Search Archived Marriage Records
Alpha Dowdy
Alpha C. Dowdy, daughter of the late George Franklin Moring and Pruda Ann Gidcom, was born on June 24, 1900, at Keo, Ark., and died at her residence in Bernie on Monday, March 17, 2003, at the age of 102. Mrs. Dowdy was a homemaker and a member of the Bernie General Baptist Church. She was united in marriage to Melvin Dixie Dowdy in December, 1945, at Piggott, Ark. He preceded his wife in death on July 20, 1992. Survivors include two daughters, Sue Bridges of Bernie and Marian Faith of Collinsville, Ill.; one sister, Elsie Gaines of Michigan; three grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by one son, Earl Collins; one infant daughter, Louise Collins; three brothers, George Moring, William Moring and Arthur Moring; six sisters, Annie Bennett, Myrtle Couch, Ollie Craft, Leorie Moring, Mary Lou Moring and Eliza Moring. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 20, 2003, at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie. Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 20, 2003, at the Bernie Cemetery with Pastor Dale Hartle officiating. Interment will follow.
Louise Jackson
Louise Jackson, daughter of the late George A. Pledge and Betty Elizabeth Thompson Pledge, was born on October 5, 1914 at Lane's Ferry, Tenn. and died at the Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter on June 7, 2002 at the age of 87. Mrs. Jackson was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Dexter, a former employee of Swift Hatchery in Dexter and a resident of Dexter. She was united in marriage to John Willard Jackson on January 9, 1937 at Newbern, Tenn. Mr. Jackson preceded her in death on June 14, 1980. Survivors include two sons, Gene Jackson of Albany, Ore. And Greg Jackson of Dexter; by one daughter, Sue Absher of Dexter; by three brothers, J.T. Pledge of Springville, Tenn., Glenn Pledge of Chicago, Ill. And Charles Pledge of Sheraton, Wyo.; by one sister, Ella Phillips of Paris, Tenn.; by eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by one grandson, Mike Jackson; by one brother, Robert Pledge; by two sisters, Pauline Pledge and Nora Pledge. Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 5-8 p.m., Sunday, June 9. Funeral services will be conducted in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel, Monday, June 10, at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Dr. Melvin Gainer officiating. Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery with Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Bernal Murphy
Bernal Clayton Murphy, of Cape Girardeau, was born Feb. 16, 1909 in Bloomfield and died Saturday, June 1, 2002 at Ratliff Care Center, at the age of 93. He was the son of Charles Clifford Murphy and Bertha Katherine McGee. Mr. Murphy was a member of the First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau and worked there as a custodian for 19 years retiring in 1973. He had also worked at the Baptist home in Ironton, was later a clerk at the ration board in Bloomfield, and worked for the Nichols Transfer and Storage in Cape Girardeau. He had attended Will Mayfield College in Marble Hill. On Aug. 24, 1932 he was married to Beulah I. 'Boots' Covington in Bonne Terre and she died Jan. 23, 1994. Survivors include one son, Lon James Murphy of Shreveport, La.; three daughters, Betty Joe Pender of Scott City, Mary C. Murphy of Cape Girardeau, and Jacqueline C. Green of Bloomfield; one brother, Robert Murphy of Memphis, Tenn; 12 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. Besides his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by three brothers, one sister and one great-grandson, Clayton Hunter Huey. Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home with the Rev Roy Jones, Rev Jim Mathews and Rev Bob Wiggins officiating. Interment followed at Fairmount Cemetery with Ford & Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to the Baptist Home in Ironton.
Berniece Durham
Berniece Durham, daughter of the late Samuel Lewis and Emma Lee Lewis, was born on May 27, 1926, at Lesterville, and died in the Cypress Point Healthcare at Dexter on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003, at the age of 76. Mrs. Durham was of the Baptist faith, a former employee of Purolator Filter Company in Dexter, and a resident of Dexter. She was united in marriage to Orville Raymond Durham on April 11, 1953, at Piggott, Ark. Mr. Durham preceded her in death on March 3, 1980. Survivors include two sons, Jerry A. Durham and Earl Ray Durham, both of Dexter; six daughters, Sharon Carpenter and Karen Kastner, both of Dudley, Barbara Minton of House Springs, Linda Kesterson of McKenzie, Tenn., Brenda Hueckel and Vicky Noyes, both of Dexter; one brother, Winford Lewis of Essex; one sister, Osa Mazo of Collinsville, Ill.; 12 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Arnold Lewis and Elmo Lewis; three sisters, Audrey Pinkley, Mildred Sherill and Wilma Jean Myers. Visitation was held from 5-8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, 2003, at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services were conducted at 2:00 p.m. today, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003, in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Doyle Corlew officiating. Interment followed in the Walker Cemetery near Bloomfield.
Miles Ramsey
Miles L. Ramsey, the son of the late Sherman and Ada Ramsey, was born in Bernie on Sept. 13, 1922 and died at the Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital in Pontiac, Mich. on May 31, 2002, at the age of 79. Mr. Ramsey was a former resident of Parma and had lived for many years in Clarkston, Mich. He retired from General Motors, Fisher Body Division, in 1978 and was a veteran of the United States Army, 14th Armored Division. On Sept. 5, 1942, he was united in marriage to Earlene Hendrix in Portageville, she survives of the home in Clarkston. Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, Dave Ramsey of Memphis, Tenn. and Dennis Ramsey of Collierville, Tenn.; by two daughters, Charlotte Vermilye of Clarkston, Mich. and Sharon Griffith of Waterford, Mich.; by seven grandchildren; by four great-grandchildren; by two brothers, Bill Ramsey of Lawton, Okla. and Chester Ramsey of St. Louis; and by one sister, Faye Bowman of Port Orchid, Wash. Visitation will be held on Friday, June 7, from 5 - 7 p.m. at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, June 8, at 10 a.m. in the Watkins & Sons Funeral Chapel with Rev. Mike Watkins of Dexter officiating. Interment will follow in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements.
Elsie McDowell
Elsie Marie McDowell of Galion, Ohio, the daughter of the late Clair Ross and Anna Schulte Todd, was born March 6, 1938 in Haysville, Pa. and died Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at the Marion General Hospital after an extended illness, at the age of 64. Mrs. McDowell attended the Community Christian Church of Galion. She was employed as a seamstress at the former Caleb V. Smith and later worked at Urban Industries in Galion. She loved to sew, knit and crochet and the Atlanta Braves. On Feb. 23, 1957 she was united in marriage Paul E. McDowell, he survives. Besides her husband, she is survived by four daughters, Valeda Tanner of Galion, Ohio, Karen A. Dolen of Winfield, Tenn., Gale A. Studer and Marlene S. Leme, both of Bucyrus, Ohio; by three sons, Paul E. Awbrey and Robert R. McDowell, both of Galion, Ohio, and Mark A. McDowell of Bucyrus, Ohio; by 28 grandchildren; by 42 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren, and two sisters, Violet Tanner of Galion, Ohio and Clara Stanfield of Willard, Ohio. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by one grandson, one great-grandson, two sisters, and four brothers. Visitation will be held at the Richardson-Davis Funeral Home in Galion, Ohio, Thursday, June 6 from 2 - 4 p.m. and 7 - 9 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted at the Community Christian Church in Galion, Ohio at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 7 with Dr. Daniel A. Turner officiating. Interment will follow at the Iberia Cemetery in Iberia, Ohio with Richardson-Davis Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association or American Cancer Society.
James C. Merchant
James C. Merchant, son of the late William and May Crowder Merchant, was born in Hailville, Okla., on May 9, 1924, and died at the John J. Pershing V.A. Medical Center in Poplar Bluff on Friday, Jan. 24, 2003, at the age of 78. Mr. Merchant was a former resident of Madison, Ill., before he moved to Zalma 13 years ago. He was retired maintenance man for Marhan Trucking in Madison. He served in the U.S. Navy during WW II. Surviving are one son and two daughters; four step-sons, Fred Tanner of Madison, Ill., William Tanner, David Tanner and Ronald Tanner, all of Granite City, Ill.; one step-daughter, Janet Thorton of Granite City, Ill.; one half-brother, Bob Wilson of Madison, Ill.; one sister, Tiny Smith of Madison, Ill.; and five step-grandchildren. Visitation was held after 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003, at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico. Graveside funeral services were held on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003, at 1:30 p.m. in the New Hope Cemetery near McGee with Rev. Larry Underwood of McGee officiating. Interment followed in the New Hope Cemetery near McGee with full military honors provided by the Veterans Honor Guard of Poplar Bluff. Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico was in charge of arrangements.
Alva I. Corzine
Alva Ivan Corzine, son of the late John Wesley Corzine and Elizabeth Jackson, was born on Jan. 28, 1917 at Bollinger County and died in the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter on March 24, 2002, at the age of 85. Mr. Corzine was a farmer until 1945, when he moved to Benton Harbor, Mich. where he worked in construction until he retired in 1981 and then move back to Dexter. He was united in marriage to Hattie Marie Hutchcraft on May 30, 1935 at Dexter and to this union five sons and one daughter was born. Mrs. Corzine preceded him in death on Oct. 23, 1985. Besides his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by two sons, Jerry Lee Corzine and John Wesley Corzine; by one daughter, Alma Virginia Corzine; by four brothers; and two sisters. Survivors include three sons, Al Corzine and Bob Corzine, both of Benton Harbor, Mich.; and Jimmie D. Corzine of Dexter; nine grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter today, Tuesday, March 26 from 5 - 8 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 27 in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Vyron Yount officiating. Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery with Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home of Dexter in charge of arrangements.
