Obituaries 4/28/2015
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Jennifer Christine Beall Cobb
BATESVILLE––Jennifer Christine “Chris” Beall Cobb, 43, died Thursday afternoon, April 23, 2015 at her residence.
Memorial services were held Monday at the First Presbyterian Church in Oxford. The Reverend John Semmes officiated. Wells Funeral Home had charge of arrangements.
Cobb was born December 28, 1971 in Columbia to Dudley and Harriet Beasley Beall of Batesville. She was a graduate of South Panola High School and went on to receive her masters’ degree in special education from The University of Mississippi.
She taught special education for several years in the Lafayette County School and South Panola School Districts and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Oxford.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by her husband, Trey Cobb of Batesville; three nieces, Maddy Handy, Sadie Cobb, Charlotte Cobb; and one nephew, Jake Handy.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Beall, and one brother, Carlisle Beall.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Camp Hopewell of Oxford, Food Pantry of Oxford, or to the South Panola Educational Foundation.
Jessie Earl Draper
OXFORD-Jessie Earl Draper, 71, died April 22, 2015 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi.
He was a native of Panola County and a heavy equipment operator for Lehman Roberts Gravel Company
Services were held Saturday at Mt. Gillion M.B. Church, with burial in the church cemetery. Hodges Funeral Homes in Oxford had charge.
Survivors include: his wife, Angie Draper of Oxford; three daughters, Sandra Mitchell of Milwaukee, Wis.; Lore Rice, St. Louis, Nedra Bost, Chicago; six sons, Robert E. Vaughn, Jessie Carl Draper, Anthony Bost, all of Oxford; Willie E. Vaughn, Donald Draper and Kenneth Draper, all of St. Louis; one sister, Estella Beldsoe of Batesville; three brothers, James Draper of Batesville; Stanford Draper Jr. and Issac Draper, both of Sardis; 35 grandchildren and 44 great grandchildren.
Sta’Kelly M. Jackson
SARDIS––Sta’Kelly M. Jackson, 20, died Thursday, April 23, 2015, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
Services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at Mt. Gillion M.B. Church located on Terza Road in Batesville. Pastor Cedric Jackson will officiate. Burial will be in Mt. Gillion Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held Wednesday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary.
Jackson, born July 21, 1994, in Senatobia, to Robert Trantham Jr. of Memphis and Stacy Jackson of Sardis, attended North Panola High School and was employed at McDonald’s in Sardis as a cashier and cook.
Survivors, along with her parents, include: four sisters, Stalisha Jackson, Stalayzah Bonner, both of Sardis, Joneisha Trantham and Cashity Sanders, both of Memphis and two brothers, Demoree Fields of Murray, Ky. and Roderious Sanders of Memphis.
J. C. Sexton
SARDIS – J. C. Sexton, 83, died Sunday, April 26, 2015 at his residence.
Services will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Martin Willingham Memorial Chapel of Wells Funeral Home. Burial will be in Peach Creek Cemetery in Sardis. Visitation will be held Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Wells Funeral Home, who has charge of arrangements. Mr. Hal Johnson and Reverend Bobby Caples will officiate.
Sexton was born March 18, 1932 to the late Claude R. Sexton and Sara Jane Cook Sexton in Sledge. During his lifetime, he first served under Sheriff Earl Hubbard from 1964 to 1967. After Sheriff Hubbard did not seek re-election, he went back to farming, raising cattle and operating his gravel pits. When Sheriff David Bryan was first elected in 1976, Sheriff Bryan appointed Sexton as Chief Deputy of Northern Panola County, where he served until his retirement in 1995. He enjoyed collecting antique tractors, and played a pivotal role in bringing the Antique Tractor Show to Sardis in 1990. This annual event continues today. He was a member of Peach Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include: his wife Teresa Arbuckle Sexton of Como; his daughter Evelyn Hopper of Shawnee, Kansas, step-daughter Mariam Wahl of Madison; two sons Gary Sexton of Senatobia and Jeff Sexton of Batesville; two step-sons, one sister Mildred Parrish of Pontotoc and one brother Claude Sexton of Pontotoc; five grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, and six step great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions in Mr. Sexton’s name can be made to Panola County Cancer Relief Fund, c/o Red Hudson, 447 John Branch Rd., Batesville, MS 38606 or the Baptist Children’s Village, 805 N. Flag Chapel Rd. Jackson, MS 39209.
Virginia Tucker
BATESVILLE–Virginia “Sis” Tucker, age 78, passed away Friday morning, April 24, 2015 at Baptist Memorial Hospital of North in Oxford
Services were held Monday at Wells Funeral Home Chapel with interment following in Forrest Memorial Park in Batesville The Reverend Shane Crawford officiated.
Born March 10, 1937 in Hernando to the late James Harry and Katherine Jane Woodard Craft, she was of the Baptist faith and cared for her family as a homemaker.
Survivors include: her daughter, Cindy Tucker Russell of Waleska, Ga; four sons, Billy Tucker of Rockwell, N.C., Timmy Tucker of Water Valley, Chuck Tucker of Batesville, and Jerry Tucker of Tupelo; sister, Donna Tidwell of Batesville; fifteen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd “Doll” Tucker and two great-grandchildren, Landon and Waylon Tucker
Martin ‘Slick’ Willingham
BATESVILLE––Martin “Slick” Willingham, 87, died Friday, April 24, 2015, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
Services were held Sunday at Wells Funeral Home. Burial was in Magnolia Cemetery. Reverends Glyn Wiygul, Ed Temple and Dr. Martin Case officiated.
Willingham, born September 30, 1927 in Panola County, to the late Grady and Natalie Martin Willingham, served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II. After 38 years, he retired from Tennessee Gas Company and he spent the next 15 years working for Wells Funeral Home.
He was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church of Batesville where he was a member of the Wesleyan Sunday School Class. He also was a 50- year member of the Panola Masonic Lodge #66 and a 32nd Degree Scottish Rights Member.
Survivors include: his wife of 62 years, Rita Caldwell Willingham of Batesville; daughter, Allison Willingham Thomas of Holandale; son, Kirk C. Willingham of Batesville, three grandchildren, Colton Thomas, Claire Thomas and Addison Willingham.
Anyone wishing to send memorial donations may forward those to the First United Methodist Church, 119 Panola Avenue, Batesville, MS 38606.
Little Zykevian D. Wright
COMO – Little Zykevian D. Wright, 5, died Friday, April 24, 2015, from injuries received in a house fire.
Services will be held Wednesday at noon at West Side Church of Christ in Como. Pastor Randie McAdory will officiate. Burial will be in Loaxhoma Church of Christ Cemetery, east of Senatobia. Visitation will be held at 11 a.m. until services at the church. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.
Wright, born Jan. 2, 2010, in Southaven, to Demarcus Wheeler of Byhalia and Kaneshia Wright of Como, attended Crenshaw ICS Head Start Center.
Survivors, along with his parents, include: his brother, Jaylin Wright of Como.
