Services for W. Ray Thames, of Brookhaven, were 2 p.m. Saturday,Feb. 11 at Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapel with burial in HawkinsChapel Cemetery.

Mr. Thames, 85, died Feb. 9, 2006, at his residence. He was bornin Lincoln County on Oct. 1, 1920, to Walter Thames and Dottie WardThames.

He was the owner of Thames and Eady, which he started in 1946.He was a member of Hawkins Chapel Methodist Church. He was aveteran of the Army during World War II. He was in the Fighting69th Infantry Division, 273rd, Company H. He was known as a legendin Mississippi for rabbit hunting and breeding beagles.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife of 65 years,Norma Elizabeth Thames; his sisters, Nell Boyd, Helen Eady, EthelBoyd, Eules Eady, Jessie Nettles and Gussie Norton; and hisbrothers, John Ralph Thames, Dave Thames and Ward Thames.

Survivors are his daughter, Susan Thames Case and her husband,Sherrill, of Brookhaven; his sisters, Pauline Cain, of Brookhaven,Dottie Ruth Hill, of Monticello, and Betty Jones, of Nashville; hisgranddaughter, Tammy Wilkinson and her husband, Roger, ofBrookhaven; his great-granddaughter, Brittany Prestridge, and herhusband, Grant, of Brookhaven; his stepgreat-granddaughter, HeatherHutchinson and her husband, Jimmy Ray, of Monticello; hisgreat-great-granddaughter, Gracie Rae Hutchinson, of Monticello;and a host of nieces and nephews.