Annie Parks

Services for mary Annie Parks, 85, of Louisville, who died Saturday, November 15, 2003 at Crown Health Care in Eufaula, are 10 a.m. Nov. 21 at the Louisville Methodist Church with the Revs. George A. Thompson Jr. and Donald Phillips officiating.

Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 20 at Dillard Funeral Home in Brundidge. Burial will be in the Pea River Cemetery in Clio.

Mrs. Parks was a devoted and loving mother of three daughters, Betty, Barbara and Jean, and one son, Jimmy, who suffered a tragic childhood death.

She was a caring wife to her husband, Neatwood, until his death on May 28, 1997.

Mrs. Parks was born on August 27, 1918 in Pike County.

Her parents were Daniel Huey Harden and Emma (Gussie) Barbaree Harden.

She was the third daughter and fourth child of seven children born to her mother.

Mrs. Parks attended Louisville Elementary School.

It was a point of interest that four of her teachers also taught her three daughters several decades later.

After her father's untimely and early death, she had to leave school and help her siblings and mother on the farm.

After becoming an adult, she married Neatwood Jones Parks.

To the family's amusement, she shared the same month and date of birth as her husband.

The family lived for short periods of time in Clio, Banks, and Columbus, but she moved to Louisville with her husband and three daughters in 1952 where she remained for the rest of her life.

For many years, Mr. Parks' father, C.B. (Bert) Parks, lived in pleasant harmony with the family, becoming a beloved &uot;second father&uot; to the Parks girls.

Mrs. Parks was active in her daughters' school and church activities, always present as a homeroom mother.

She was a noted seamstress, sewing beautiful fashions for her three girls, and later for her grandchildren.

She was such a wonderful cook that she received rave comments for her cooking skills.

Friends and relatives never got enough of her delicious meals.

She was best known for her skills as a pastry cook, especially for her scrumptious German chocolate cakes, coconut cakes and pecan pies.

Mrs. Parks was also an enthusiastic gardener, and her springtime flowers were so breathtaking that it wasn't unusual for people to stop their automobiles and take photographs of her pink azaleas and white dogwoods.

Mrs. Parks was a member of the Louisville Methodist Church and participated in many church activities, including teaching Sunday school to the little ones.

She was also politically active during campaigns and worked at the polling booth during elections.

Mrs. Parks was also known to care for the elderly in her neighborhood, generously cooking them meals and baking special deserts and running errands on their behalf.

Mrs. Parks is survived by her three daughters, son-in-laws, four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, one brother, one sister, one half-sister, two sister-in-laws, and many nieces and nephews.

Survivors include:

daughters & spouses:

Betty and Menzil Helms of Dothan, Alabama; Barbara and Rev. George A. Thompson of Dothan; Jean Sasson and Dr. Jack W. Creech of Atlanta.

Grandchildren survivors & spouses are:

Cathy Helms; Steve Helms & wife Lisa Jernigan Helms; Roxanne Thompson Adams and husband David Adams; Greg Thompson and wife Monica German Thompson.

Great grandchildren survivors are:

Kaytlan & Samantha Helms; Taryn and Jesse Adams; and Kayleigh and Alec Thompson.

Sibling survivors are a brother: Lavon Harden; and a

sister: Evelyn Thompson & her husband Gus Thompson; a half-sister, Ruby Dansby. Two sister-in-laws also survive her:

Margaret Parks McRae, sister of Neatwood Parks; and Pearl Parks, widow of Claude Parks, brother to Neatwood Parks.

Nieces and nephews are too numerous to name.

Pallbearers for the funeral and burial service will be:

Greg Thompson, Steve Helms, David Adams, Billy McRae, Arnold Shepherd and Robert Golden.

Pauline G. Mobley

Graveside services for Pauline G. Mobley, 87, of Troy who died Sunday, November 16, 2003 at Pike Manor Health Care Center will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 18 at Green Hills Memorial Park in Troy with the Rev. Averyt Walker officiating.

Burial will be under the direction of Dillard Funeral Home of Troy.

Visitation will be from 12 to 1:45 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Mrs. Mobley was preceded in death by her husband, Sidney Carroll Mobley; infant daughter, Carolyn Mobley and two grandchildren, Katrina and Chris Mobley.

Survivors include four daughters and their husbands and their husbands, Hazel and George Law of Troy, Catherine and Bob Tabor of Abbeville, Sara and Charles Riley of Columbus, Ga., and Margaret and Russell Dubbert of Troy; two sons and wife, Jerry and Dorothy Mobley and William C. (Bill) Mobley, all of Troy; 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be David Law, Larry Law, Wayne Law, David Nelson, Mike Phelps and Keith Slayter.

Miriam B. Franklin

Graveside services for Miriam B. Franklin, of Jacksonville (formerly of Gadsden), who died November 17, 2003 at her home, are 11 a.m. Thursday Nov. 20 at Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham with the Rev. Ken Smith officiating and under the direction of Chapel Hill Funeral Home in Anniston.

Visitation is 4 to 6 p.m. Nov. 19 at Chapel Hill Funeral Home.

Mrs. Franklin was a native of Troy, a former resident of Gadsden and a resident of Jacksonville. She graduated from Troy High School and was valedictorian of her senior class and lead in her senior class play. She attended Stevens College in Missouri and graduated from the University of Alabama where she was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority. She later obtained a masters degree from Jacksonville State University.

Mrs. Franklin belonged to the Gadsden Service Guide, and was served on the Gadsden Library Board for a number of years, was a member of several dance clubs and taught at General Forest and Southside high Schools. She retired from Jacksonville Sate University Library. She was a former member of the Jacksonville State Faculty Senate and remained close to the Jacksonville State library after her retirement, maintaining many friendships.

She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph Michael (Joe) Franklin Jr.; sister Mary Henderson Folmar and brother Walter Black.

She is survived by two sons, Joseph Michael Franklin, III and wife Camille, of Fayetteville, Ga., and David Morgan Franklin and wife Rebecca, of Wilsonville; two grandchildren: Mary Katherine Franklin and Joseph Michael Franklin IV.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1100 Ireland Way, Birmingham, AL.