John Dunklin Ashcraft Jr., 80, died Thursday, March 19, 2009, at St. Dominic’s Hospital in Jackson. He was the father of Frances Ashcraft of Pope.

Graveside services were held Monday in Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis.

Ashcraft was born in Florence, Ala. to John D. Ashcraft and Josephine Saunders Ashcraft on Dec. 1, 1928. The family moved to Troy Plantation at Grenada when he was 4 and in 1938 moved to Roebuck Plantation near Sidon. He attended Sewanee Military Academy in Sewanee, Tenn. and later graduated from Greenwood High School. He attended Mississippi State University and Delta State University. While at MSU, he was drafted to the service during the Korean War and was a captain.

He then returned to Roebuck Plantation where he farmed and raised cattle. He retired in 1972 but continued his interest in farming, growing blueberries. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Greenwood.

In addition to his daughter Frances, other survivors include his wife, Jody Joanna Gilliam Ashcraft of Greenwood; two other daughters, Mary Joanne “Ryan” Ashcraft Austin of Grenada and Josephine “Joey” Thompson Saunders Ashcraft Austin of Ridgeland; two sons, John Dunklin Ashcraft III of Greenwood and John Edwin Gilliam Ashcraft of Greenwood; nine grandchildren.

SARDIS- Sylvester Burton, 44, died Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-East.

Services were Sunday at Ebenezer M.B. Church in Como. Eddie Robinson Funeral Home had charge.

Survivors include: one brother, Andrew Burton of Sardis and one sister Angela Burton of Sardis.

SARDIS- Jack Gillentine, 33, died Wednesday, March 18, 2009, from injuries received in an automobile accident in Sardis.

Services were held Saturday at Ray-Nowell Funeral Home in Senatobia. Burial was in Senatobia Memorial Cemetery. Ray Nowell Funeral Home had charge.

Gillentine, born May 21, 1975, in Memphis, to Robert Walter and Betty Joyce Gillentine of Sardis, was a foreman at Gillentine Construction Company where he worked for 11 years. He was a graduate of Magnolia Heights, an Eagle Scout and a member of Lifepoint Church in Senatobia. He was baptized as a child at the First Baptist Church in Sardis where he was also an active member of the youth group.

He was a volunteer firefighter for the city of Sardis and a former assistant captain for the Union Fire Department.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jack and Doris Dempsey.

Survivors along with his parents include: two sisters, Leslie Rice and her husband, Jeff of New London, Penn. and Amy Gillentine of Colorado Springs, Colo.; one brother, Billy Gillentine and his wife, Angie of Sardis; his grandparents, Robert Walter and Lorraine Gillentine of Arlington, Tenn.; his step-grandfather, Hugh Green; three nephews, William and Matt Gillentine and Harry Rice; five nieces, Catherine Dempsey, Taylor and Cameron Clarkson, Rebecca Gillentine and Sally Rice.

GREENWOOD- Jimmy Lewis Griffin, 54, formerly of Batesville, died Friday, March 20, 2009, at Greenwood Leflore Hospital.

Services were Monday at Williams and Lord Funeral Home. Rev. Wayne Kimbrough officiated. Burial was in Batesville Magnolia Cemetery. Williams and Lord Funeral Home had charge.

Griffin, born Sept. 14, 1954, to the late Lewis Young and Frances Bagwell Griffin, graduated from South Panola High School and Delta Community College in Moorehead. He was a former member of the Highway Patrol and was employed with 4-Way Electric Company. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Greenwood.

Survivors include: his wife of 25 years, Patricia Corder Griffin of Greenwood; two sons, Christopher Lewis Griffin of Southaven and Patrick Lewis Griffin of Greenwood; one daughter, Stephanie Jean Griffin of Greenwood and one brother Billy Griffin of Prentiss.