James Drexel Cook

James Drexel Cook, 84, of Elba, died Tuesday, July 10, 2007, at Flowers Hospital in Dothan.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church of Elba with Dr. Frank Wells and the Rev. Mart Gray officiating.

Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery in Elba.

Visitation will be from 1 until 3 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church of Elba.

Mr. Cook graduated from Elba High School, and then attended the University of Alabama, followed by a tour in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Returning home he served Coffee County as a representative in the Alabama House of Representative for three terms during which he was voted &uot;most effective member.&uot; He was elected president of Alabama Young Democrats and opened Cook Chevrolet in Elba and Cook-Hudson in Troy.

Mr. Cook served as chairman of the board and president of the Peoples Bank. He was instrumental in securing funds through the Hill-Burton Act, which enabled the establishment and construction of Elba General Hospital on Aug. 11, 1963. He then began service as chairman of the board and held that position until his death.

Survivors include wife, Nell Young Cook of Elba; daughter, Carla Guthrie (Gary) of Troy; son, Jimmy Cook (Daphne) of Elba; granddaughter, Christina Anderson (Tom) of Enterprise; grandson, Adam Guthrie (Mabry) of Birmingham; grandson, Drex Guthrie (Chelsi) of Eagle, Colo.; grandson, J.D. Cook III of Birmingham; great-grandson, John Treutlen Anderson of Enterprise; great-grandson, Bennett Cook Anderson of Enterprise; and great-grandson, Cade Drexel Guthrie of Eagle, colo.

Mr. Cook was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford Cook and Pearlie Bryan Cook, and a brother, Mace Cook.

The family is accepting flowers, or contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church P.O. Box 507 of Elba, AL.

Hayes Funeral Home of Elba is serving the Cook family.

Lester Ketchum

Lester Ketchum, age 86 of Brundidge, died Wednesday, July 11, 2007, in Montgomery.

Funeral Services will be held Friday, July 13, 2007, at 11 a.m. from the Springfield Baptist Church on the Tennille road.

Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Dillard Funeral Home of Brundidge directing.

Visitation will be held at Dillard Funeral Home in Brundidge on Thursday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. he will also lie-in-state at the church one hour prior to the service.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Estelle Adams Ketchum of Brundidge; his sons, James R. Ketchum and Robert A. (Janie) Ketchum, both of Troy; his grandchildren, Peyton K. and Mike Goe, Jodie K. and Eddie Jefcoat, Rachel K and Chris Bazzell, Hannah R. and Daniel Walker, Jason and Jacque Ketchum, Rob and Lauren Ketchum, and Jake and Martha Rodgers. He also has eight great-grandchildren; sisters Frances K. Graham, Merle K. Willis, Dean K. (William) Graham, Evelyn K. (Coy) Danner and Faye K. (Bobby) Carroll;

brother-in-law, Rockford Waters; sister-in-law, Mary Etta Ketchum; several nieces, nephew and other relatives; and his beloved caregivers, Doris Senn and Inez Johnson.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Imogene Ketchum; parents, Randall and Mattie Ketchum; sister, Mary K Waters; brother, Harold Ketchum; brothers-in-law, Jimmy Graham and Arthur Willis.

Active pallbearers will be Jason Ketchum, Rob Ketchum, Eddie Jefcoat, Chris Bazzell, Mike Goe, Daniel Walker and Mark Graham.

The Family requests that memorials be made to the Springfield Baptist Church.

Please visit our Web site at www.dillardfh.com

to sign the guestbook.