MEMPHIS– Dorothy Ann “Dot” O’Neill Blakely, 71, of Memphis, formerly of Batesville, died August 5, 2007, in the hospice unit at Baptist Memorial Hospital East in Memphis.

Mrs. Blakely was a member of Batesville First United Methodist Church where services will be held today at 2 p.m. Officiating ministers will be the Rev. Ed Woodall, the Rev. John L. Bowie and the Rev. Jimmy D. Sartain. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home has charge.

Mrs. Blakely was born January 23, 1936, in Jackson to the late Benton and Dorothy Parenton O’Neill.  She grew up in Como and was a graduate of Como High School where she’d been a cheerleader and played basketball and tennis.

After attending Northwest Junior College she worked in banking and later, with her husband Jimmy Blakely, owned and operated Blakely Electric Co. in Batesville. Mr. Blakely died in 1976.

In 1986 she moved to Rock Hill, S.C. and became an administrative assistant to the dean of education at Winthrop University, where she remained until retirement in 1998, when she moved to Memphis to be near her daughter and her family.

Survivors include: her daughter, Leigh Ann Blakely and son-in-law Dennis Elrod of Memphis; four sisters, Sara Trotter of Batesville, Rosie Ellis of Rock City, S.C., Betty Sartain of Nashville and Judy Sartain of Water Valley; and two grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation with designations earmarked for Hospice or Camp Good Grief. Donations to Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School’s general education fund may also be made.

SARDIS– Jessie James Brown, 50, died August 7, 2007, at his mother’s residence in Como.

Services are Saturday at 1 p.m. at Cistern Hill M.B. Church in Como. Burial will be in Cistern Hill Cemetery. Felix Cauthen Funeral Home has charge.

Brown, born to Minnie Brown and Clyde Brown of Como, was a member of Liberty Hill C.M.E. Church in Como.

Survivors along with his parents include: his wife, Annie Wilson Brown; two daughters, Davlon Smith of Waco, Texas and Tamerika Bobo of Sardis and one step-daughter, Tequesta Ross of Waco, Texas; two sons, Walter Ellis of Chicago, Ill. and Deontray Hinton of Sacramento, Calif.; six sisters, Emma J. Jackson, Ruby Brown and Jennie Green, all of Como, Laura Bassette of Chicago, Ill., Thelma Askew of Senatobia and Linda Brown of Sardis; three step-daughters, Clara William of Como, Ruby Dandridge of Memphis and Luedora Porter of Kalamazoo, Mich.; four brothers, Henry Howard of Como and Clyde Brown Jr. of Sardis; two step-brothers, Joe Pratcher of Como and Arthur Garrett of Memphis and four grandchildren.

BATESVILLE– Willie Mae Ellis, 86, died Monday, August 6, 2007, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.

Services are Saturday at 2 p.m. at West Camp M.B. Church. Minister Willie Gaston will officiate. Visitation will be today 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary. Burial will be in West Camp Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.

Ellis, born Dec. 7, 1920, in Batesville to the late Will Oliver Mathis and the late Jessie Mae Braddy, was a retired restaurant owner. She was also a member of West Camp M.B. Church.

Survivors include: six daughters, Marylon Madison, Carrie Ellis and Gaynell Anderson, all of Batesville, Ruby Guyon, Earlene Gaston and Emma Jean Street, all of Detroit, Mich.; two sons, Roy Ellis and Joe Norwood, both of Batesville; three sisters, Yvonne Donnaway of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Jean Rugger and Faye Braddy, both of Nashville, Tenn.; one brother, Percy Braddy of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; 22 grandchildren; a host of great-grandchildren and a host of great-great-grandchildren.

BATESVILLE– Jack Dudley Wilson, 70, died Monday, August 6, 2007, at Golden Living Nursing Home.

Services were Wednesday at Wells Funeral Home. Burial was in Blackjack Cemetery. Rev. Todd Pittman officiated. Wells Funeral Home had charge.

Wilson, born Oct. 2, 1936, in Oxford to the late Dewey and Lula Mae Thompson Wilson, was a member of Blackjack Presbyterian Church. He was also a retired maintenance supervisor for M.D.O.T. where he worked for 43 years.

Survivors include: three daughters, Beth Wilson Lovelace and husband John of Jonesboro, Ark., Teri Wilson Gray and husband Ricky of Batesville and Jackie Wilson Ingalls and husband Allen of Abbeville; one son, Jason Alan Wilson and wife Amy of Batesville; eight grandchildren, Mary John White, Taylor Lovelace, Morgan Lovelace, Cody Gray, Mary Page Ingalls, Wesley Wilson and Nelson Jenkins.

Memorials may be made to Blackjack Cemetery Fund, c/o Hilda Wilson, 32584 Blackjack Rd., Batesville, MS 38606.