Mr. Albert Haskell McMullen, age 90, passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening, Feb. 20, 2025, at his home surrounded by his wife Janell, and his four children.
Hack as he was affectionally known was born on Sept. 17, 1934, in Meridian to Robert and Tressie Jane Leggett McMullen. He attended Vimville School where he excelled in basketball. On Aug. 8, 1953, he married his childhood sweetheart, Janell Wilkinson McMullen.
In 1959 he surrendered to preach and was ordained by the Carmel Baptist Church, Lauderdale Association under the leadership of Bro. Tom Miller.
He later attended Clarke College in Newton, Mississippi College in Clinton, and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He received his doctor of theology degree from the International Bible Institute and Seminary. His doctrinal theses were a 78-page thesis on the “Doctrine of the Holy Spirit” and a 181-page thesis on “An Intensive Study in the Gospel of John.”
He pastored Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Clarke County, Ephesus Baptist Church in Scott County, Neshoba and Coldwater Baptist Churches in Neshoba County, Evergreen Baptist in Leake County, and Stonewall Baptist in Clarke County where he stayed 16 years until his retirement.
After retirement he was interim pastor at Liberty Baptist Church in Kemper County, Cuba Baptist Church and New Hope Baptist Church. He later became the Associate pastor at Oak Grove Baptist Church under the leadership of Bro. Roy Dabbs. He was a current member of Oak Grove Baptist Church and attended faithfully until his health no longer permitted.
Whether you knew him by Hack, Bro. Mack, or Bro. McMullen he was always the same when you saw him. He never missed a chance to tell you one of his “preacher” jokes. What was so funny was not usually the joke itself, but hearing him laugh at himself before he could finish telling it. Those who knew him can relate to that.
Three material things my dad loved was first and foremost his truck. He could tell you exactly when he got it, how many miles it had on it, and what kind of gas mileage it got. He loved his lawnmower and even after he couldn’t cut the grass any longer he would tell you he could. He loved his shoes and was always proud when he got new ones. He loved sports and especially the Ole Miss Rebels. He enjoyed family gatherings, being with his children and grandchildren. He loved catfish and anything sweet and always wanted a snack.
But, the most important legacy he leaves is his complete devotion and love for God, his family, and his country which he served in the United States Air Force. He never tired of telling about riding the troop train to Georgia for basic training. He told of how hungry they were when they arrived only to be fed as he called them those “Arsh potatoes” he didn’t like, but loved them ever since.
No one could doubt the love he had for his wife. He was truly an example of what a Christian husband should be. He loved to tell people how they met. The last words he spoke was “hey sweetheart” as she stood by his side.
He never spoke an unkind word about anyone. He was the most humble, tender-hearted compassionate man there ever was. Our hearts are broken but, we have no doubt where he is today.
In his final days when asked what would be the one thing he would like to do if he could. His reply was always – to preach.
Dr. McMullen is survived by his wife of 71 years, Janell Wilkinson McMullen; his children, Cheryl Owens (Don), Marty McMullen (Leah), Christi Luke (Mike) and Monty McMullen (Janie); his grandchildren: Christen McLain Hicks (John), Ashley McLain (Melody), Tori McMullen Jones (Josh), Tyler McMullen, Blake McMullen (Lauren), Tyler Bayliss, Sarah Baylis, Katie Houston (Will), Jordy Luke (Emily), Jess Luke (Olivia), Mabry Jaye McMullen, Manning McMullen, Max McMullen; great-grandchildren, Brayden Harville, Will Hicks, Bella Hicks, Julie McLain, Lizzie McLain, Holden McMullen, Daisy McMullen, Marigold McMullen, Noah Pankratz, Collin Jones, Logan Jones, Carter McMullen, Bo McMullen, Maddie Luke, Taylor Grace, Jack Grace, and Cohen Luke who will arrive in May; and sister, Gloria McMullen; numerous cousins and friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Tressie McMullen; brothers: Nate McMullen (Doris), Jerry McMullen (Myrle), Carroll Wayne (Bo) McMullen, and granddaughter, Malley Jane McMullen.
Chaplain H. Douglas Palmer, age 89, went to be with the Lord on February 19th, 2025 in Suffolk, VA. He was born on November 10th 1935 in Morton, MS. In 1958, he graduated with a B.A. from Mississippi College in Clinton, MS. He earned the Master of Divinity and the Master of Religious Education degrees in 1963 from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana. During this time, he served in the Mississippi air national guard as a med- tech.
In 1963, Doug married Rosalyn Hyder of Clinton Oklahoma, whom he had met while studying at NOBTS. From 63-65 Doug served as the Associate Pastor of Alta Woods Baptist Church in Jackson Mississippi. From 1965-1970, he served as Minister of Education of North Pompano Beach Baptist Church. In 1970 -1975 Doug served as pastor of Lexington Baptist Church in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. During this time, Doug was commissioned in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant in the Chaplain Corps Reserve. He served as a reservist based at the Navy Supply Corps School in Athens Georgia and at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
During his 23 years of active duty in the Navy, Chaplain Palmer served at Camp Hansen Marine Corps Base, Okinawa; Naval Hospital, Rosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico; Naval Regional Medical center, Camp Lejeune, NC; Harold E. Holt Naval Communications Station, Exmouth, Western Australia; USS NASHVILLE; (LPD-13), Norfolk, VA; Marine Air Control Group Twenty Eight, Cherry Point, NC; Twenty-sixth Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations); Naval Station, Pascagoula, MS; and as the Command Chaplain, Administrative Support Unit, Southwest Asia (Bahrain).
Chaplain Palmer was preceded in death by his parents, Spurgeon and Stella Palmer and a sister, Frances Palmer.
He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Rosalyn Hyder Palmer of Suffolk, VA. Douglas is also survived by his brother, Jerry Palmer (Sue) of Brookhaven, MS; two children, Canda Palmer Eilertson (Stephen) of Oak Ridge, TN and son, Pace Palmer (Ginny) of Carrollton, Virginia; and five grandchildren, Sidney Douglas Eilertson, Leif Eilertson, Pace Palmer Jr., Gabe Palmer, and Carter Palmer.
Bro. Sammy Wallace Smith, age 87, went to his heavenly home on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. For over 60 years Bro. Sammy whole heartedly served his community pastoring churches throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. He left a legacy of service, and loving people in Jesus’ name. Hundreds of loving couples were joined in Holy Matrimony by Bro. Sammy. His family and his Savior Jesus always came first. Bro. Sammy had a smile that would light up any room. His prayers for others, along with his attention and service for them made a tremendous difference in hundreds of lives. Bro. Sammy was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend who is already dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Bro. Sammy is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Lena Deville Smith; daughters, Donna Smith Bennett (Skipper), Joetta Smith Zieske (Gus); son, Samuel Menard Smith; grandchildren, Jason Guillory (Mary), Kevin Guillory (Deborah), Marley Stilley (Mike), Donetta Johnson (Brett), Sunny Raiford (Cody), and Jonah Zieske (Raegan); eleven (11) great grandchildren; and one (1) great great-grandchild; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Bro. Sammy is preceded in death by his son Michael DeWayne Smith; parents, George and Pearl Smith; sisters, Grace McGee, and Inez Lynn; and brother, Otis Smith.
Rev. Floyd Ferrell Higginbotham passed away on Wednesday February 12, 2025, after a prolonged illness. Bro. Floyd was born January 19, 1934, toward the end of the “Great Depression”, in the town of Dublin, MS to Samuel Floyd and Lillian Early Higginbotham. He was the oldest of 5 boys.
Bro. Floyd surrendered to the Gospel ministry when he was 18 years old. After his high school graduation, he left home to join the Air Force only to find out when he got to the service center in Jackson that they were full and so he could go home or join the Army. He elected the Army which turned out to be God’s providence on his life. He was sent to Fort Jackson, South Carolina for basic training and it was there he met the love of his life, Effie Leviner. They married on April 30, 1954, and were married for 69 years, until Effie’s passing in 2023.
All of Bro. Floyd’s ministry was to rural churches in Mississippi. He served Center Ridge Baptist, Yazoo City, Riverside Baptist, Clarksdale, Branch Baptist, Morton, Banner Baptist Banner, Springdale Baptist West (Kosciusko), Calvary Baptist Batesville, and Pleasant Hill Baptist, Bogue Chitto. In addition, he served as Franklin County Associational Missionary. While there he aided in establishing a thrift store to serve the county and it is still operational today.
He helped organize and served on the board of several other mission organizations. Two of which were Callie’s Mission and Angel Flight. This was his passion, to serve communities with the love and compassion of Jesus.
He is preceded in death by his parents Floyd and Lillian Higginbotham, his wife of 69 years, Effie Higginbotham, grandsons, Jay Higginbotham & Timothy Johnsey & his brother Charles Higginbotham.
Bro. Floyd is survived by his sons, Sam Higginbotham (Shirley), Tim
Higginbotham (Wanda), daughters Benita Johnsey (Tommy), & Beth Wicker, 12 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and three brothers, Wesley, Hilton & Carlton Higginbotham.
Bro. Terrell Stringer, 78, of Albany, Louisiana, passed away on February 14, 2025, in Baton Rouge. He was born on April 28, 1946, in Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi.
A devoted follower of Christ, Bro. Stringer dedicated nearly 55 years to ministry, touching countless lives with his wisdom, kindness, and unwavering commitment to the Lord. He loved being a pastor, cherished sharing the truths of God’s Word, and found great joy in studying Scripture. Throughout his many years of ministry, he also loved caring for his church members and building lifelong relationships with those he served. His passion for spreading the Gospel led him on multiple mission trips, where he ministered to people of all backgrounds with compassion and grace.
Bro. Stringer’s great love was evident in every aspect of his life. He was married to his beloved wife, Gloria, for nearly 55 years and took very seriously his responsibility to care for and support her. He had a deep love for his family, always offering wisdom, encouragement, and unwavering support. He loved talking with his sisters, his children, and his grandchildren, always being greatly invested in their lives. He enjoyed keeping up with sports and discussing them with his son and grandsons, and he anticipated hearing stories of his great-grandchildren as they grew, treasuring each update. His love for others extended far beyond his own family, he was a constant source of kindness and encouragement to all who knew him.
Bro. Stringer was preceded in death by his parents, A.R. “Skeet” Stringer and Evalea Lott Stringer; his brothers, Robert Stringer and Harold Stringer; and his granddaughter, Victoria Stringer.
He is survived by his loving wife, Gloria Carroll Stringer; his son, Keith Stringer; his daughter, Amanda Stringer Cooksey (Scott); his grandchildren, Caitlin Farmer (Austin), Dylon Stringer (Hanna), Devin Stringer, and Blakely Stringer; and his four cherished great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Shirley Ingram, Bessie Crosby, and Faye Welborn.
Bro. Stringer’s legacy of faith, love, and devotion will live on in the hearts of his family, friends, and all those to whom he ministered throughout his life.
Excail Burleson, born on May 24, 1932, in Shannon, MS, went to his heavenly home on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at age 92. He was a resident of Dogwood Assisted Living in Corinth, MS. Excail’s business career began with flipping burgers at Doug’s Dairy Bar during high school. After his marriage to Martha Joan Rogers in 1952, he worked as a salesman at Malone and Hyde, Sears, and Singer. Later he worked at Nettleton Garment Factory. An Army veteran, he served in the Korean War. From having the devotion at the factory every morning to filling in on Wednesday night services, he felt a profound sense of the Lord’s calling. Excail surrendered to the ministry and was ordained on June 9, 1963. He completed his ministerial training at Blue Mountain College. From 1963 to 1994, he pastored six churches. Even though he officially retired on June 26, 1994, he served as interim pastor of four churches, one of them for seven years. His commitment to spreading the Gospel was unwavering, and his passion for serving God’s people and his love for his congregations was limitless. In every sermon, he included the plan of salvation no matter the topic, and in conversations, he imparted his wisdom of “Love each other, and that will take care of the rest.” Joan and he resided in the Hinkle community until her death in 2020. They had just celebrated their sixty-eighth wedding anniversary. Excail’s ministry continued even after he moved to Dogwood. Never one to miss an opportunity, he prayed his sermon prayers at the dining table and spoke during devotion time. The last day of his journey here on earth is the first day of his eternal journey with the love of his life, Jesus Christ, and his beloved Joan.
Excail is survived by his daughters: Patricia Coleman (Mike), Pam Boone, and Teresa Hines (Lamar); grandchildren: Rosaline Harvell, Paul Boone, Cheryl McCoy, Daniel Boone, Douglas Boone, Kristi Barkstrom, Joe Coleman, and Anna Basting; great-grandchildren, Anisten Harvell, Ashton Harvell, Aikley Harvell, Madisyn Boone, Jacob Bradley, Gabbie Hall, Gabe Hall, Justin McCoy, Owen Boone, Dylan Boone, Blair Boone, Parker Boone, Alexander Boone, Theodore Boone, Amelia Nichols, Will Barkstrom, Aubrey McKee and Adrian McKee; his siblings, James Marlon Burleson (Karen), Helen Joyce Logan (Robert), Joann Tackett, Willie Francis Roland, and Donna Kay Pickering.
Preceding Excail in death are his parents, Elmira and Wilbur Burleson, his wife, Joan; siblings: Thomas Burleson, Maggie Curbow, Earlene Matthews, and Wilburn “Buddy” Burleson.
Perry Dale Funderburg, age 64, passed away on February 10, 2025, at his home in Cedar Bluff. Dale was born on November 18, 1960, in Amory, MS, to Perry and Juanita Funderburg. Dale graduated from Amory High School in 1978. He then earned his Bachelor’s of Science from Blue Mountain College in 1984. While he pastored churches, he continued his education, eventually earning his Master’s of Arts in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1996. He also completed many courses toward his Doctoral degree. During his life, Dale was able to travel to many places around the world to fulfill the calling of the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all nations. From Russia to Thailand, from the Philippines to New York City, from the people of West Point to the people of his own family, Dale took that command to heart and strove to make disciples. Dale has served as the pastor of First Baptist Church of West Point, MS, since June of 2003. From an early age, Dale felt a calling on his life to pastor and preach. He surrendered to that calling and pursued it with fervor and faithfulness for over 40 years. He preached the Bible, without apology, but always with a desire to see the Good News about Jesus change people’s lives. Dale had a huge heart. He loved his family, his friends, and his church with all of it. Dale was a child of God, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grandfather.
He is survived by his wife, LeeAnn Funderburg. He is also survived by his 3 children, Joshua Funderburg (wife Lacy), Emily Alexander (husband Chris), and Abigail Robinson (husband Jessie), as well as his 6 grandchildren, Elijah, Elliot, Jack, Luke, Asher, and Kinsley Grace. Dale is also survived by his sister, Donna Trantham.
Visitation will be Friday, February 14th from 11:00-2:00 at First Baptist Church in West Point with services to follow at 2:00 P.M with Reverend Ray Burks officiating and assisted by Mr. Glen Brown. Burial will follow in Haughton Memorial Park Cemetery in Amory, MS. Calvert Funeral Home of West Point is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.
Pallbearers will be Josh Funderburg, Chris Alexander, Jessie Robinson, Andy Carruth, Kris Hollis, Brad Cox, Joseph Blount, Charles Raines.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Elijah Funderburg, Elliot Funderburg, Jack Funderburg, Luke Funderburg, and Asher Robinson
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideon’s International, P.O. Box 661, West Point, MS 39773 or to Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Conv., 901 Commerce Street, Nashville, TN 37203.
‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. ‘ – 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
Bro. Owen Daniel Kelley, of Banner, MS. lovingly known to many as Bro. Danny, passed away peacefully on January 16, 2025, at the age of 75, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford, MS. Born on April 20, 1949, Bro. Danny lived a life filled with devotion, hard work, and service to others.
He served as pastor of Victory Baptist Church in Houlka, MS, Bro. Danny dedicated his life to ministering to his congregation and community. His faith was complemented by a strong work ethic, having retired from Hood Equipment Company, the Calhoun County Maintenance Department, and Banner Sod. He was a man who relished the simple joys of life, from attending gospel singings to studying the Bible, gardening, camping, cooking, and sharing meals with family and friends.
Bro. Danny was also a charter member and former chief of the Banner Fire Department, serving his community selflessly. He cherished the bonds he built through service, faith, and family, leaving a lasting impact on all who knew him.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Shelia Huffman Kelley; two sisters, Lenora (Jimmy) Bryant of Jonesboro, Ark and Anita (Scott) Despain of Southaven, MS; his son, David (Angie) Kelley of Banner; daughters, Lisa (Steven) Nix of Bruce, MS and Michelle Pulliam of Bruce, MS; and grandchildren and great grandchildren, Yasmine, Phalenia, Joylee, A.J., Lillian, Gracie, Braylin, Madison, Cody, Becca, Montana, and Mattie.
Danny was preceded in death by: father Wister Kelley, mother, Dovie Allene Kelley, daughters, Amanda Kelley, and Bridgett Kelley.
Dr. Frank Harmon went home to be with His Father on Monday, January 13,2025. Dr. Harmon was a dedicated Baptist minister for over 54 years where he served numerous churches all over the state of Mississippi, including First Baptist Newton for 19 years. His gentle spirit and bold love for the Lord was evident to all of the many people that served alongside him, but his greatest joy was his family. His commitment to his wife, Nancy was exemplified as he preached his last sermon on December 15th, their 51st wedding anniversary. A testament of his faith was evident in the way he raised his two children, Betsy and Micah, and left behind a legacy for his six grandchildren to follow. He never missed a Sunday and officiated countless ceremonies, the last one being his granddaughter Mollie’s wedding on November 23rd.
Frank was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed many days in the woods or on the lake with his son and grandsons. He shared these special moments not only with his family but also many others he considered his sons. His deer camp was a sanctuary to many. He will be remembered by all who loved him as a faithful and humble servant of the Lord.
He leaves behind his wife, Nancy Wall Harmon of Brandon; son, Micah Harmon (Nicole) of Hickory; daughter, Betsy Potter (Steve) of Madison; grandchildren, Mollie Partridge (Kameron), Hannah Potter, Caleb Potter, Bailey Potter, Hallie Rose Harmon and Jon Cole Harmon; brother, Gary Harmon (Lesha) of Bailey; multiple nieces and nephews.
