Obituaries

Henry Bradford

COURTLAND––Henry Bradford, 87, died Saturday, October 8, 2016, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi.
Services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary. Elder John Ellis will officiate. Burial will be in Eureka Church Cemetery. Bradford, born June 29, 1929, in Oakland, was a retired school bus driver at South Panola School District. He was a veteran of the United States Army.

R.V. Draper

Roderick Vernon “R.V.” Draper, age 75, passed away Saturday night, October 8, 2016 at his home in Mansfield, TX  surrounded by his family.
Funeral services for R.V. were held Thursday, October 13, 2016 in the Martin Willingham Memorial Chapel of Wells Funeral Home in Batesville. The family received friends prior to the service. Interment was at Magnolia Cemetery in Batesville.
Mr. Draper was born August 11, 1941 in Batesville, MS to Kenneth Vernon Draper and Brutonia Dean Draper.
R.V. was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Batesville.  He graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in accounting.
R.V. proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force where he flew F-4 Phantoms. He worked for Dunlap & Kyle.
R.V. is survived by his children, Grace Draper Morris (Jeff Morris) and Elizabeth Draper Guerrero, both of Mansfield, TX; his first wife and mother of his children, Jane Gentry also of Mansfield, TX; his brother Dr. Dean Draper of Iuka, MS; three grandchildren, Malena Toulou,  Caleb Guerrero, and Carter Guerrero; three nephews, Ken Draper and Dr. Thomas Draper of Iuka, MS and Robert Draper of Portland, Oregon
He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth Draper, and his mother, Toni Draper; his brother, Michael Draper; his wife, Mary  Bolen Draper and his stepson, Brian K. Faulkner.
In lieu of flowers the family asked for those wishing to send memorial contributions in R.V. ‘s name to do so to the Alzheimer’s Association P.O. Box 96011 Washington, DC 20090-6011.

Joseph Gipson

Joseph Gipson, age 87,  passed away Tuesday morning, October 11, 2016,  at Baptist Memorial Hospital of North MS in Oxford.
Graveside services were held Thursday at North Ridge Cemetery in Millington, TN.
Joseph was born December 2, 1928 to the late Harry Edward Gipson and Zelma Vivian Boling Gipson in Memphis.
Joseph served his country in the Merchant Marines from 1943 to 1952 in WWII. He was a painter by trade.

Claude Edward Jefcoat

Claude Edward Jefcoat, age 70, of Batesville,passed away Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at Baptist Memorial hospital of North MS in Oxford.
A Memorial Service for Claude will be held Sunday, October 16, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at the Batesville Church of Christ, 120 Eureka St. in Batesville MS. Michael Bates will be officiating.
Claude was born March 20, 1946 in Ackerman, MS.  Claude served his country in the National Guard. He owned 61 Parts Center in Clarksdale for over 10 years and worked for Napa in Batesville.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Carol Devine Jefcoat; parents, H.D. and Flora Jefcoat and two brothers, Chester and Clyde Jefcoat.
He is survived by two sons, Robert Jefcoat (Lauren) of Batesville, Kenneth Jefcoat (Jeremy) of Abbeville; brother Bobby Jefcoat of Batesville; four sisters, Alma Cook of Clarksdale, Linda O’Brien of Litchfield, IL., Mary Thomas of Gore, OK., and Sheila Vick of Clarksdale; grandchildren, Ashton, Shauna, Reagan, Haliey, and Gabel; great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Kaden, Kameron, Kaylee, Jayden, Makinzie, and Haden.

Bobby L. Booth

Bobby L. Booth, 80, passed away  October 11, 2016, in Oxford, at Baptist Memorial Hospital of North MS. Bobby is the husband of Dorothy Mills Booth of Batesville.
Funeral services were held Thursday at Wells Funeral Home. Interment followed at Forrest Memorial Park.
Bobby was born November 24, 1935, to the late Jesse and Bervia Booth in Moorehead, MS. He was a carpenter and farmer during his lifetime. In his spare time, Bobby enjoyed fishing, football, and gardening. He attended Shiloh United Methodist Church.
Those left behind to cherish his memory include his wife, Dorothy Mills of Batesville; his children, Bobby Booth, Jr. (Jennifer) of Pope, Sheila Crutcher (Tommy) of Courtland, Lisa Stroud (Gilbert) of Courtland, and Michelle Jones (Kelly) of Olive Branch, stepson, Donald Mills; his sisters, Geneva Booth of Austell, GA., and Jeanelle Edrington of Hilton Head, SC.; brothers, Jesse Booth Jr. of Isola; grandchildren, Jessica Henry Rikard, Rick Henry, Ashley Henry Mills (David) Colton Johnson, Alisha Barnette, Bradley Booth, Brooklyn Booth, Camron Jones, Joshua Jones, and seven great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, Bobby is preceded in death by one brother, James Booth.

Lady Carolyn Embry

Lady Carolyn Embry, 77, died peacefully at her home on Wednesday, October 12, 2016 n Batesville, MS after a long struggle due to a rare lung disease, Mycobacterium Avium Complex Pulmonary Disease.
Born on December 20,1938 to William Amos Cummings and Jewel Boatman Cummings, she grew up near Eupora with her sisters Jeanette Philly, of Greenwood and Deloris Oglesby of Mobile AL.
Lady was predeceased by her youngest daughter, Beth Embry McIntyre.
She is survived by her daughter Ellen Embry; son Joey Strickland, daughter-in-law, Kim Strickland; grandchildren, Amos Strickland, Josh Strickland, Hannah McIntyre of New Orleans; and four great-grandchildren, Madeline, Jonathan, Ryleigh and Baker.
She was a faithful and loyal friend to a wonderful and supportive group of friends and adopted family members.
Lady’s home and heart were always open to old and new friends. As a Sears Merchant she ran a successful business for 20-plus years; she was known to many as the Sears Lady. Clearly on Santa’s good list, Mr. and Mrs. Claus came to visit Lady and her customers early in December every year.
Memorial services will be held at Wells Funeral Home in Batesville on Saturday, October 15, 2016.
Visitation will start at 1:30 and the memorial service at 3.
Lady would have appreciated memorial donations to the MAC Research 11937 US Hwy 271, Tyler, TX 75708,  Panola County Humane Society, P.O. Box 1756, Batesville, MS 38606 or the First United Methodist Church, 119 Panola Ave. Batesville, MS 38606

Sherita Rena Toliver

SARDIS––Sherita Rena Toliver, 36, died October 10, 2016, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-East in Memphis.
Services will be held Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at St. Peter’s M.B. Church in Sardis. Pastor Arnold Calmese will officiate. Visitation will be held 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary.
Toliver, born Oct. 29, 1979, in Sardis, to James Toliver and Jamie Toliver, both of Sardis, was a member of Morris Chapel M.B. Church.
Survivors along with her parents include: two sons, Martavian Buford and Jatavian Toliver, both of Horn Lake; daughter, Shatavia Buford of Horn Lake; four brothers, Michael Watson of Horn Lake, James Toliver Jr. and Chucky Toliver, both of Sardis and George Toliver of Batesville; five sisters, Jeanette Stokes, Angelia Wilbourn and Latoya Toliver, all of Sardis; Debrah Watson of Horn Lake and April Toliver of Batesville.