2022MayWarriorWEB

Weddings

Longtime radio color commentator for ECCCFootball Gilbert Barham (’74), who served as color commentator for East Central football broadcasts for 13 seasons March 29, 2022. He began his radio career with Mike Goodwin broad- casting Leake Academy and East Central sports on WSSI in Carthage, prior to the station being purchased by Johnny Boswell in 2003. During his time with Boswell Media Sports, Barham worked side-by-side with and for Leake Academy football broadcasts for 18 seasons, died

Raven JoAnn Bane (’15) to Andrew Noah Fortune, March 26, 2022

Haley Leeanne Shuler (’20) to Jonathan Hunter Fortenberry (’15), Jan. 30, 2022

Anna Norris (’18) to Blake Jones (’18), May 29, 2021

Brittney Lane Watkins (’18) to Cain Cleveland (’18), Dec. 4, 2021

BARHAM

legendary commentator Melvin Wooten, also an EC alum. Barham’s final broadcast with Wooten, who retired after that season, was Leake Academy’s 10-0 win over Adams County Christian in November 2020 that brought home the school’s first state championship. He had planned to continue for the 2021 season with Philip Palmertree, but a cancer diagnosis prevented him from being able to work most of the games. He felt strong enough to work the fi- nal regular season game for Leake Academy and that was his final broadcast. He was a teacher and coach at Leake Academy from 1984 to 1986 and later went to work as a game warden for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks. Survivors include his wife, Shelia Barham of Madden; daughters Casey Russell and Codee Basham; two sisters, Linda Bennett and Janice Ogletree; and one grandchild. Former Alumnus of the Year Harold Ray Britt (’66) died January 21, 2022. He was a native and lifelong resident of Walnut Grove and enjoyed a long career at the Bank of Walnut Grove, retiring as bank president in 2017 after working there just shy of 49 years. He was selected ECCC Alumnus of the Year in 1996 and was twice named Walnut Grove Man of the Year. He served in various leadership roles in Leake County and was recognized by the Mississippi Economic Council as an Economic Development Volunteer of the Year in 1995. He was a longtime deacon and member of Walnut Grove Bap- tist Church. He is survived by his wife, Jayne Ware Britt, and his brother Danny Britt. Former Football Coach Former East Central football coach Willie “Tenny” Coats died December 24, 2021, and will be remembered among Warrior fans as one of the best to don the black and gold. Coats coached the Warrior football team for nine seasons, first as an assistant coach from 1970 to 1976 before re- turning to Decatur as head coach in 1995. He posted a 19- 11 record over three seasons as head coach, including a 10-1 season that saw a Huddle House Golden Isles Classic victory over Middle Georgia to close out the 1996 season. Coats played quarterback and defensive back at the Uni- versity of Southern Mississippi, before signing a profes- sional baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs upon graduation in 1960. After one season of minor league ball, he played two seasons of minor league professional

In Memoriam

Doris Wiggins Greer Mowrey (’41), Dec. 16, 2021 Rev. Jane Todd Gurry (’51), Sept. 14, 2021 Donald P. Hatch (’52), Oct. 20, 2021 James Harris Addy (’53), Jan. 26, 2022 Bernard Jackie Ellison (’53), Nov. 21, 2021 Lamar Binford Watkins (’53), Aug. 1, 2021 Dr. Gerald Wayne Walton (’54), Feb. 24, 2022 Bobby Lewis Fleming (’56), Dec. 15, 2021 Don Cooper (’57), Dec. 4, 2021 Ruby Harris Breazeale Smith (’57), April 9, 2022 Montie Ralph Staton (’57), Oct. 20, 2021 Cecil Wayne McGee (’58), Dec. 13, 2021 Tom Wallace Cox (’59), Dec. 13, 2021 Louise Fortenberry Johnston (’59), Feb. 8, 2022 Alice Faye Perkins Skinner (’59), March 8, 2022 Phillip Gary Taylor (’59), Jan. 21, 2022 Dorothy Laine Thomas (’59), Jan. 14, 2022 Otis Ray Davis (’60), Nov. 30, 2021 James Rodney Bounds (’62), March 4, 2022 Daniel Herbert Williams (’62), April 28, 2022 Dale E. “Bud” Mayo (’63), Sept. 16, 2021 Patsy Kelly (’64), April 6, 2022 Virginia Clark Kight (’64), Feb. 13, 2022 Henry Wyatt Measells, III, (‘66), March 27, 2022 Deborah Norwood Duncan (’70), Sept. 16, 2021 Ronald Wayne “Cotton” Stokes (’70), Oct. 31, 2021 Kathy Savell McNeely (’74), Dec. 30, 2021

Wayne Harvey (’75), Jan. 24, 2022 Allen Muse (’79), Nov. 29, 2021

Jerrell Dolan Ingram (’83), Dec. 6, 2021 Billy C. “Scotty” Scott Jr. (’88), Jan. 7, 2022 Jim Wolverton (’88), Nov. 24, 2021 Benjamin Douglas Kirk (’02), Nov. 17, 2021

Robin Lynn Miller (’11), Feb. 13, 2022 Ralph Ben Rigdon (’12), April 28, 2022 Eduardo Encarnacion Santillan (Chon) (’15), Nov. 22, 2021 Drew Moore (’18), Nov. 7, 2021

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