DAHLKE, Jerome "Joe"
     BATESVILLE – Jerome "Joe" Dahlke, 77, died Saturday, September 2, 2006, at his home.
     Services were Tuesday at Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Terry Floyd officiated. Burial was in Holly Springs Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.
     Dahlke, born June 8, 1929, in Westin, Wis., to the late Joseph and Susan Foch Dahlke, was a former Chicago White Sox pitcher. He was inducted into the Central Wisconsin Hall of Fame in 2004. His first major league appearance was in 1956 in Yankee Stadium where he retired in order Mickey Mantle, Bill "Moose" Skowron and Yogi Berra. His career was cut short by an arm injury. He also played AA baseball with the Memphis Chicks.
     He was a retired pipefitter for Memphis Light Gas and Water of Memphis.
     Survivors include his wife Sue Dahlke of Batesville; two daughters, Kathy Dahlke Casey of Bartlett, Tenn., Perian Dahlke Yeargin of Batesville; three sons, Jerry Dahlke of Cordova, Tenn., Bruce Dahkle of Bartlett, Tenn. and Denver Dahlke of Ft. Worth, Texas; two sisters, Ruth Dahlke Hirsch and Joyce Dahlke Seiwert and two brothers, Harold Dahlke and Harvey Dahlke, all of Wausau, Wis.; 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

DANDRIDGE, Melvin Lewis
     SENATOBIA –  Melvin Lewis Dandridge, 49, died Saturday, April 1, 2006, at Baptist DeSoto Hospital in Southaven.
     Services are Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hickory Grove M.B. Church in Coldwater. Rev. T.A. Lawrence will officiate. Burial will be in Hickory Grove Church Cemetery. Visitation is today at Pate-Jones Funeral Home. Pate-Jones Funeral Home has charge.
     Dandridge was a member of Hickory Grove M.B. Church in Coldwater.
     Survivors include one sister Liza Keys of Sardis; two brothers, L.C. Johnson of Senatobia and Eddie D. Dandridge of West Memphis, Ark.

DANIEL, Barbara Jean
     SARDIS –  Barbara Jean Daniel, 70, died Monday, March 20, 2006, at Jackson Madison General Hospital in Jackson, Tenn.
     Services were Thursday at Moore-Nowell Funeral Home Chapel. Rev Roy Wilson and Rev. Moses Atwood officiated. Burial was in Bethel Cemetery in Coldwater. Moore-Nowell Funeral Home had charge.
     Daniel, born to the late Vance W. White and the late Lillie Lence White, was a homemaker and a member of Black Jack Baptist Church.
     She was preceded in death by her husband, Clinton Eugene Daniel.
     Survivors include two daughters, Debbie Stubblefield of Jackson, Tenn. and Shelia Finnell of Pearl; one sister, Nell Johnson of Sardis and three grandchildren.

DAUGHERTY, Jewel W.
     POPE – Jewel W. Daugherty, 86, died Friday, June 9, 2006, at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis.
     Services were Sunday at Wells Funeral Home. Rev. Ray Legge officiated. Burial was in Liberty Hill Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.
     Daugherty, born March 8, 1920, in Panola County to the late Leonard D. and Addie Campbell White, , was a homemaker and a member of Liberty Hill Baptist Church.
     She was preceded in death by her husband, Jasper G. "Jap" Daugherty.
     Survivors include three daughters, Margaret Daugherty Flemmons of Pope, Mary Daugherty McMinn Germantown, Tenn. and Dorothy Daugherty Pickett of Pope; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.

DAVIS, Dollie Mae Collins
     BATESVILLE – Dollie Mae Collins Davis, 66, died Monday, June 19, 2006, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
     Services are Saturday at 2 p.m. at Popular Springs M.B. Church in Enid. Visitation is today 10 a.m.  – 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary. Rev. James E. Snearly will officiate. Burial will be in Rice Cemetery in Cascilla. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.
     Davis, born Oct. 11, 1939, to the late Henry Collins and the late Josephine Baker, was a homemaker and a member of Popular Springs M.B. Church in Enid.
     Survivors include her husband, Harrison Davis of Charleston; three daughters, Cathy Collins Pegues of Crowder, Debbie Collins and Gail Collins, both of Batesville; two step-daughters, Essie B. Baker and Pam Davis, both of Charleston; two sons, Jeffery Collins of Sardis and Arnold Collins of Charleston; one step-son, Jimmy Davis of Charleston; five sisters, Catherine Brawley, Fennie Mae Chatmon and Lois Williams, all of Charleston, Sally Johnson of Chicago, and Louise Zollycoffee of Peoria, Ill.; one brother John D. Collins of Charleston; 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

DAVIS, James D.
     SARDIS – James D. Davis, 42, died Thursday, May 25, 2006, at Baptist Memorial Hospital North Mississippi in Oxford.
     Services were Wednesday at Mt. Level M.B. Church in Como. Burial was in Mt. Level Cemetery. Felix Cauthen Funeral Home had charge.
     Davis was a member of Mt. Level M.B. Church.
     Survivors include his parents Donald and Bertha Davis of Sardis.

DAVIS, Solomon Sr.
     EIGHT MILE, Ala.- Solomon Davis Sr., 88, died Tuesday, January 10, 2006, at his residence surrounded by family. He was the father of Lillie Henry of Batesville.
     Services were Saturday at Friendship Primitive Baptist Church in Prichard, Ala. Rev. Robert Emanuel officiated. Burial was in Gethsemane Cemetery with military honors.
     Davis, born July 17, 1917, was a member of Friendship Primitive Baptist Church where he served as a member of the senior choir. He was a veteran of WWII serving in the U.S. Army, a retired employee of International Paper Company and was a retired self employed plumber.
     He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Georgiana Douglas "Dude" Davis, his parents, three brothers and five sisters.
     Survivors include two daughters, Lillie Henry of Batesville and Essie Davis Taylor of Eight Mile, Ala.; two sons, Solomon Davis Jr. and Emanuel Davis of Eight Mile, Ala.; one sister, Marcella Harris of Bronx, N.Y.; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

DEAN, Ida Mae
     SARDIS – Ida Mae Dean, 55, died Wednesday, September 6, 2006, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Services were Wednesday at Cistern Hill M.B. Church in Como. Burial was in the Cistern Hill Cemetery.
     Dean, born Jan. 29, 1951, was a member of the Cistern Hill M.B. Church in Como and a factory worker.
     Survivors include one daughter, Patricia Spearman of Sardis; three sons, James E. Dean and Michael Dean, both of Sardis and Greg Harmon of Kansas City; and one sister, Velma Ballentine of Sardis.

DETTOR, James Eckford
     BATESVILLE – James Eckford Dettor, 48, died Saturday, April 8, 2006, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
     Services were Tuesday at Dickins Funeral Home Chapel. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.
     Dettor was born July 1, 1957, in Sardis to the late Joe Davis Dettor Sr. and the late Janie Lou McClain Dettor.
     Survivors include two brothers, Johnny Dettor of Batesville and Joe Dettor Jr. of Pontotoc and three sisters, Linda Hernandez of Fort Worth, Texas, Laura Walters of Pontotoc and Janie Alexander of Batesville.

DILLARD, Alene Black
     COMO –  Alene Black Dillard, 83, died Saturday, November 4, 2006, at her residence.
     Services were Saturday at Mt. Level M.B. Church. Burial was in Mt. Level M.B. Church Cemetery. Felix Cauthen Funeral Home had charge.
     Dillard was a member of Howard Chapel C.M.E. Church where she was president of the Usher Board and a stewardess of the church.
     She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie B. Dillard.
     Survivors include two step- daughters, Alice Dillard and Willie Mae Gipson, both of Memphis; one step-son, Willie B. Dillard Jr. of Memphis and two brothers, Herbert Black of Memphis and Borned Black of Sardis.

DOWNS, Minnie Bell Johnson
     BATESVILLE – Minnie Bell Johnson Downs, 75, died July 8, 2006, at Baptist Memorial Hospital.
     Services were Monday at Dickins Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Pisgah Cemetery. Rev. Larry Sappington officiated. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.
     Downs, born March 31, 1931, to the late Henry Lige Johnson and the late Jennie Lynn May Johnson, formerly worked in the food services at South Panola Community Hospital. She was a member of Pisgah United Methodist Church.
     She was preceded in death by three brothers, Rufus Johnson, Charlie Johnson and Frankie Johnson and one sister Idell Howe.
     Survivors include her husband Gordon Downs of Batesville; one son Donald Downs and wife Melissa of Batesville and two grandchildren, Matthew and Christopher Downs of Batesville.
     In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to Pisgah Church c/o Eugene Crouch, 1342 Crouch Rd., Batesville.

DOYLE, John E.
     COMO – John E. Doyle, 49, died Thursday, July 6, 2006, at his residence.
     Services were Thursday at Cherry Street M.B. Church in Como. Burial was in Braham Chapel Church Cemetery. Felix Cauthen Funeral Home had charge.
     Doyle was a factory worker.
     Survivors include his wife, Patricia Doyle; two daughters, Stephanie Doyle and Katoria Doyle, both of Memphis; one step-daughter, Tamara Stevenson of Memphis; two sons, Angelo Doyle and Demario Stevenson, both of Memphis; his father, Eddie Doyle of Como; three sisters, Mary Young of Como, Dorothy Patterson of Memphis and Erma Echols of Como; three brothers, Robert Mayes and Rodger Doyle, both of Como and Eddie Doyle Jr. of Senatobia and five grandchildren.

DRAKE, John Thurston
     BATESVILLE – John Thurston Drake, 87, died Thursday, March 23, 2006, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center in Batesville.
Services were Saturday at First Baptist Church in Batesville. Dr. Robert Self officiated with Rev. Greg Johnston assisting. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.
     Drake, born Dec. 11, 1918, in Collinsville, Ala. to the late John F. Drake and the late Ava May Burgess Drake, served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. After the war he married Ernestine Houser and was a resident of Batesville for 58 years. Drake owned and operated Batesville Welding and Iron Works for over 30 years. He was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Batesville, where he taught Sunday School for 30 years.
     Survivors include his wife, Ernestine Drake; three children, Dr. John Kirk Drake of Ocean Springs, William E. Drake of Batesville and Dr. Lee B. Drake of Hattiesburg; one sister, Dorothy D. Bowden of Locust Grove, Ga. and seven grandchildren.
     Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church in Batesville.

DULIN, Flora Jo Wilson
     SARDIS – Flora Jo Wilson Dulin, 74, died Tuesday, July 11, 2006, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.
     Graveside services are today at 3 p.m. at Clear Creek Cemetery. Rev. Virgil Nelson Jr. will officiate. Dickins Funeral Home has charge.
     Dulin, born Jan. 12, 1932, in Lafayette County to the late Jodie Starnes and the late Lois Stockwell Starnes, was a farmer.
     She was preceded in death by one son, Gary Wayne Wilson, one daughter, Brenda Gail Wilson, one brother, Billy Starnes and her husband, Top Dulin.
     Survivors include her God-daughter, Rita LaCook Lader of New Albany; two sisters, Carol Lucas of Sardis and Malba Creswell of Olive Branch and two grandchildren, Phaedra Wilson and Jacey Wilson.

DUNGAN, Daniel Everett Sr.
     POPE – Daniel Everett Dungan Sr., 37, died Saturday, September 2, 2006, from injuries received in an automobile accident.
     Services were Tuesday at Newsom Chapel. Burial was in Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery in Charleston. Newsom Funeral Home had charge.
     Dungan, born to Jimmy Dungan of Charleston and Frances Wells of Pope, was a truck driver.
     Survivors along with his parents include one daughter, Brandi Marie Dungan of Grenada; one son, Daniel E. Dungan Jr. of Pope; one sister Leigh Noble of Lagrange, Ind. and one brother Johnny Dungan of Horn Lake and one grandchild.

DUNN, Marguerite Dreaden Fowler
     MARKS -Marguerite Dreaden Fowler Dunn, 90, died Saturday, July 1, 2006, at Quitman County Hospital in Marks.
     Services are Wednesday at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Lambert. Rev. Don O’Quin will officiate. Visitation is today, Tuesday, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Kimbro Funeral Home. Burial will be in Lambert Cemetery. Kimbro Funeral Home has charge.
     Dunn, born May 21, 1916, was a long term member of Order of the Eastern Star and a member of the First Baptist Church.
     She was preceded in death by her son James (P.M.) Fowler.
     Survivors include: her husband, Danny Dunn of Marks; one daughter, Ann Fowler Smith of Nesbit; one son, Joe Fowler of Little Rock, Ark.; six grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

DURHAM, Sedatha
     POPE – Sedatha Durham, 48, died Friday, May 26, 2006, at her residence.
     Services were Tuesday at Willow Springs Assembly of God. Burial was in Bethel Cemetery in Enid. Wells Funeral Home had charge.
     Durham was born Oct. 16, 1957, in Marks, to the late Raymond and Fern Birdsong Woods.
     Survivors include her husband, Billy Durham of Pope; one daughter, Jessica Leigh Durham of Pope; two sons, Brian and wife Amye Durham of Senatobia and Jerry and wife Shannon Durham of Grenada; six sisters, Kathy Brinson of Parsons, Kan., Paulette Bennett of Grenada; Debbie Yates of Cleveland, Eloise Turner, Laura Faulkner and Lisa Darby, all of Pope; three brothers, Edward Woods, Billy Ray Woods and Terry Lee Woods, all of Grenada and three grandchildren.

DURRETT, David
     COMO – David Durrett, founder and artistic director of the Como Opera Guild, died Sunday, November 26, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 55.
     Funeral services will be Saturday, December 2, at 11 a.m. in the Family Life Center at the Senatobia First Baptist Church where he was a member.
     Durrett, born in Como, was a former opera singer who returned to his hometown and founded the local opera company in 2003 to provide opportunities for area children to be exposed to classical music.
     The son of Mrs. Mary Gray of Senatobia and the late Rev. Thomas E. Durrett, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in music and master’s degree in music and theater from the University of Mississippi. He embarked on a career that included performing in more than 125 productions from San Francisco to New York.
     After returning to Como he devoted much of his time to organizing, funding and directing the Como Opera Guild. Now in its fourth season, the guild presents short operas in English for audiences of school children in Northwest Mississippi. Most recently more than 1,000 children saw the opera "Little Red Riding Hood," presented November 14-18 in performances in Oxford and Sardis.
     The work of the Como Opera Guild will go on, say members of Durrett’s family, who ask that memorials be sent to the guild at P.O. Box 57, Como, MS 38619.
     In addition to his mother, Durrett is survived by his stepfather, Billie Bob Gray of Senatobia; his sister, Bonnie D. Long of Como; his brother, Richard T. Durrett of Fairbanks, Alaska.