Willie Howard Benson Jr.

BATESVILLE– Willie Howard Benson Jr., 62, died Saturday, January 3, 2009, at his residence.

Services were Thursday at Shiloh M.B. Church in Courtland. Rev. Leonard McGhee officiated. Burial was in Shiloh Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary had charge.

Benson, born Sept. 9, 1946, to Jennie Ruth Porter of Batesville and the late Willie Howard Benson Sr., was a farmer and a member of Pilgrim Rest C.O.G.I.C. in Oakland.

Survivors along with his mother: his wife, Leisa Benson of Batesville; seven daughters, Jennie Robinson, Betty Benson, Gracie Vinson, Mary Toliver and Turicia Benson, all of Milwaukee, Wis., Holly Williams and Caleisa Market, both of Batesville; six sons, Willie Howard Benson III, Howard E. Benson, Reedy Joe Benson, Richard D. Benson, James Toliver, all of Milwaukee, Wis. and Anthony Toliver of Applewood, Wis.; three sisters, Christine Ellis, Charlene Porter and Dorothy Porter, all of Batesville; 53 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

CHARLESTON– Ozel Hamilton Bevill, 96, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009. She was the mother of Linda Bevill Martin of Sardis.

Services were Thursday at the First Baptist Church. Burial was in Charleston Cemetery. Newsom Funeral Home had charge.

Bevill was a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by her husband, L.V. Bevill.

Survivors along with her daughter include: her son-in-law, Benny Martin of Sardis; two grandchildren, Alyssa Martin Sullivant and husband, Hayden and Benny Marshall Martin and wife, Lee and one great-grandchild, Addie Swain Martin.

OAKLAND– Katherine Lee Jackson Butler, 93, died Thursday, January 1, 2009, in Palm Springs, Calif.

Graveside services were Thursday at Oakland Cemetery. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.

Butler, born July 18, 1915, to the late Lee and Kate Furr Jackson in Oxford, was preceded in death by her husband Grady Wolfe Butler.

She was a member of the Order of Descendants of Colonial Cavaliers, Jamestowne Society, Colonial Dames XVII Century, Dames of the Court of Honor and Daughters of the American Revolution.

Survivors include: two sons, William Butler of Palm Springs, Calif., Lee Butler of Laguna Beach, Calif.; one daughter, Anne Hyde of Midland, Texas; three grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

BATESVILLE, Ark.– Grace Bramlett, 84, died Saturday, January 3, 2009, at White River Medical Center in Batesville, Ark. She was the mother of Billy Bramlett of Sardis.

Services were Tuesday at Dickins Funeral Home. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.

Bramlett, born Feb. 20, 1924, to the late Jimmy Kendal Bridges and the late Lillie Mae Burton Bridges, was a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by one son, Robert Earl Bramlett.

Survivors along with her son include: one daughter, Joyce Bell of Batesville, Ark.; three sons, Jimmy Wayne Bramlett and Wilmar Bramlett, both of Lexington, Mo. and Jerry Bramlett of Branson, Mo.; two sisters, Biddie May Bridges of Florida and Nettie Bridges of West Memphis, Ark.; 20 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

ALMYRA, Ark.– Jerry B. Johnson, 54, died Monday, January 5, 2009, at the VA Hospital in Little Rock, Ark. He was the father of Carmichael Roberts of Como.

Services are Saturday at 1 p.m. at St. Peter M.B. Church. Burial was in New Springhill Church Cemetery in Sarah. Felix Cauthen Funeral Home had charge.

Johnson, born to Willie B. Johnson and Annie B. Phillips of Almyra, Ark., was a landscaper and a member of Springhill M.B. Church.

Survivors along with his son and parents include: his wife, Brenda Johnson of Hazelwood, Mo.; two daughters, Saundra Johnson of Witchita, Kan. and Angelina Johnson of St. Louis; three sons, Timony Roberts of Senatobia, Devions Foster and Latwune Houston, both of Dewitts, Ark.; four sisters, Elaine Leverson and Angela Garretts, both of Senatobia, Beverly Dean and Suzanna Franklin, both of Memphis; 10 brothers, Willie C. Johnson and Willie Jackson, both of Senatobia, Calvin Dean and Gary Johnson, both of Sarah, Clifton Taylor of Memphis, Carl Wayne Johnson and McCoy Johnson, both of Dewitt, Ark., Patrick Dean and Herman Cobb of Lake Commorant and Jermaine Wynkoop of Woon Socket, Road Island and 13 grandchildren.

BATESVILLE– LaVerne “Dip” Hudson McGee, 71, died Wednesday, January 7, 2009, at her residence.

Services are today at 2 p.m. at Wells Funeral Home. Rev. Charles Locke will officiate. Visitation is today 10 a.m. until service time at the funeral home. Burial will be in Forrest Memorial Park. Wells Funeral Home has charge.

McGee, born April 7, 1937, to the late Wayne Wray McEwen and the late Edna Pearl Taylor McEwen, was a retired beautician and homemaker. She was a member of Courtland Baptist Church and the Batesville Lion’s Club.

She was married to the late William “Billy” Hudson for 37 years and then later married the late Edwin Earl McGee.

She was preceded in death by one sister, Marilyn Rose McGee.

Survivors include: four sons, Richard W. Hudson of Southaven, William L. Hudson, Michael W. Hudson and Stephen L. Hudson, all of Batesville; three step-daughters, Deborah Ann Smith of Columbia, Tenn., Marilyn Edwina Bunting of Sringhill, Tenn. and Sheila Denise Allen of Catlin, Ill. and one step-son, Ronald E. McGee of Danville, Ill.

BATESVILLE– Forrest Adam Poe, 40, died Monday, January 5, 2009, at his residence.

Services were Wednesday at Calvary Baptist Church. Burial was in Oddfellow Cemetery in Greenwood. Paul Middleton officiated. Wells Funeral Home had charge.

Poe, born Oct. 9, 1968, in San Bernardino County, Calif. to Larry Raymond and Shirley Murphy Poe of North Carrollton, attended Mississippi State University and Northwest Mississippi Community College where he received his LPN License.

He was an LPN at Golden Living Center in Batesville.

Survivors along with his parents include: his wife, Holly Hollowell Poe of Batesville; two daughters, Chelsea Renee Ratcliff and Christian Reed Ratcliff, both of Batesville and one brother, Shannon Poe of Brandon.

MARKS– Mildred Kornegay Ratliff, 77, died Wednesday, January 7, 2009, at her residence. She was born in Crowder.

Services are today at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church. Burial will be in Lambert Cemetery. Rev. James Tidwell will officiate. Kimbro Funeral Home has charge.

Ratliff, born Aug. 28, 1931,  was a member of the First Baptist Church in Marks.

Survivors include: one son, Herbert Ratliff Jr. of Parsons, Tenn.; two daughters, Mistie Stanley and Melinda Long, both of Marks; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Baptist Children’s Village in Jackson or the charity of the donor’s choice.

BATESVILLE– Elder Lawrence “L.C.” Smith, 68, died Friday, January 2, 2009, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.

Services were Wednesday at Spring Hill Asa M.B. Church in Courtland. Rev. Ydell Ishmon officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary had charge.

Smith, born April 25, 1940, in Batesville, to the late Agene Smith and the late Mary Davis, was a member of West Batesville Pentecostal Church.

Survivors include: his wife, Mary Williams Smith of Batesville; five daughters, Linda Mitchell, Patricia Shaw and Jennie Wright, all of Batesville and Shirley Coffey of Enid; three sons, Lawrence Smith Jr. of Courtland, Charles Williams of Lamar and Jonathan Williams of San Diego, Calif.; his step-mother, Cornelious Smith of Batesville; 10 sisters, Ollie Rice of Batesville, Vera Miller of Chicago, Flora Taylor of Jackson, Tenn., Betty Pickens of Maywood, Ill., Dorothy Jones and Rutha Johnson, both of Chicago, Emmie Rodgers of Crenshaw, Gloria Joy of Jackson, Tenn., Blanchie Austin and Stella Mitchell, both of Milwaukee, Wis.; Calvin Smith of Memphis and Lewis Smith of Cleveland, Ohio 25 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

SARDIS– Shelia Gale Draper Sowden, 47, died Friday, January 2, 2009.

Services are Saturday at 11 a.m. at Mt. Gillion M.B. Church in Sardis. Visitation is today 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Mt. Gillion M.B. Church. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Rev. Walter Newson will officiate. Eddie Robison Funeral Home has charge.

Sowden, born February 23, 1961, in Sardis, to O’dell Draper Sr. of Sardis and Stella Mae Jones Draper of Sardis, attended South Panola High School, Northwest Mississippi Community College and The University of Mississippi and Jackson State. She received an associates degree in human services from The University of Mississippi. She was employed with the MDOT for 17 years. She was a veteran of the U.S. Army, a member of Mt. Gillion M.B. Church and a cashier for the Oxford Wal-Mart.

Survivors along with her parents include: her husband, Carl Anthony Sowden of Sardis; one son, Carl A. Sowden Jr. of Sardis; one daughter, Alisia Nicole Sowden of Sardis; eight brothers, Joe L. Draper of Como, Gregory Draper, Jeffery Draper, Jerry Draper, Ronnie Harold Draper, Donald Draper and Ronald Draper, all of Sardis and O’Dell Draper Jr. of Batesville and three sisters, Kathy Lee, Arlesia Draper and Anita Draper, both of Sardis.

OXFORD– Monta McNemar Wren, 72, formerly of Sardis, died Monday, December 29, 2008, at Hermitage Gardens in Oxford.

Memorial services were Saturday, January 3, 2008, at Peach Creek Baptist Church in Pleasant Grove. Rev. Deborah Mingo Palmer officiated. Coleman Funeral Home had charge.

She was born to the late Curtis and Elva McNemar. She was a member of Sledge United Methodist Church. She had been a business owner in Sledge for 25 years and served as mayor of Sledge in 1985. She also served on the on the Southaven Beautification Committee.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred Paul Wren.

Survivors include: two daughters, Terri DeLuca of Cordova, Tenn. and Jennie Denton of Oxford; one brother, Charles McNemar of Southaven; four sisters, Billie Parker of Pleasant Grove, Toosie McGregor of Florence, Ala., Glenda Richardson of Senatobia and Bonita Gibson of Huntsville and three grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Peach Creek Baptist Church or Alzheimer’s Association, Mississippi Chapter, 1900 Dunbarton Dr., Suite H, Jackson, Miss. 39216.