Q. D. Stanford.
    Services were Tuesday, July 27, at Untied Funeral Service Chapel. Burial was in Ingormar Cemetery.
    Survivors include one daughter, Elizabeth Ann Stockdale of Memphis; two sons, Eber Wagers, Jr. of Oakland, Tenn., and Dan Stanford of West Palm Beach, Fla.; one sister Loraine Coates of New Albany; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren.

Gay Elder Stepp
       Gay Elder Stepp, 71, died Saturday, Aug. 28, 1999, at Briarcrest Nursing Home in Ashland. He was a retired factory worker and a Baptist. He was a U.S. Marine veteran of the Korean War.
    Services were Monday, Aug. 30, at Browning Funeral Home Chapel in Pontotoc with Bro. Jerry Hoper officiating. Burial was in Springville Cemetery.
    Survivors include three daughters, Ramona Young of Mountain Home, Ark., Renee Furr of Saltillo, Jamie Presley of Mooreville; one son, Randy Stepp of Belgium; three brothers, J.D. Stepp of Thaxton, Ervin Stepp of Water Valley and William Stepp of Pontotoc; seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, one step-grandchild.
    He was preceded in death by one son, Gary Stepp.

Ruby Stepp
    Ruby Inez Stepp, 88, died Friday, May 7, 1999, at Graceland Nursing Home in New Albany, She was a lifelong resident of Pontotoc County, moving to New Albany several years ago. She was a homemaker and a member of Buchanan Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lester V. Stepp.
    Services include two daughters, Ann Jones of Hickory Flat and Elise Smith of New Albany; five sons, James A. Stepp of Southhaven, Bill Stepp of Pontotoc, J.W. Stepp of Thaxton, Junior Stepp of Leland and Carlton Stepp of Pontotoc; 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren.