The family of Donald David Parker invite you to join them to celebrate a life well lived, 10 a.m. Thursday, March 6^th at Riverwood Family. Friends may come for a time of visitation from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, March 5^th at Riverwood Family.

Mr. Parker, 73, of Bogue Chitto, died March 1, 2025, in Hattiesburg, MS. He was born in Laurel, MS, on March 9, 1951, to Rev. Paul Parker and Pauline Welch Parker.

David was self-employed and worked diligently to provide for his family. He was a loving husband and father, and he was the best grandfather to his grandchildren and great grandchildren. David was a faithful member of Bogue Chitto Baptist Church and served the Lord diligently with his faith family there. In his spare time, he enjoyed golfing or spending time with his family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him.

He is preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Steve Parker.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 52 years, Wanda Parker; children, Lee Parker (Allison) and Emily Jones (Jason); brother, Mike Parker (Rosemary); sister-in-law, Barbara Parker; two grandchildren, Grayson DeVito (Macie) and Magnolia Jones; four great grandchildren, Blakelynn DeVito, Sutton DeVito, Emma McCaffery and Endi McCaffery.

In lieu of flowers memorial may be made to Batson Children's Hospital, Pediatric Cancer Unit, 2500 N State St, Jackson, MS 39216.

Holly Lynn Russell Franklin, 54, of Wesson, Mississippi, passed away on February 23, 2025, at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

She was born on January 18, 1971, to Keith Russell and Sharron Lynn Pickett Russell.

Holly graduated from Copiah-Lincoln Community College in 1990 and earned her degree in Elementary Education from Mississippi College in 1993. She later pursued a career in nursing and graduated from the first nursing class at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in 1996. Holly worked as a Registered Nurse for many years before returning to her first love, teaching. She was an upper elementary teacher at Brookhaven Academy and Wesson Attendance Center.

Holly loved her family immensely, and she passionately supported their hobbies and sports activities. She enjoyed traveling and hosting family and friends at her beloved Lake House at Lake Bruin. Countless hours were spent teaching little ones how to swim, ski, and enjoy the many fun aspects of lake life.

She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents: Wilbert and Donis Howington Pickett, and Kermit and Eunice Bird Russell.

Those left to cherish her memory are her loving husband of 36 years, Tommy Franklin; her sons, Keith Franklin (Mary Catherine) and Hunter Franklin; her beloved granddaughter, Emery Catherine; her sister, Jessica Boutwell (Kelly): her nephew, Ty Tumer, and niece, Kendall Turner, who affectionately called Holly their "Poppy"; and a host of family and friends.

The family is grateful for the compassionate care provided by the staff of Ochsner Medical Center and hospice staff.

A Memorial Gathering will be held at Riverwood Family Funeral Service on Thursday, March 6, from 12 to 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Foundation H. Keith Russell Memorial Scholarship Fund

The funeral service for Linda Gail Russell Allen will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at Riverwood Family with burial at Easthaven Cemetery. The visitation will start at 8:30 a.m. until the time of service.

Linda Gail Russell Allen, 75, of Wesson, passed away February 26, 2025, at her residence. She was born in Bogalusa, LA, December 7, 1949, to Vernon Russell and Sara Inez Williams.

Mrs. Allen was a member of Mission Hill Baptist Church. She loved plants and watching them thrive. She was very family oriented. She loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren dearly. She enjoyed going to their ball games and any other activities they were involved in. She spent a lot of hours at the Wesson Ballfield.

She is preceded in death by her parents; son, Jason Gill; brother, Larry Russell; grandparents, Hobb and Eunice Russell and Jim and Lillian Williams.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband of 42 years, Jack Allen; children, Wesley Gill (Angie), Brandon Allen (Morgan), and Blake Allen (Jessica); four grandchildren, Alabama Gill, Devin Gill, Landon Carroll, and Lauryn Dickerson; nine great grandchildren, Kaden Allen, Kace Allen, Kannon Allen, Peyton Collins, Indie Allen, Brynlee Allen, Grayson Allen, Landry Allen, and John Riley Searcy. She is also survived by her aunts, Joy Moore, Ernestine Holmes, Evonne Williams, and Carolyn Justis.

The family would like to thank Bristol Hospice for their care.

The funeral service for Welton Dewitt Cothern will be at 1:00 p.m., Monday, March 3, 2025, at Riverwood Family with burial at Enon Cemetery. Visitation will start at 11:30 a.m. until the time of service. 

Welton Dewitt Cothern was born July 31^st, 1934. He was the son of the late Herman William Cothern and Texie Adell Cothern. He leaves behind his loving wife Mearl Boyd Cothern, son Devon, daughters: Melinda, Millie and daughter Renee (predeceased), his sisters Judy Cothern Dickerson and predeceased by sister Joyce Rayborn and brother Joe Cothern, four grandchildren Aaron (predeceased), Adam, Nataly, Katie and 12 great-grandchildren and 5 great, great grandchildren.

Welton married his beautiful childhood sweetheart Mearl Boyd in 1952 and had a lifelong loving marriage of 72 years. He was a loving husband and wonderful father and grandfather. He taught his grandsons to hunt and fish. He loved the outdoors and the many wonders it had. He was a skillful hunter and fisherman, master carpenter and craftsman. He built houses, custom cabinetry, and furniture, crafted beautiful vases of wood, and made custom jewelry. But that's not all; he wrote many songs and had a beautiful voice. He would sing at church with Mearl and Renee and wrote his own love song "Blue Eyes" for Mearl in 2005 while he worked in South Carolina about how much he loved her and missed her.

Welton & Mearl did everything over their 72-year marriage. They enjoyed traveling all over the country. Together, they enjoyed friends and family, and everyone was always welcome in their home. He was especially fond of his church and all members. When folks were down and needed prayer, Welton & Mearl were always there for them. Welton loved Jesus with all his heart and devoted his life to "Our Lord and Savior"

A little more about Welton that you might not know, when Welton graduated high school in 1952, he was the star center on the high school basketball team and Mississippi State University in Hattiesburg took interest in him and awarded a full scholarship to play basketball, but Welton decided to join the Marine Corp instead. Welton served for one year and had to leave the Corp with a hardship discharge due to his father dying in a terrible automobile crash to look after his family. Welton first went to work for the Army Corp of Engineers as a Boiler Fireman but saw no growth opportunity and decided to leave. Soon after, Welton formed his own company and went on to build several houses. Mearl and Welton found an old house in Tylertown, MS and he renovated the whole house himself. Shortly after, he joined the Carpenters Union Local 1098 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He went on to build bridges and many large structures. He rose in the ranks to Project Superintendent and went on to build 22 Hollow Bridges on Interstate I-55. He also went on to manage the construction of a pickle factory in Wiggins, MS and a chemical plant where he was the Superintendent of Construction. Then one day, his good friend, Jack Sweeden called him shortly after the Three Mile Island Nuclear accident to help manage the melting reactor and the cool down of the containment building. He was named the Project Engineer over the decontamination and clean-up effort of the nuclear site. He and Jack were partners and there wasn't anything they couldn't accomplish together. Welton had a thirst for learning and continued his education and took many courses over the years. He accumulated enough credits through the New York State University to earn his bachelor’s degree in construction management in

1982. His start in the nuclear industry led him to work across the country at 11 nuclear power plants and numerous fossil fueled power plants where he was either the Superintendent or Project Manager.

I first met Welton in 1979 at the Mohave Generating Station in Laughlin, NV just across from Bullhead City, AZ and the Colorado River. I was the boiler engineer, and he was Superintendent over all plant modifications. We soon became close friends. He was my mentor, and I learned more from him than all my education combined. I watched and learned how he handled the men reporting to him and the respect they all had for him. His knowledge and people skills were second to none. We later worked together on several nuclear projects, and we lived together much of that time. My children adored him and his southern style cooking. Welton was a big guy standing 6'- 2" and 235 pounds very intimidating if you didn't know him. He'd never round-up and say he was 6'- 3". I'd tease him and say "yeah, but you're made of twisted steel and sex appeal", he'd just laugh.

Then one day, while he and Mearl were traveling from the St. Lucie Nuclear plant back to their home driving on interstate 10, at mile marker 19, just after 1am in the morning, he drove into the deepest fog; however, it was smoke from an illegal burning in the adjacent fields that settled over the interstate. They were part of the largest interstate wreck in history, and he almost lost his life, but unfortunately, ended his working career and had to go out on disability at the age of 55, The Lord was watching over him and Mearl that night as they both survived the crash, but changed their lives forever. The Lord looked after him and Mearl for the rest of their lives and gave him 50 years.

I loved that man with all my heart, and we were the closest of friends anyone could possibly be. Over 46 years we enjoyed each other's company and he and Mearl treated me like a son. I love all his family as my own. I will miss him terribly and will love him forever. In his final days, he never lost his sense of humor, although under Hospice Care, he told Mear one night while lying in bed, he said "Baby, I'm not leaving you yet, but I'll give you a two-week notice".

Lastly, if you have ever watched the movie 'Gladiator at the very end after Maximus died, his friend leaned over his grave and held a carved trinket in his hand that Maximus made for his son and said to his good friend, (this is where I hold up the ring Welton made for me) "I’ll see you again, just not yet.”