Gloria Lasonya Phillips Steele

Gloria Lasonya Phillips Steele, died on Wednesday, June 16 at a Birmingham, AL hospital.

Services will be held on Tuesday, June 22 at 2:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church with J.H. Williams and Sons Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow in Fairlawn Cemetery.

She was preceded in death by her parents Bennie P. and Margie Nell Phillips.

Survivors include her husband, Michael Steele; daughter, Natilia Denise Phillips; step-son, Marcus Blackmon of Camden; sisters, Sarah Phillips Moore of Dearborn, MI, Brenda Neely (Carl) of Atlanta, GA; brothers, Gregory Woodward, (Claudia), Bennie D. Phillips of Chicago, IL, Kermit Phillips (Pamela) of Toledo, OH, William Phillips and James Phillips both of Detroit, MI; sister-in-laws, Margaret Thomas, Dorothy Washington, Gwendolyn Waugh (Charles) of Phoenix, AL, Barbara Brown all of Selma, AL; brother-in-laws, George Paige (Clara) of Nashville, TN and William Steele of Selma; aunts; uncles; and a host of other relatives and friends.

At an early age she confessed Christ and joined First Baptist Church under the pastorate of the late Reverend Dr. M.C. Cleveland, Jr. She was a devoted member and served faithfully until her death. She was a member of the matrons, Celestial Choir, Youth Advisor, director of the Youth Choir, worked with the Vacation Bible School and a member of the Kitchen Committee. Gloria has always been a youth advocate for the youth of her church, school and the Selma Community. She received her early education in the Selma City School System and was a 1977 graduate of Selma High School. At the time of her death Gloria had been accepted into the Early Childhood/Elementary Education Department at Concordia College and had plans to graduate in the Spring of 2005 earning a B.S. Degree in Education. She was employed with the Selma City School Systems serving as an Instructional Assistant at Byrd and Clark Elementary Schools for sixteen years. On July 8, 1989 she was united in holy matrimony to Michael Steele. She has always been a lover of children and this was expressed especially through her love for Natilia Denise her loving daughter.

Belzora Bean

Belzora Bean, 80, of Selma, died on Saturday, June 19 at a local nursing home.

J.H. Williams and Sons Funeral Home directing.

Arrangements will be announce later.

John A. Marcus, Jr.

John A. Marcus, Jr., 79, died on Sunday, June 20 at a local hospital.

Services will be held on Tuesday, June 22 at 11 a.m. at Siloam Baptist Church in Marion, AL with Rev. Michael Perry officiating and Kirk Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow in Heiberger Methodist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. at the Siloam Baptist Fellowship Hall before service.

Survivors include wife, Marjorie H. Marcus of Marion, AL; son, Robert Earl Marcus of Marion; sister, Nora M. Fondren of Marion, AL; brothers, James Earl Marcus of Birmingham, AL, Robert Kenneth Marcus of Marion, Iowa and John C. Massey; grandchildren, Robert Brian Marcus of Kingston, Jamaica, Sara M. Berry of Honolulu, HI and Susan M. Talton of Birmingham, AL; great-grandchildren, John Edward Talton “Jack” of Birmingham, AL and Charles Hunter Berry of Honolulu, HI.

Pallbearers will be Doug Halbrooks, Dennis Harbison, Grady Wallace, John Baugh, Roy Barnett, Phillip Marcus, John W. Anderson, Jr. and Corin Harrison, Jr.

Honorary pallbearers will be the members of the Woodfin Griffin Sunday School Class and the Deacons of the Siloam Baptist Church, Dr. Shane Lee and Cecil Crawford.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Siloam Baptist Church, 505 Washington Street and Heiberger Methodist Church Cemetery Fund, Route 3 Box 127.

Claudette Davis

Claudette Davis, 66, of New York died on Tuesday, June 15 in New York.

Services were held on Monday, June 21 at 1 p.m. at Mt. Calvary with Rev. Smith officiating and Miller Funeral Home directing. Burial was followed in Rose Hill Cemetery.

Teena Shelton Caver

Teena Shelton Caver, 28, of Selma, died on Thursday, June 17 at a Birmingham hospital.

Services will be held on Wednesday, June 23 at 3:30 p.m. at Providence Baptist Church (Kings Bend Road) with Chestes Purifoy officiating and Miller Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow in Zion Cemetery.

Survivors include husband, Anthony Caver, parents, Roland and Manee Shelton; two sons, Demontrell Shelton, Anthony Caver, Jr., daughter, Kaylon Caver, brothers, George Davis (Thauand), Dexter Davis (Thailand); sisters, Juanita Shelton; two brother-in-laws; one sister-in-law; two nephews; five nieces and host of other relatives.

Pallbearers will be class of 1994.