Obituaries – 2005 – W

Published 12:00 am Saturday, January 1, 2005

The Panolian: OBITUARIES (W)

2005 – W :             
  

WADE, Tina
     MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tina Wade, 32, died Friday, April 22, 2005, at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
     Services were Saturday at Visitor Chapel M.B. Church in Lambert. Burial was in Visitor Chapel Cemetery. Eddie Robinson and Son Funeral Home had charge.


WADDELL, Alfred Lee "Al"
     TALLAHASSEE, Fla.- Alfred Lee "Al" Waddell, 57, formerly of Marks, died Wednesday, May 11, 2005, at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
     Waddell, born to the late Lawrence and Gertrude Waddell, was born in Marks and graduated from Marks High School in 1961. He was employed with the Department of Corrections for 30 years serving 24 years at Lawtey Correctional Institution, three years at Tallahassee Service Center and three years at Columbia Correctional Institution. He was a member of the Royal Order of the Moose #766, North Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, Fla. He was also a member of Starke Church of God.
     He was preceded in death by his wife Pat Waddell.
     Services were Saturday at Starke Church of God in Starke, Fla. Rev. Walter Montz and Rev. Robert Johnson officiated. Burial was in Crosby Lake Cemetery in Starke, Fla. Archie Tanner Funeral Home had charge.
     Survivors include one daughter Denise Spratlin of Starke, Fla.; one brother Jesse Waddell of Jackson; five sisters, Chris Croft of Leesburg, Fla., Dorothy Hillhouse of Pearl, Lazelle Hancock of Cleveland, Tenn., Nancy Dowdle and Judy Rico, both of Batesville.


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WALDRUP, Eleanor Raye Davis
     BATESVILLE –  Eleanor Raye Davis Waldrup, 77, died Friday, June 3, 2005, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
     Services were yesterday at Batesville Presbyterian Church. Rev. Jon Burnham officiated. Burial was in Magnolia Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.
     Waldrup was a homemaker. She was a member of the Batesville Presbyterian Church and was also an elder at the church.
     Survivors include her husband, James Ed Waldrup of Batesville; two sons, James A. "Jimmy" Waldrup and William J. "Bubba" Waldrup, both of Batesville; five grandchildren, Susan Waldrup Hardy, Christy Waldrup, Jennifer Waldrup Colbert, Adam Waldrup and Alex Waldrup and three great-grandchildren, Bryce Colbert, Britton Colbert and Addison Hardy.


WALKER, Lula Jo Darby
     BATESVILLE– Lula Jo Darby Walker, 52, died Sunday, March 13, 2005, in her residence.
     Services were Wednesday at Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Terry Tribble officiated. Burial was in Center Hill Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.
     Walker, born Sept. 16, 1952, to the late Phillip and Jessie Stafford Darby, was a member of North Batesville Baptist Church.
     She was preceded in death by one brother Bill Darby.
     Survivors include one daughter Marissa Lott Milam of Batesville; two sons, Joey Lott of Southaven and Mark Lott of Batesville; 10 sisters, Nancy Ginn, Kathy Tribble, Susan Cook, Helen Pitcock, Betty Perry and Tina Woodard, all of Batesville, Melissa Darby, Reba Polson and Linda Mills, all of Courtland and Sandra Wood of Walnut; three brothers, Casey Darby of Batesville, Phillip Darby and Nolan Darby, all of Courtland and four grandchildren.
     In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Wells Funeral Home, 340 Hwy. 35 North, Batesville.


WALKER, Thyra Mae
     BATESVILLE– Thyra Mae Walker, 80, died Wednesday, March 2, 2005, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center of heart failure.
     Services are today at 2 p.m. at Wells Funeral Home. Visitation is today from noon until service time.
     Walker, born April 20, 1924, in Union, was a homemaker.
     Survivors include four daughters, Mildred Faye Walker of Houston, Texas; Bettye Jo Walker Byars of Sardis, Marjorie Lynn Walker of Cordova, Tenn. and Tyra Jean Walker Neville of Memphis, Tenn.; one sister Frances Cleveland Everette of Odessa, Texas; one brother James Arthur Cleveland of Odessa, Texas; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.


WALLACE, Ella Ruth
     BATESVILLE –  Ella Ruth Wallace, 98, died Wednesday, October 19, 2005, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
     Graveside services were Sunday at Longtown Cemetery. Rev. Larry Sappington officiated. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.
     Wallace, born Oct. 19, 1907, in Tate County to the late A.M. and Ella White Graham, was a homemaker and a member of White Oak Baptist Church in Crenshaw.
     Survivors include two sons, R.C. Wallace of Batesville and Beral Wallace of Blytheville, Ark.; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.


WALLACE, Imogene W. Nelson
     BATESVILLE–Imogene W. Nelson Wallace, 80, died Saturday, April 9, 2005, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
     Services are today at 2 p.m. at Dickins Chapel. Rev. Larry Sappington will officiate. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Cemetery in Pope. Dickins Funeral Home has charge.
     Wallace, born May 29, 1924, in Pope, to the late Thomas Jefferson Nelson and the late Nancy Katherine Leatherwood Nelson, was Panola County Tax Collector and Assessor from 1983-1992 and a member of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church.
     Survivors include her husband R.C. Wallace of Batesville; three sons, Jerry Williamson of Acworth, Ga., Lawrence Williamson of Red Boiling Springs, Tenn. and Mike Williamson of Athens, Ga.; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
     Memorials may be made to Chapel Hill Cemetery Funds, c/o Helen Bell, P.O. Box 47, Courtland, Miss. 38620.


WALLACE, Louise Burford
    
BATESVILLE- Louise Burford Wallace, 104, died Monday, December 26, 2005, at Beverly Healthcare Center in Batesville.
     Services were Wednesday at Independence United Methodist Church. Burial was in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Independence. Pate-Jones Funeral Home had charge.
     Wallace was a retired public school teacher and a member of Independence United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clayton Wallace.
     Survivors include one sister, Allene Crockett of Senatobia; 11 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great-grandchildren.


WALLS, Darron Keith
     COURTLAND – Darron Keith Walls, 36, died Saturday, October 1, 2005, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
     Services are today at 1 p.m. at New Bethlehem Baptist Church in Batesville. Rev. Walter Nash will officiate. Visitation will be today from noon to 1 p.m. Burial will be in Bethlehem Cemetery in Batesville. Eddie Robinson and Son Funeral Home has charge.
Walls was a former member of the National Guard.
     He was preceded in death by his father, Cary Walls.
     Survivors include his mother, Velma Hines; two sons, Alexandra Walls and Gekeithrick Walls, both of Batesville; one daughter, Sheniqua Carr of Batesville; two sisters, Sharon Johnson and Carolyn Hubrins, both of Courtland; one brother, Glenn Hines of Courtland and a host of nieces and nephews.


WARD, Frank Sr.
    
COMO- Frank Ward Sr., 80, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004, at V.A. Medical Center in Memphis.
     Services are today at noon at St. James C.O.G.I.C. Church in Como. Burial is in Senatobia Memorial Cemetery. Pate-Jones Funeral Home has charge.
     Ward was a retired brick layer and a member of Faith Temple C.O.G.I.C where he was also pastor.
     He was preceded in death by one daughter Patricia A. Ward.
     Survivors include his wife Alsie Ward of Como; five daughters, Barbara N. Hall of Southaven, Linda Martin, Glendora Beard and Jackie Doyle, all of Memphis and Sharon Ward of Como; four sons, Rufus Norwood of Batesville, Frank Ward Jr. of Memphis, Alvon S. Ward and Vincent Ward, both of Charlotte, N.C.; 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.


WATSON, Eleanor Hardy
     RULEVILLE–Eleanor Hardy Watson, 80, died Monday, April 18, 2005, at Ruleville Health Care.  Graveside services were Thursday at Marks Cemetery. Rev. James Tidwell officiated. Kimbro Funeral Home had charge.
     Watson, born Oct. 20, 1924, in Birdie, was a member of Drew Baptist Church and a bookkeeper.    She was preceded in death by her son Doug Watson.
     Survivors include her sister Frances Harrison of Marks.


WATTS, Travis Lamar
     BATESVILLE –  Travis Lamar Watts, 53, died Monday, November 21, 2005, at Baptist Memorial of North Mississippi.
     Services were Wednesday at Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Shiloh Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.
     Watts, born May 27, 1952, to the late William N. and Juanita Tedford Watts, was the night manager for Yocona Gin.
     Survivors include his wife Dovie Hardy Anderson Watts of Batesville; one daughter Kelly Amanda Watts of Lexington, Ky.; one son Zack K. Watts of Bay St. Louis; two step-daughters, Ashley Bridgitt Anderson of Batesville and Heather Elizabeth Anderson of Cleveland and two brothers, Terry C. Watts of Kingsport, Tenn. and Chris N. Watts of Tunica.


Weaver, Linda Gail
     POPE- Linda Gail Weaver, 31, of Pope, died Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2004, from an automobile accident.
     Services were Thursday at Dickins Chapel. Rev. Tommy Darby officiated. Burial was in Bethel Cemetery. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.
     Weaver, born July 16, 1973, to Anderson Alfred Moore and the late Dasie Williams Moore, was a homemaker and attended Willow Springs Assembly of God.
     Survivors in addition to her father, include her step-mother Georgia Moore of Pope; one son Thomas Gregory Gant of Pope; one daughter Krystal Gale Moore of Pope; two brothers, Terry Cagle of Huntsville, Ala. and David Moore of Enid; one half-brother Thomas Moore of Joliet, Ill. and one sister Elizabeth Ann Potts of Pope.


WEBB, James C. "Jimmy" Jr.
    
BATESVILLE – James C. "Jimmy" Webb Jr., 41, died Saturday, November 6, 2005, in Courtland in a fire truck accident responding to a fire.
     Services are tomorrow at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Rev. Gerald Walker and Dr. Greg Johnston will officiate. Burial will be in Goodhope Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home has charge.
     Webb, born August 16, 1964, in Panola County to James C. and Betty Elmore Webb, was a member of Goodhope Baptist Church, graduated from South Panola High School and attended two years at Mississippi State University. He graduated from Fire Academy in 1999, was assistant fire chief for Bynum Fire Department and a certified emergency medical responder. He was also a truck driver for Steel Service Corporation.
     Survivors include his wife Daphne Tutor Webb of Batesville; two sons, Justin Caleb Travis Webb and Samuel Blake Webb, both of Batesville; his parents, James C. and Betty Elmore Webb, both of Courtland; three sisters, Pam Webb Webb of Batesville, Rebecca Webb Pinkard of Courtland and Donna Webb Ray of Southaven.
     Memorials may be made to Goodhope Baptist Church or the Bynum Fire Department.


WEBB, Lois Egbert
    
BATESVILLE – Lois Egbert Webb, 81, died Tuesday, November 1, 2005, at Baptist Hospital in Oxford.
     Services are tomorrow at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. Rev. Russell Fletcher will officiate. Burial will be in Batesville-Magnolia Cemetery. Visitation is tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m. Dickins Funeral Home has charge.
     Webb, born Feb. 18, 1924, in Joliet, Ill., to the late Ralph Plumb Egbert and the late Helen Bloomfield Egbert, was the retired owner and operator of Phil Webb Office Supply and a member of Batesville First United Methodist Church.
     She was preceded in death by her husband, Phil Webb.
     Survivors include one son, James Ralph "Jim" Webb of Batesville; one daughter, Barbara Webb Rodman of Batesville; one brother, John Ralph Egbert of Batesville; two grandchildren, Craig Webb of Water Valley and Patrick Webb of Atlanta, Ga. and one great-grandchild, Wesley Webb of Water Valley.


WEEMS, Will Earnest
     BATESVILLE- Will Earnest Weems, 87, died Thursday, May 12, 2005, at her residence.
     Memorial services were Saturday at Cooley’s Mortuary Chapel. Rev. Larry Key officiated. Cremains are in Batesville Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary had charge.
     Weems, born May 27, 1917, in Batesville to the late Earnest Hibbler and the late Gertie Holman Hibbler, was a laborer and a member of Coleman Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church.
     Survivors include her cousins who cared for her, Flora Clark, Ann Bradford and Gilbert and Bobbie N. McThunel, all of Batesville.


WESLEY, Johnny
     COMO – Johnny Wesley, 41, died Friday, October 21, 2005.
     Services are today at 11 a.m. at Mt. Level M.B. Church in Como. Rev. Bobby Walker will officiate. Burial will be in Mt. Level Cemetery. Visitation is also today at 10 a.m. at Mt. Level M.B. Church. Henderson Funeral Home has charge.
     Wesley, born April 14, 1964, to Odessa and the late Robert Wesley, was a member of Mt. Level M.B. Church in Como and a common laborer.
     Survivors, along with his mother, include one daughter, April Wesley of Crenshaw; one sister, Pamela K. Wesley of Sardis; three brothers, Robert Wesley of Memphis, Tenn., Michael Wesley of Greenwood and Mark Wesley of Memphis, Tenn.; six aunts and three uncles.
 


WEST, Ralph Dewayne
     COMO – Ralph Dewayne West, 66, died Wednesday, October 5, 2005, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
     Services are today at 1 p.m. at Moore-Nowell Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Robert Hickey will officiate. Burial will be in Union Baptist Cemetery near Sardis. Moore-Nowell Funeral Home has charge.
     West, born Jan. 1, 1939, in Corinth to the late Roy C. and May Bell Moore West, was a retired mechanic for Ridgeland Country Club and a member of Shady Grove Methodist Church in Corinth.
     Survivors include his wife, Helen Hudson West of Como; two daughters, Teresa Fletcher of Collierville, Tenn. and Sheila Carter of Rienzi; two sons, Roy D. West of Lamar and John M. West of Collierville, Tenn.; one sister, Dorothy Hamblin of Jonesboro, Ark.; 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.


WHITAKER, James Sturgeon "Doc" Sr.
     BATESVILLE – James Sturgeon "Doc" Whitaker Sr., 77, died Saturday, July 9, 2005.
     Visitation is today from 6 – 8 p.m. at Batesville First United Methodist Church. Services will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Batesville First United Methodist Church. Martin Case and Russell Fletcher will officiate. Burial will be Magnolia Cemetery. Dickins Funeral Home has charge.
     Whitaker, born Jan. 21, 1928, to the late Dr. Darel Wesley Whitaker and the late Reba Sturgeon Whitaker, was a retired agent for John Hancock Financial Services, a 1950 graduate of The University of Mississippi with a BS in physical education and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Batesville and Wesley Sunday School Class. He was designated a Charter Life Underwriter (CLU) in 1973 and attained his ChFC designation in 1991. He was a member of the Million Dollar Round Table for 10 years. He served two terms as Batesville Alderman-at-Large from 1976-1984, and was a member and past president of Batesville Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a past member of Batesville Chamber of Commerce and a past board member of Union Planters Bank. Whitaker was active in the Panola Historical and Genealogical Society. He played fullback for the Ole Miss football team from 1946-1950, was a member of the Mississippi High School Athletic Association and a football and basketball referee from 1955-1970.
     He was preceded in death by his brother, Vernon "Punk" Whitaker.
     Survivors include his wife Joyce Womack Whitaker of Batesville; one son James S. Whitaker Jr. of Batesville; two daughters, Julia W. Lange of Batesville and Deborah W. George of Black Hawk, Colo.; two brothers, Mirl Whitaker of Springfield, Mo. and Clyde Whitaker of Tupelo; four sisters, Mary Alice Broome of Kansas City, Mo., Stella Jo Whitaker of Denver, Colo., Alta Irving of Loudon, Tenn. and Barbara W. Smith of Jackson; five grandchildren, Courtney, Jessica, and Lauren Lange, Amanda and Jeremy George and two great-grandchildren, Logan and Cody George.


WHITE, Robert T.
    
COFFEEVILLE–Robert T. White, 73, died Monday, April 11, 2005, at Grenada Lake Medical Center in Grenada of heart failure.
     Services are today at 11 a.m. at Pine Grove Baptist Church in Coffeeville. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home has charge.
     White, born May 21, 1931, in Crowder to the late Henry Bruce and the late Darnie Hendrix White, was a retired maintenance worker for the Corps of Engineers, a U.S. Army Veteran of WWII and a member of Crowder Baptist Church.
     Survivors include one daughter Linda White Maclachlan of Philadelphia, Pa.; two sons, Bobby White of Las Vegas, Nev. and Pat White of Philadelphia, Pa.; one step-son Jimmy Griffin of Greenwood; two sisters, Opal White McDowell and Fay White Brister, both of Batesville; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.


WHITEHEAD, Albert III
    
COMO- Albert Whitehead III, 21, died Tues., Jan. 18, 2005, from injuries received in an automobile accident.
     Services were Saturday at New Bethel M.B. Church in Darling. Burial was in New Bethel Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary had charge.
     Whitehead, born Feb. 20, 1983, in Marks, to L.V. Whitehead and Joyce Flax Whitehead, was a member of New Bethel M.B. Church in Darling.
     Survivors, in addition to his parents, include his grandparents, Ethel and Albert Whitehead Jr. of Crenshaw; one daughter, Khaliyah Brooks of Crenshaw; two sisters, Lisa Whitehead and April Whitehead, both of Como, and three brothers, Marius Whitehead of Senatobia, Tremayne Whitehead of Horn Lake and Louis Victor Whitehead Jr. of Como.


WIGGINS, Harvey Lee
     SARDIS- Harvey Lee Wiggins, 68, died Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2005, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford of heart failure.
     Services are today at 2 p.m. at Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Union Cemetery in Sardis. Wells Funeral Home has charge.
     Wiggins, born June 19, 1936, in Marked Tree, Ark., to the late Ed and Mary Leach Wiggins, was a farm manager and a gin operator.
     Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Ellen Isbell Wiggins of Sardis; three daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and Travis Whirley and Brenda and Jimmy Patrick, all of Sardis and Janet James Posey of Saltillo; two sons and daughters-in-law, Leroy and Mary Wiggins of Pullman, Mich. and Jessie and Marsha Wiggins of Batesville; two sisters, Francis Wiggins Long of Southaven, Mich. and Delois Wiggins Nation of Pullman, Mich.; one half-sister Willidean Leach Hamlett of Guin, Ala.; one half- brother Alton Leach of Allagon, Mich.; 10 grandchildren, Jennifer Pettit, Chasity Whirley, Ashley Wiggins, Hannah Toliver, Andrea Hudson, Jonathan Hudson, Thomas Patrick, Kristopher Wiggins, Shelby Wiggins, and Leroy Wiggins; three great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind his beloved toy poodle, Harley.


WILBORN, Homer Jr.
    
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Homer Wilborn Jr., 58, formerly of Sardis, died Tuesday, November 22, 2005, at his residence.
     Services were yesterday at Cooley’s Mortuary Chapel. Cooley’s Mortuary had charge.
     Wilborn, born June 15, 1947, to the late Homer Wilborn and the late Jimmie Lee Burnette Wilborn, was a retired dough mixer for Hostess Company in Detroit, Mich.
     Survivors include his wife, Clarice Wilborn of Memphis, Tenn.; four daughters, April Callahan, Racquel Fuller, Tiffany Fuller and Nikki Fuller, all of Detroit, Mich.; three sisters, Louella Webb and Virginia Wilborn, both of Sardis and Sarah Wilborn of Akron, Ohio; six brothers, David U. Wilborn, Raniey Wilborn, Wayne Wilborn and James Melvin Wilborn, all of Sardis, W.T. Wilborn of Coldwater and Willie James Wilborn of Detroit, Mich. and six grandchildren.


WILBOURN, Jimmie L.
     SARDIS– Jimmie L. Wilbourn, 72, died Saturday, March 19, 2005, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford.
     Services were Thursday at Rock Hill M.B. Church. Rev. James Buchanan officiated. Burial was in Rock Hill Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary had charge.
     Wilbourn, born April 5, 1932, in Tyro to the late Hubert Martin and the late Willis Burnette, was a housewife and a member of Rock Hill M.B. Church in Sardis.
     Survivors include three daughters, Louella Webb and Virginia Wilbourn, both of Sardis and Sarah Wilbourn of Akron, Ohio; seven sons, James Melvin Wilbourn, Ulysses Wilbourn, Wayne Wilbourn and Rainey Wilbourn, all of Sardis, Homer Wilbourn Jr. of Bartlett, Tenn., Willie James Wilbourn of Detroit, Mich. and W.T. Wilbourn of Coldwater; five sisters, Ethel Bradley of Como, Emma Jefferson and Josephine Miles, both of Jackson, Ruthie Jean Miles of Detroit, Mich. and Ruby Carter of Chicago, Ill.; three brothers, Jessie Frank Burnette, George Ellis Burnette and Belaster Burnette, all of Detroit, Mich.; 26 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.


WILKERSON, Katheryn Bailey
     SARDIS – Katheryn Bailey Wilkerson, 78, died Thursday, July 28, 2005, at her residence.
     Services were Saturday at Union Baptist Church in Sardis. Rev. Jimmy Houston and Rev. Marvin Chism officiated. Burial was in Union Baptist Church cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.
     Wilkerson, born Aug. 14, 1926, in Coldwater to the late Roger and Effie Mae Clanton Bailey, was a homemaker and a member of Union Baptist Church.
     Survivors include her husband, Tyson S. Wilkerson of Sardis; two sons, Thomas S. Wilkerson of Courtland and Albert W. Wiilkerson of Ripley; one brother, James Bailey of Coldwater; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
     Memorials may be made to the Union Baptist Church Cemetery fund.


WILKES, Barbara Ann Hall
     KENNESAW, Ga.- Barbara Ann Hall Wilkes, 64, died Sunday, Jan. 23, 2005, at Kennestone Hospital in Marrietta, Ga.
     Services are tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Macedonia M.B. Church. Rev. Zannie Leland will officiate. Burial is in Macedonia Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.
     Wilkes, born Dec. 9, 1940, in Batesville, to the late Dudley Hall Sr. and the late Fannie Lee James Hall, was a member of Macedonia M.B. Church and a purchasing specialist for Minact Inc. in Kennesaw, Ga.
     Survivors include one daughter, Kimberly Little of Kennesaw, Ga.; one sister, Frances Jones of Crenshaw; one brother, Dudley Hall Jr. of Batesville and one grandchild.


WILKINS, Larry L.
    
FLORENCE – Larry L. Wilkins, 49, died Sunday, June 19, 2005, at the Veterans Home in Oxford.
     Graveside services were Sunday at Batesville Magnolia Cemetery. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.
     Wilkins, born Dec. 18, 1955, to the late Wayne Wilkins and the late Lucille Austin Wilkins, was a truck driver and a U.S. Army veteran. He was also a member of the Church of Christ in Jackson.
     Survivors include his wife, Gloria Wilkins of Florence; three brothers, Mike Wilkins of Batesville, Kenneth Wilkins of Oxford and Barry Wilkins of Pearl and one sister, Sue Garner of Jackson.


WILLIAMS, Cleveland J. "CJ" Williams Sr.
     WARRENVILLE, S.C. – Cleveland J. "CJ" Williams Sr., 98, died Friday, August 12, 2005, at his residence.
     Services are today at 1 p.m. at West Camp Church where he was a member. Burial will be in West Camp Cemetery. Hodges Funeral Home has charge.
     Williams was a farmer and a native of Panola County. He spent much of his life securing voting rights for African Americans in Panola County and Mississippi.  After attending grammar school in Batesville, he attended Piney Woods School south of Jackson under the instruction of Dr. R. C. Jones. Too poor to return home during summers, Williams remained at the school and worked, earning the respect of the school’s founder. 
     Williams met his wife, the former Elemira Richardson at Bethlehem M.B. Church when the congregation met in a log cabin.  In 1964, as hundreds of students from northern colleges and universities were organized by the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) to spend the summer in Mississippi to register blacks as voters, Williams was among the local hosts who opened their homes to provide lodging during the Mississippi Freedom Summer project.   When voter registration efforts of that summer led to the creation of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, Williams was chosen as one of four delegates from Panola County to attended the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City.
     In 1966, Williams became one of the first black residents since Reconstruction to seek elective office in Panola County. He was also instrumental in the organization of the West Batesville Farmers’ Co-op.
     He was preceded in death by his wife.
     Survivors include four daughters, Nina Kimble of Batesville, Cordia Pickney of Indianapolis, Ind., Geraldine Hicks of Alexandria, Va. and Lula Williams of Los Angeles, Calif.; two sons, Cleveland J. Williams III of Warenville, S.C. and Lacey Williams of Courtland; three sisters, Emma W. Postell of Hephzibah, Ga., Lou Christie Walls of Tacoma, Wash. and Audrest Hughes of Denton, Texas; 19 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.  


WILLIAMS, David Andrew
    
CROWDER- David Andrew Williams, 59, died Friday, December 9, 2005, at his residence.
     Services were Monday at Dickins Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Larry Kilgore officiated. Burial was in Crowder Cemetery. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.
     Williams, born July 6, 1946, in Quitman County to Vera Mae Vick Williams and the late John Sharp Williams, was a painter.
     Survivors include his mother, Vera Mae Williams of Crowder; one son, Jason Williams of Batesville; two daughters, Dorothy Mae Boyett and Janice McCullar, both of Batesville; two brothers, James Earl Williams and Marvin Ray Williams, both of Crowder; three sisters, Ruby Frances Kennedy of Batesville, Carolyn Russell of Oakland and Jennett Carpenter of Burlington, Texas and six grandchildren.


WILLIAMS, Jewell Allen
     LAMBERT – Jewell Allen Williams, 73, died Thursday, August 18, 2005, at Leake County Memorial Hospital in Carthage.
     Services are today at 10 a.m. at Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home has charge.
     Williams, born May 15, 1932, in Kosciusko to the late Clarence Jewell and the late Neva Thompson Williams, was a Baptist and a retired U.S. Air Force Major, having served in the Vietnam War, and also a retired C.P.A.
     He was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Sue Atkins Williams, and one daughter, Dana Leigh Powell.
     Survivors include two daughters, Laura E. Franco of Bellevue, Wash. and Lynne M. Rose of Gaithersburg, Md.; two sons, Kurt A. Williams of Ellsworth, Kan. and Derek Williams of California; one brother, Mitchell Williams of Philadelphia and 13 grandchildren.


WILLINGHAM, Eva Mae Pough
    
BATESVILLE- Eva Mae Pough Willingham, 86, died Friday, December, 16, 2005, at his residence.
     Services are Thursday at 1 p.m. at New Bethlehem M.B. Church. Visitation is Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with family hour from 5 to 6 p.m., and Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. Rev. W.L. Nash will officiate. Burial will be in New Bethlehem Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.
     Willingham, born October 22, 1919, in Sardis to the late Gennie Pough and the late Jessie-Mae Thomas, was a retired cook and a foster mother. She was also a member of New Bethlehem M.B. Church. She was a choir member, on the mother board and dietary committee.
     Survivors include her husband of 71 years, Earnest Willingham of Batesville; three daughters, Sarah Reynolds, Edith Willingham and Constance P. Willingham, all of Batesville; seven sons, Joe Alvin Willingham, Ricky C. Willingham, Walter B. Willingham and Michael Willingham, all of Batesville, Doyle Willingham of Sardis Jimmie Lee Willingham of Oxford and Willie James Willingham of Compton, Calif.; one sister, Junita Cauthen of Memphis, Tenn.; 32 grandchildren; 52 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.


WILLIS, Nancy Camille
    
BATESVILLE- Nancy Camille Willis, 19, died Saturday, December 10, 2005, from injuries received in an automobile accident.
     Services were Monday at First United Methodist Church. Rev. Russell Fletcher officiated. Burial was in Batesville Magnolia Cemetery. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.
     Willis, born October 15, 1986, in Oxford to John David Willis and Danielle Broome Willis, was a member of First United Methodist Church. She was a student at The University of Mississippi where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. She graduated from South Panola High School in 2005 where she was on the honor roll, Rotary Student of the Month, 2002 Most Beautiful and homecoming court in ninth, eleventh and twelfth grades. She received the Lady Tiger Award (softball) in tenth grade. She was a high school cheerleader, played high school softball in ninth and tenth grades, tennis her senior year, student council, Risque Business, Jr. Civitan Club, Youth for Christ, Peer Counselor, Venture Crew, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Technology Students of America (secretary), Sub-Deb Cotillion and volunteered as a Candy Striper.
     Survivors include her parents, John David and Danielle Broome Willis of Batesville; her brother, John Wesley Willis of Batesville and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur V. Broome, Mrs. Ruth Willis of Batesville and the late Wray W. Willis.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church.


WILSON, Rev. Arthur Leon
     ALTON, Mo.- Rev. Arthur Leon Wilson, 66, formerly of Pope, died Monday, Feb. 7, 2005, at his residence in Alton, Mo.
     Services were at Clary Funeral Home in Alton, Mo. Burial was in the Eagle’s Rest Cemetery in Wirth, Ark. Rev. Wilson was laid to rest with military honors. Clary Funeral Home had charge.
     He was preceded in death by two children, Rhonda Joy and Mark and his father Arthur Wilson, all of Carthage.
     Survivors include his wife Kathleen Wilson of Alton, Mo.; two sons, Danny Wilson and Derwin Wilson, both of Pope; three daughters, Mrs. Glenda Kendall of Cascilla, Teresa Bullard of Crowder and Priscilla Wilson of Alton, Mo.; his mother, Irene Wilson of Pearl; one sister, Mrs. Willie McDonald of Pearl; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren.


WILSON, Bobby Mack
     CRENSHAW- Bobby Mack Wilson, 62, died Friday, Feb. 4, 2005, from injuries received in an automobile accident.
     Services are today at 10 a.m. at Kimbro Funeral Home in Marks. Rev. Lamar Davis will officiate. Burial will be in Paul’s Cemetery near Charleston. Kimbro Funeral Home has charge.
     Wilson, born April 29, 1942, in Quitman County, was in the U.S. Army and was Pentecostal.
     Survivors include one daughter Jennifer Freeman of Holcombe; three sisters, Betty Brown and Mildred Young, both of Sardis and Frances Finn of Crenshaw; two brothers, Eddie Davis of Sardis and Billy Wilson of Coldwater, and two grandsons.


WILSON, Sarah Frances Martindale
     OXFORD – Sarah Frances Martindale Wilson, 87, died Thursday, November 17, 2005, at her residence.
     Services were Sunday at Waller Funeral Home in Oxford. Rev. John Kramer officiated. Burial was in St. Peter’s Cemetery. Waller Funeral Home had charge.
     Wilson was a charter member of St. Andrews United Methodist Church and an avid bridge player.
     She was preceded in death by her son, C.S. "Carl" Wilson Jr., and her husband, C.S. "Crack" Wilson.
     Survivors include one daughter, Shelia Wilson Bullard of Oxford; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
     Memorials may be made to St. Andrews United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 6, Oxford, MS 38655.


WINSTON, Sophia Ocelia Gray
    
BATESVILLE – Sophia Ocelia Gray Winston, 88, died Sunday, December 11, 2005, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
     Services are today at 1 p.m. at Bluff Springs M.B. Church. Rev. L.C. Smith will officiate. Burial will be in Bluff Springs Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.
     Winston, born Jan. 10, 1917, to the late Jim Gray and the late Rema Leonard Gray, was a member of Bluff Springs M.B. Church and a homemaker.
     Survivors include her husband Henry Winston of Warrenton, Mo.; three daughters, Bobbie Hoskins and Betty Love, both of Batesville and Arneita Gray of Lithonia, Ga.; two sons, Willie Leslie Lester of Shreveport, La. and Nathaniel Gray of St. Louis, Mo.; two sisters, Velma Wallace and Minnie Myrtle Woodson, both of St. Louis, Mo.; 25 grandchildren; 45 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren.
 


WOLFE, Joe Talmadge
     CHARLESTON – Joe Talmadge Wolfe, 68, died Wednesday, May 4, 2005, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford of heart failure.
     Services are today at 2 p.m. at Charleston First Baptist Church. Burial will be in Magnolia Gardens Cemetery in Paynes. Womble Funeral Home has charge.
     Wolfe, born Oct. 23, 1936, in Talla County to the late Joe Roy Wolfe and Hettie Lee Cole Wolfe, was a member of Charleston First Baptist Church and a retired farmer.
     Survivors include his wife Irene Roberson Wolfe; two daughters, Melissa Jane Collier of Oxford and Shauna Stanford of Charleston; two sons, Bert Wolfe and Jason Wolfe, both of Charleston; one sister Hettie Ruth Speir of Charleston; one brother Roy H. Wolfe of Charleston; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
     Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 23047, Jackson, Miss. 39225-3047.


WOODARD, Bernice Rowland
    
BATESVILLE – Bernice Rowland Woodard, 91, died Monday, August 8, 2005, at Beverly Healthcare.
     Services were yesterday at Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Doug Pepper officiated. Burial was in Forrest Memorial Park. Wells Funeral Home had charge.
     Woodard, born March 4, 1914, in Walnut to the late Tolbert and Ola Rowland, was a homemaker.
     She was preceded in death by her husband, Johnnie A. Woodard.
     Survivors include two sons, Jimmy D. Woodard of Batesville and Johnny D. Woodard of Locust, N.C.; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.


WOODS, Willie
    
BATESVILLE – Willie Woods, 87, died Tuesday, November 29, 2005, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford.
     Services are today at 2 p.m. at Dickins Funeral Home. Visitation is today 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Burial will be in Clear Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. Dickins Funeral Home has charge.
     Woods, born to the late Joseph Hamilton Wood and the late Elar Tramel Wood, was an Army veteran and a carpenter.
     Survivors include his wife Jewell Earline West Wood and one sister Vera Vaughn Jackson.

 

    


                                         
                         
 

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