MARKS– Bobby Joe Bell, 66,  died Friday, September, 23, 2011, at the Veteran’s Hospital in Memphis. He was the brother of Wanda Pettit of Crowder.

Services were Monday at Faith Baptist Church in Lambert. Burial was in Marks Cemetery.  Reveverands, David Parker, Mark Greene, Bobby Campbell, Jerry Rice, Ernest Gordon and Bill Hanks officiated. Kimbro Funeral Home had charge.

Bell, born April 3, 1945, Clarksdale, received a bachelor’s of theology and was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was retired from Emhardt Industries after 27 years. He was a pastor for 30 years and surrendered to preach at Calvary Baptist Church.

Survivors along with his sister, Wanda Pettit, include: his wife, Maxine Aldridge Bell; one daughter, Christie Lamb of Cleveland; one son, Bobby Joe Bell Jr. of Marks; one brother, Billy Wayne Bell of Marks; one adopted son, Buddy Aldridge of Marks and four grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Faith Baptist Church, 2893 Airport Rd., Marks, Miss. 38646.

MEMPHIS – Edward Charles Gatewood, 57, formerly of Batesville, died Thursday, August 4, 2011, in Springfield, Mo.

Memorial services were held Saturday at Pleasant Green Activity Center in Sardis. Pastor Walter Sanders Jr. officiated.

Gatewood, born July 23, 1954, in Sardis, to the late Bessie Hardges-Gatewood and the late Lowery Gatewood, attended South Panola High School and Mississippi Valley State. He was a truck driver and a veteran of the Army.

Survivors include: three sons, Keithron Vaughn of Batesville, Thomas Hubbard of Horn Lake, Derell Gatewood of Rock Island, Ill; three daughters, Troy Gatewood of Rock Island, Ill., Tamika Moorehead of Senatobia, Latonya Bowden of Como; one brother, Lowery Gatewood of Gary, Ill.; four sisters, Barbara Sanders of Sardis, Dorothy Collins of Memphis; Betty Louise Patterson of Chicago and Maritha Thomas of Memphis and 12 grandchildren.

COURTLAND – Sidney Sanford, 79, died Friday, September 16, 2011, at his residence.

Services were Thursday at Salem M.B. Church in Courtland. Pastor Larry Itson officiated. Burial was in Johnson Chapel Cemetery in Courtland. Cooley’s Mortuary had charge.

Sanford, born Jan. 27, 1932, in Courtland, to the late George “Pap” Sanford and Laura Ford Sanford, was a retired maintenance worker for MDOT and a member of Salem M.B. Church in Courtland.

Survivors include: his wife, Emma Dean Sanford of Courtland; five daughters, Emma Jean Cook of Tupelo, Mary Anne Robinson of Courtland, Nancy House of Sardis, Cathy Burnette of Jackson and Dorothy Coates of Pittsburg, Pa.; two sons, Bobby Sanford of Courtland and Nakia Edwards of Sardis; one sister, Urna L. Sanford of Batesville; three brothers, Otto Sanford of Courtland, Lewis Sanford of Batesville and Linwood Baker Sanford of Minnesota; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

RED BAY, Ala. – Jeanette Glover Simmons, 72, formerly of Sledge, died Tuesday, September 20, 2011, at her residence.

Graveside services were held Thursday at Longtown Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.

Simmons, born July 5, 1939, to William Reatus and Bertha Naomi Goodwin Glover, was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church in Sledge.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles S. Simmons.

Surivors include: two daughters, Kimberly Simmons Noe of Tupelo and Rhonda Simmons of Red Bay, Ala.; three brothers, Gerald Glover of Moulton, Ala., Donnie Glover of Red Bay, Ala. and Ricky Glover of Huntsville, Ala.; two grandchildren.