Alabama School Yearbooks by State and County
Jean O. Beshara
Died: Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Age: 82
GLOUSTER -- Jean O. Beshara, 82, died Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003, at Bishop's Glen Nursing Home in Florida.
Born in London, England, she came to the United States in 1948. She resided in Glouster until she moved to Florida in 1992. She was a librarian in Glouster for the Athens County Public Library system for 28 years. Mrs. Beshara loved books.
She is survived by her husband, Joseph, to whom she was married for 54 years; a daughter, Julia (Richard) Karns of Port Orange, Fla.; two grandsons, Joseph Karns of Port Orange and Christian Karns of Fayetteville, Ga.; four granddaughters, Katherine of Port Orange, Stephanie Matheny of The Plains, Susan Wright of Columbus and Bridget Tryon of Michigan; and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Jeanette Wright; and a sister, Dorothy Wood.
Private services will be held at a later date in New Lexington.
Arrangements are under the direction of Volusia Memorial Funeral Home in Port Orange.
Harry B. Crewson Jr.
Died: Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Age: 89
ATHENS -- Harry B. Crewson Jr., 89, of Sebring, died at Crandall Medical Center, Sebring, Tuesday morning, Jan. 21, 2003, following a lengthy illness.
He was born March 16, 1913, to Harry B. Crewson and Laura Shewell. He was married to Martha Adeline Walker for 49 years.
Mr. Crewson graduated from Sebring High School in 1931, where he later returned to teach. Following high school, he attended and graduated from The College of Wooster in 1935, followed by a teaching stint at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, from 1938 to 1940. He served in the U.S. Army, 386th Artillery, Infantry Division, from 1943 to 1945. After the war, Mr. Crewson obtained his masters and Ph.D. in economics from Ohio State University and began a 30-year career as a professor in the Department of Economics at Ohio University. During his career at Ohio University, he was a visiting professor at the University of Hawaii and the Mara Institute in Malaysia. In 1974-75, he was the 17th president of Ohio University. He was president of Athens City Council from 1963 to 1973 and was acting mayor of Athens in 1971.
He founded the Ohio University Employees' Credit Union in 1955, the first university credit union in Ohio. Currently, it has $147 million in assets, $129 million in total deposits, and 20,000 members. As an honor to him as founder, the credit union established the Dr. Harry B. Crewson Scholarship Fund, benefiting Ohio University students.
During his tenure on City Council and as president of the university, he mediated several disputes between the city and its employees, as well as the university and its employees, ending or averting strikes. Following retirement, he used these mediation skills as a labor negotiator in many state and regional labor disputes.
As president of Ohio University, he was instrumental in the establishment of its medical college, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the state's first osteopathic medical school, improved enrollment figures after years of decline, reduced tension on the campus after a series of national and local student demonstrations, enhanced general education programs and advocated a strong emphasis on international programs.
Among the awards presented to him are Distinguished Service, City of Athens; Lifetime Service and Achievement, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce; Nineteen Years of Dedicated Service, Ohio University Employees' Credit Union Board; Trustee Professor Economics, Ohio University Board of Trustees; Honorary Alumnus, Ohio University Alumni Association; and The Phillips Medal of Public Service, Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Mr. Crewson was pre-deceased by his parents; his wife, Martha Adeline Walker, who died in 1990; and his sisters, Neva Henderson and Martha Steed.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie Williams; his sister, Ila Grisez; his daughter and son-in-law, Karen Crewson Randall and Keith Randall of North Canton; his son and daughter-in-law, John Walker Crewson and Cara Sansonia of Boca Raton, Fla.; his grandson, Brad Randall of Austin, Texas; his granddaughters, Marisa Bingham of Seattle, Wash., and Carrie Sawtell of North Canton; two great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held at Bennett Chapel, Copeland Oaks, Sebring, on Saturday at 9:30 a.m., officiated by Mr. Crewson's cousin, the Rev. Norman Crewson. The family will receive friends and family following the service at the Williamsburg Room, Copeland Oaks.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Dr. Harry B. Crewson Scholarship Fund, which is maintained by the Ohio University Employees' Credit Union. Contributions should be sent in care of the Ohio University Employees' Credit Union, P.O. Box 476, Athens, Ohio 45701.
Margaret Elizabeth Hysell
Died: Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Age: 82
POMEROY -- Margaret Elizabeth Hysell, 82, of Pomeroy, died Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003, in Pomeroy.
Born March 29, 1920, in Bradbury, she was the daughter of the late John and Sylvia Cox Spearhas. She is survived by sons James and John Hysell, and daughters Lena Napper and Bonnie Arnold. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Hysell.
Services will be Friday, 11 a.m., at Fisher Funeral Home, Pomeroy. Burial will be in Horner Hill Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home today from 6 to 8 p.m.
Contributions may be made to Pioneer Center, 11268 County Road 550, Chillicothe 45601.
Samuel Lang
Died: Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Age: 78
CONGO -- Samuel "Peck" Lang, 78, of Congo, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003, at Sunbridge Care, New Lexington.
Born Dec. 10, 1924, in New Straitsville, he was the son of the late Willard and Sarah Scurlock Lang. Mr. Lang was a self-employed truck driver and ran a cab service for the railroad. He worked for several coal mines and retired from Rockwell International in Newark.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie Toth Lang; stepdaughters Charlotte (Dan) Hritz of Columbus and Linda (Arden) Nichols of Corning; sons Gary (Mary Jo) Lang of New Lexington and James (Jane) Lang of Corning; daughters Marjorie Lang of Athens, Lisa (Ernest) Eing Corning and Shiela White of Congo; 16 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Leona Mae Volk.
Services will be held Thursday, 1 p.m., at J.E. Humphrey Funeral Home, Shawnee, with Pastor Brian Dutiel officiating. Interment will be in Millertown Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home today anytime after 2 p.m., and Thursday from 9 a.m. until the time of services.
Mary E.M. Gibbs
Died: Monday, January 20, 2003
Age: 86
COLUMBUS -- Mary E.M. Gibbs, 86, passed peacefully Monday, Jan. 20, 2003.
Born in Athens on April 16, 1916, she was the daughter of the late Edward R. and Mayme M. Carpenter Maxwell.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Georganne and William A. Porcelli; granddaughter Gena Marie Woodrow Horton; great-grandchildren Hannah, Karissa, Dakota and Leah; niece Nancy L. Maxwell; special friend Kim Powers; and many other dear friends.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by husband, George I. Gibbs; grandson Paul Bernard Patterson; sister Helen L. Doolittle; brother William E. Maxwell; and brother-in-law Frank T. Gibbs.
Services will be held Friday, 11 a.m., at Long Funeral Home, 5528 Cleveland Ave., Columbus, with Pastor Andrew Hoover presiding. Burial will be in Union Cemetery.
The family will receive friends on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mary Virgene Parsons
Died: Monday, January 20, 2003
Age: 93
STEWART -- Mary Virgene Parsons, 93, of Fort Myers, Fla., a long-time resident of Stewart, died Monday, Jan. 20, 2003, following a short illness.
Born Nov. 3, 1909, in Frost, she was the daughter of the late Richard E. and Minnie Brandeberry Linton. Mrs. Parsons lived most of her life in Rome Twp. before moving to Fort Myers in 1990. She retired from the Athens Mental Health Center, where she was employed as a psychiatric aide.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Garry and Juanita Parsons of Fort Myers; two grandchildren, Mrs. James (Jackie) Moore of Houston, Texas, and Mrs. Samuel (Joan) Jones of Chapel Hill, N.C.; four great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Everett H. Parsons; an infant son, Orland; five sisters, Lucille Caldwell Martin, Carrie Cunningham Beyler, Ceola Welch, Leida Frost and Wanda Hunter; and three brothers, Richard, Lenard and William "Bill" Linton.
Services will be held Saturday, 11 a.m., at White-Schwarzel Funeral Home, Coolville, with the Rev. Monty McCune officiating. Burial will be in Haga Cemetery, Stewart.
Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Following the interment on Saturday, the family will receive friends at South Canaan Baptist Church.
William Everett Kennedy Jr.
Died: Wednesday, January 1, 2003
Age: 47
POMEROY -- William Everett Kennedy Jr., 47, of Pomeroy, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2003, at St. Mary's Hospital, Huntington, W.Va.
Born July 30, 1955, in New Orleans, La., he was the son of William Edward Kennedy of Pomeroy and the late Earlene Thomas Kennedy. He is survived by his wife, Tana Burbridge Kennedy, and children Michelle Lynn and Lacey Ann Kennedy.
Services will be Saturday, 1 p.m., at Ewing Funeral Home, Pomeroy. Burial will be in Wells Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home today from 6 to 8 p.m.
Flossie M. Mason Maxson Dill
Died: Wednesday, January 1, 2003
Age: 68
CHESTER -- Flossie M. Mason Maxson Dill, 68, of Chester, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2003, at her residence.
Born March 29, 1934, in Palestine, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late John Harvey and Retta Alma Caplinger Mason.
She is survived by her husband, Gary Dill; three sons, John, Paul and Ray Maxson; two daughters, Pamela Farkas and Judith Limbach; two stepdaughters, Cindy Benedum and Kathy Wyatt; and two stepsons, Steven and Tim Dill.
Services will be Saturday, 1 p.m., at White-Schwarzel Funeral Home, Coolville. Burial will be in Chester Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.
Doris A. McIntire
Died: Wednesday, January 1, 2003
Age: 89
HAMDEN -- Doris A. McIntire, 89, a former resident of Hamden, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2003, at Heath Nursing Care Center.
Born April 6, 1913, in Chicago, Ill., she was the daughter of the late David VanMeter and Lula Huber Connor. She was a former cook for Four Winds and Jenkins Memorial nursing facilities, and a graduate of Washington Twp. High School.
She is survived by children Carolyn Bandy and Bob (Jerry) Rodgers of Hamden, Jim (Eleanor) McIntire of Wellston, Judy (Roger) Salts of Cincinnati and John (Shirley) McIntire of Michigan; 13 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John McIntire; a daughter, Sherry Womeldorf; and sisters, Bernice Bond and Helena Lucas.
At Mrs. McIntire's request, her body has been cremated. There will be no calling hours or funeral service. Burial will be at a later date in Hamden Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Garrett Funeral Home, McArthur.
