BATESVILLE– Robert Earl Crowder, 53, died Thursday, February 26, 2009, at his residence.

Services are today at 2:30 p.m. at the Batesville Intermediate School Auditorium. Rev. Zannie Leland Jr. will officiate. Burial will be in Batesville Cemetery. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.

Crowder, born July 5, 1955, to Glady Mae Fondren Ellis of Batesville and the late George Crowder, was an occasional columnist for The Panolian and an advocate for disabled people.

Survivors along with his mother include: his wife of over 30 years, Dianne Crowder of Batesville;  his goddaughter, Komiya Guillory of Batesville; 13 sisters, Kimberly Ellis, Effie Wright, Earmie Wright, Nancy Wright, April Wright and Angela Wright, all of Batesville, Christy Moore of Coldwater, Dianne Dorman of Woodbridge, Va., Pamela Ellis and Kathy Freeman, both of Bryans Road, Md., Patty Freeman of Charlotte, N.C., Mary Ann Carr of New York and Sarah Taylor of Florida; nine brothers, Charles Fondren of Richmond, Va., Frederick Fondren of Mt. Vernon, Ga., Mack Carr, Larry Wright, and Richard Wright, all of Batesville, George Crowder of Crowder, Micheal Wright of Jackson and Gilbert L. Crowder and George Crowder Jr., both of New York and one grandchild.

BATESVILLE- Curtis J. Simmerman, 71, died Saturday, February 28, 2009, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto.

Services will be held today at 11 a.m. at Calvary Baptist Church. Rev. Paul Middleton and Rev. Roger Howell will officiate. Burial will be in Forrest Memorial Park. Wells Funeral Home has charge.

Simmerman, born May 6, 1937, in Washington County to the late Ed and Mary Alford Simmerman, was the former owner of Simmerman BP of Sardis. He was also a self-employed logger. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church where he served as assistant Sunday school teacher. He served on various committees

Survivors include: his wife of 45 years, Bonnie Posey Simmerman of Batesville; one daughter, Lynelle Simmerman Payne of Courtland; one son, Stacy Simmerman of Batesville; one sister, Marie Simmerman Cox of Sardis; one brother, Evander Simmerman of Sardis; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild and three step-grandchildren.

COURTLAND– Lindsey “Lank” Sanford Sr., 84, died Saturday, February 28, 2009, at his residence.

Services are Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Springhill Pope M.B. Church. Rev. Lindsay Sanford Jr. will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation is today 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary and Wednesday 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. at Springhill Pope M.B. Church. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.

Sanford, born Jan. 10, 1925, in Courtland, to the late George Sanford and Laura Griffin, was a retired self-employed plumber. He was a member of Springhill Pope M.B. Church. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.

Survivors include: 14 daughters, Spora Wilbourn, Annie Gross and Ellen Sanford, all of Pope, Tamara Sanford of Courtland, Alice Hervey and Bessie Mitchell, both of Batesville, Pamela Dennis of Como, Merry Wilson of Cleveland, Charlene Robinson, Jackie Macklin, Cora James, Darlene Worrkman and Loretta Snipes, all of Memphis and Cassandra Findley of Como; five sons, Rev. Lindsey Sanford Jr., Sammie Sanford, Arthur Sanford, all of Courtland, Tony Carter and Steve Lee, both of Como; two sisters, Lucinda Harrison of Courtland and Urna Sanford of Batesville; four brothers, Lewis Sanford of Batesville, Syndey Sanford and Otto Sanford, both of Courtland and Baker Sanford of Minneapolis, Minn.; 48 grandchildren and 68 great-grandchildren.

HARMONTOWN– Misty Marie Ritcheson Warren, 26, died Wednesday, February 25, 2009, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto.

Memorial services were Saturday at New Hope Baptist Church in Como. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.

Warren was a waitress at Bad Boys Pizza in Oxford.

Survivors include: her husband, Jarred Warren of Harmontown; one daughter, Chassity Warren of Harmontown; one son, Patrick Warren of Harmontown; one brother, Mike Ritcheson and her parents, Melvin Clyde and Linda Ritcheson of Harmontown and her mother Annett Tredwell of Tennessee.

Memorials may be made to New Hope Baptist Church in Como.